Family reunification in Germany: Bundestag plans two-year suspension!

Family reunification in Germany: Bundestag plans two-year suspension!

On June 6, 2025, an important debate took place in the Bundestag about the suspension of family reunification for those entitled to subsidiary protection. Various views and positions on this controversial topic were expressed. The draft law from the governing parties CDU/CSU and SPD as well as a proposal from the Left were referred to the committees, led by the Interior Committee, for further discussion. The coalition draft envisages a two-year suspension of family reunification in order to relieve the burden on the existing reception and integration systems. Bundestag.de reports that family reunification remains possible in cases of hardship.

During the debate, Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) emphasized Germany's ability to integrate and described illegal migration as a major challenge that requires both national and European responses. The AfD MP Dr. Bernd Baumann criticized the announced suspension and compared it with a previous regulation from 2016, which, in his opinion, was also inadequate. The SPD MP Rasha Nasr described the draft as a compromise and emphasized the importance of the hardship regulation.

Reactions and concerns

Green MP Shahina Gambir warned of the negative impact of the suspension on families and the integration of refugees into society. Clara Bünger from the Left described the law as anti-Christian and anti-family. In addition, CDU/CSU MP Alexander Throm pointed out that the numbers of family reunifications with those entitled to subsidiary protection exceed the numbers of reunifications with refugees.

A similar regulation to suspend family reunification was introduced in 2016. According to current figures, a total of 388,074 people with subsidiary protection were in Germany as of March 31, 2025. In 2023, 11,630 approvals for visas for family reunification were granted, and in 2024 there were 12,000. The Left's motion calls for the right to family life for refugees to be protected and criticizes the suspension as fatal for society and integration policy. In addition, reunification with people entitled to subsidiary protection should be aligned with the regulations for refugees in accordance with the Geneva Refugee Convention.

Legal situation and conditions

Family reunification generally applies to members of a family if a parent has been recognized as entitled to asylum. Loud BAMF Family members in Germany have the opportunity to also apply for asylum. To do this, the marriage must be valid in the country of origin and the asylum application must be submitted on time. The regulation for family reunification applies not only to refugees, but also to people who are under subsidiary protection.

However, there are restrictions: people who got married while fleeing cannot apply for family reunification. In addition, strict criteria apply as to when and under what conditions family reunification is granted, although there is no legal right to this. Rather, the decision is based on humanitarian reasons.