Family Reunification Visas Near Record

Germany may be on course for a record year of family reunification even as one important route stays officially closed. Figures compiled by Mediendienst Integration, drawn from the government’s answers to parliamentary inquiries, suggest that the number of family reunification visas issued in 2026 is running high enough to set a new high mark if the pace holds. The picture is nuanced, and the exact totals depend on which category of visa is counted, so the numbers below are attributed carefully to their sources.

What the family reunification figures show

According to Mediendienst Integration, German missions had finally processed roughly 63,200 family reunification visas by 24 June 2026, a count that includes both approvals and refusals. Of these, the organisation reports that about 7,000 went to people from Syria and Afghanistan, split into roughly 4,800 Syrian and 2,100 Afghan cases. Mediendienst Integration notes that if issuance continues at this rate, 2026 could exceed recent years, when around 110,400 visas were granted in 2025 and about 120,000 in 2024.

A separate response cited by the Bundestag press service (hib) gives a narrower slice of the same trend. It records 7,946 visas for spouses joining German citizens and 35,793 other family reunification visas in the first five months of the year, figures released in reply to a parliamentary question. Because the two data sets count different groups and time frames, they should be read together rather than added, and both trace back to government answers rather than independent tallies.

The suspension that still stands

What makes the numbers striking is that reunification for holders of subsidiary protection, a status granted to people who do not qualify as refugees but cannot safely be returned, has been suspended since July 2025 for two years. Mediendienst Integration confirms the suspension runs into 2027, which in theory should hold down arrivals from exactly the groups most associated with recent asylum migration.

Yet visas to protected people have still been issued in significant numbers. As reported by Berliner Sonntagsblatt and Oldenburger Onlinezeitung, both drawing on a government reply to a parliamentary inquiry, 18,570 visas went to relatives of people with protection status between 1 January 2025 and 31 May 2026, including 7,278 for relatives of subsidiary protection holders. The government explained that most of these were granted before the suspension took effect or reflect court orders and earlier commitments, so they do not formally contradict the freeze.

Hardship cases remain rare

The suspension allows for exceptions in cases of special hardship, but Mediendienst Integration indicates that this door has barely opened. Based on the figures it cites, only around 10 hardship applications had been approved out of roughly 5,000 submitted by the middle of 2026. That approval rate underlines how narrow the exception is in practice, even though it exists on paper.

Guidelines referenced in the same data suggest that a hardship claim may apply where family members have been separated for a very long time, or where small children are involved. For most applicants, however, the near-zero approval numbers mean the suspension is effectively absolute, and the broader family reunification totals are being driven by other legal routes rather than by these exceptions.

Reading the family reunification numbers

It is worth stressing how these figures were produced. The counts come mainly from government responses to parliamentary questions, which is why Mediendienst Integration and the Bundestag inquiry are the anchors of this reporting rather than independent surveys. Different questions ask about different visa categories, nationalities and periods, which is why totals vary between sources and why a single headline number can be misleading.

What the data does support is a clear direction of travel. Even with one major route suspended, overall family reunification to Germany remains substantial and, on current trends described by Mediendienst Integration, potentially record-setting for the year. The debate over whether this represents a loophole or a lawful continuation of existing rights is likely to sharpen as the state elections approach.

What this means for foreigners in Germany

For internationals hoping to bring a spouse, child or parent to Germany, the key lesson is that the rules depend heavily on your own residence status. Family reunification for recognised refugees and for German citizens continues, while the route for subsidiary protection holders remains suspended with only rare hardship exceptions. Knowing which category applies to you is essential before starting an application, because the pathways and waiting times differ sharply.

Because the procedures are detailed and change with new political decisions, it is wise to confirm the current position with an official source before committing time or money. Our practical overviews at welivein.de/how-to-germany can help you get oriented, and the responsible German mission or a qualified immigration adviser can confirm what your specific status allows.