German Immigration News

For a long time, family reunification for adult children was an absolute exception under German immigration law. With the reform of the skilled worker immigration law, the legislature broke with this principle for the first time in 2024 – but only for a very narrowly defined group of people. Since March 1, 2024, certain newly arrived skilled workers have been allowed to bring their parents to Germany without having to prove exceptional hardship (so-called long-term visa

Imagine you possess all the qualifications for a responsible position in aviation security. You go through the application process, dutifully submit your documents, and—after a photo of you is provided—receive a prompt rejection without any explanation . The only visible difference between your profile and the job requirements seems to be a piece of fabric: your religiously motivated headscarf . This very scenario formed the basis of a legal dispute that reached its deci

Imagine your long-awaited adventure to Lima is just around the corner. Your suitcases are packed, you're incredibly excited about Peruvian cuisine – and then comes the shock: your flight is canceled . What follows is the usual bureaucratic marathon. You request a refund, the airline is cooperative and transfers the ticket price. But when you look at your bank statement, you're taken aback. Almost one hundred euros are missing. The amount the booking portal retained as a com

A 27-year-old police officer in Mannheim was acquitted of the charge of persecuting innocents (Verfolgung Unschuldiger) under the § 344 Criminal Code (StGB).  The officer was accused of planting marijuana to manipulate evidence after no narcotics were found on a foreign suspect during a body search. Five bags of cannabis with a total weight of 4.55 grams were placed with the suspect’s other belongings before the officer’s colleagues drew attention to the inconsistency, and th

Imagine you've done everything. You've learned German, you've worked hard for years, you've paid your taxes, and finally submitted that long-awaited application for naturalization . But then: nothing happens. Months go by, years pass, and the authorities remain silent. Eventually, the only option left is to go to court – to file an action for failure to act . You'd think that at this point, things would finally start moving, since a judge is now looking over the shoulde

2025 saw further significant changes in expat law (employment law for foreigners) . What was considered standard practice yesterday regarding vacation pay or how communication with unions was regulated is now subject to entirely new considerations. As 2025 draws to a close, it leaves behind a trail of groundbreaking decisions that have fundamentally altered the relationship between employers and employees. Those who don't pay close attention now risk costly repercussi

The year 2025 was particularly dynamic for VISAGUARD and the entire migration landscape in Germany . Numerous new developments, political decisions, and legal debates shaped the field. On a professional level, the focus was primarily on the abolition of so-called "turbo naturalization" (including corresponding "last-minute cases") and the heated discussions surrounding the "Work and Stay Agency" (WSA) . These debates illustrate how sensitive and complex the issue of nat

Imagine you're looking for an apartment for your family and, after a friendly inquiry, you immediately receive the reply that unfortunately, no more appointments are available. Normally, this would be a common occurrence in an overheated housing market—were it not for the nagging feeling that it's because of your name. For Humaira Waseem, this feeling became a certainty when she conducted an experiment. While she consistently received rejections under her Pakistani name ,

Berlin is currently experiencing a record number of naturalization lawsuits . This year alone, the Berlin Administrative Court has received almost 2,000 so-called inaction lawsuits – and the trend is rising. The reason for this is the large number of applications: 75,000 new and 40,000 older applications are currently pending at the State Office for Immigration (LEA) . The administration is unable to keep up with processing them, even though the Interior Ministry has

Anyone wishing to become a German citizen must provide unequivocal proof of their identity ( § 10 para. 1 StAG ). But what happens if no passport is presented? On December 18, 2025, the Federal Administrative Court (BVerwG) issued a significant ruling ( BVerwG 1 C 27.24 ) that supplements and further develops the requirements for proof of identity in naturalization proceedings . Previously, there was some flexibility between passports and identity cards. This is now o

Many foreign trainees , advice centers, and immigration authorities remain uncertain about whether a work permit is required for vocational training at a school . A recent ruling by the Administrative Court of Baden-Württemberg on November 12, 2025 (Case No. 12 S 1888/25) now provides important clarity: School-based vocational training does not constitute employment in the sense of immigration law – and therefore does not require a work permit. This decision has far

The rule of law stands or falls with the trust that its citizens place in it. This trust is not solely derived from laws, judgments, or administrative procedures. It arises primarily from the people who represent this state. Judges are expected to act impartially, communicate responsibly, and respect the dignity of every individual . This is precisely why the case of an allegedly xenophobic judge in Thuringia ( VISAGUARD.Berlin reported on the case) has far-reaching im

According to the Berlin Administrative Court , the granting of a residence permit for study purposes under Section 16b Paragraph 1 Sentence 1 of the German Residence Act (AufenthG) depends crucially on the requirement that residence in Germany is essential for the success of the studies . In its judgment of November 28, 2025 (Case No. 11 K 175/25) , the Berlin Administrative Court reiterated that this requirement is not automatically met simply because examinations ca

With its decision of December 4, 2025 (2 BvR 1511/25), the Federal Constitutional Court sent a clear signal to those affected by delayed visa decisions . The case centered on a constitutional complaint filed by an Afghan judge, his wife, and their four children, whose visa applications had remained unprocessed for years . The court, by way of an interim injunction , ordered the Federal Republic of Germany to process the applications immediately, thus lifting the previ

The judgment of the Berlin Administrative Court of May 14, 2025 (29 K 122/24) should have clarified the matter long ago: The simultaneous issuance of an EU Blue Card and a permanent residence permit is lawful, and the long-standing practice of the Berlin State Office for Immigration of refusing this combination was unlawful . Even then, the court made it clear that the EU Blue Card does not automatically expire when a skilled worker is granted a permanent residence pe

The case of Japanese church musician Mizuki Ikeya from Stuttgart has attracted nationwide attention – and impressively demonstrates the...

On November 5, 2025, the oral hearing in the case between IU – University of Applied Sciences for International Students and the State Office for Immigration (LEA) took place before the 10th Chamber of the Berlin Administrative Court ( VISAGUARD had reported on the case ). Many students had hoped that the court would finally provide clarity – or at least find a compromise between the two sides. But the hearing showed one thing above all: the positions remain entrenched .

Naturalization procedures in Germany can often drag on for months or even years . This is well known and has been criticized in...

The issue of actions for failure to act in citizenship law is becoming increasingly important. Since the entry into force of the ...

Naturalization procedures in Germany are extremely slow . Especially since the Citizenship Modernization Act (StARMoG) came into...