Turks Rank First in Germany’s Family Reunification Visas

WISE NEWS PRESS / BERLIN, GERMANY — DEC. 22, 2025

Germany has issued over 100,000 family reunification visas in the first 11 months of 2025, according to official data, with Turkish citizens emerging as the largest group of recipients. This comes despite a broader government push to tighten migration and asylum regulations across the federal republic.

Data released by the German Foreign Office shows that 101,756 visa requests were approved for citizens of the top five applicant countries through the end of November. Turkish nationals led the list with 14,907 approvals, followed by Syrians (13,148), Indians (9,286), Kosovars (7,143), and Albanians (4,426).

Spousal and Child Reunification Trends

The statistics reveal that the majority of these visas were granted for the purpose of joining spouses already residing in Germany. A total of 44,426 visas were issued to the spouses of foreign residents, while an additional 16,298 were granted to individuals joining spouses who hold German citizenship. Furthermore, over 37,000 visas were issued for children to join their parents, accounting for more than one-third of the total approvals.

Legislative Reforms and Restrictions

While a March 2024 reform expanded eligibility to include parents and in-laws of highly qualified workers, the government introduced new limitations in July. Family reunification for individuals with limited protection status—primarily impacting Syrian migrants—has been suspended for two years. Under current rules, only those with full asylum rights maintain a protected right to family reunification, while others are restricted to "hardship cases" involving spouses and minor children.

Heightened Border Controls and Political Backlash

In parallel with visa processing, Germany has intensified its internal border security. Since expanded controls began on September 16, 2024, police have reportedly turned away nearly 1,000 asylum seekers at the borders. Interior Ministry figures indicate that over 32,000 unauthorized entries were detected between May and October, mostly at borders with France, Poland, and Austria.

The policy has drawn sharp criticism from within the government coalition. Marcel Emmerich, the Green Party’s spokesperson for internal policy, argued that the border closures "damage the economy and disrupt travel" without providing a measurable increase in national security. The current border controls are currently slated to remain in place until mid-March 2026.

www.wisenewspress.com