Documents for a Germany Spouse Visa from the Philippines: Full 2026 Checklist

A Germany spouse visa filed from the Philippines requires a legalized set of the applicant’s personal documents, proof of the sponsoring spouse’s income and housing in Germany, and — if the spouse is a third-country national — additional documents about their employment and insurance.

In short

• The passport must remain valid for at least 6 months at the time of filing, or the application will not be accepted.
• Document legalization has 4 stages: PSA apostille, German Embassy (€36 per document), DFA, VFS (~11,000 pesos for 3 documents, paid in cash).
• The language certificate from an accredited institution (Goethe-Institut, ÖSD, TestDaF, ECL) must not be older than one year.
• The minimum income for the sponsoring spouse is around €1,500 per month, or an amount sufficient to cover the family’s living expenses.
• If the Landrat Behörde requests missing documents, they must be submitted in person at the Ausländerbehörde.

The Applicant’s Personal Documents: Passport, Certificates, Apostille

• Passport — must be valid for at least 6 months at the time of filing, or the application will not be accepted; the photo for the application form must be taken on a white background.
• National long-stay visa application form — submitted in person at the German Embassy; the VIDEX system is used only for short-stay Schengen visas and does not apply to this category of application.
• Birth certificate — an apostilled and legalized copy; this is one of the documents where errors are found most often, especially in older records that were typed on a typewriter.
• Marriage certificate (or a certificate of no previous marriage) — a copy confirming the applicant’s marital status is required.
• Form 137 — a document from the school the applicant attended.
• Form 137-A and the original baptismal certificate — complete the applicant’s set of personal documents.

this is one of the documents where errors are found most often, especially in older records that were typed on a typewriter

Legalizing Documents Through PSA, DFA and VFS: Timelines and Cost

A PSA apostille is not enough — the documents must additionally be legalized by the German Embassy in Manila. The legalization fee per document is €36; the amount in pesos depends on the exchange rate at the time of payment, and payment is made online.

Once the documents are legalized at the German Embassy in Manila, the set is forwarded to the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA): the agency adds its own authentication and returns the package by courier.

The next step is booking an appointment at VFS for document legalization. In one case, an applicant paid around 11,000 pesos to have three documents authenticated at VFS — the amount depends on the peso-to-euro exchange rate at the time of payment, and it must be paid in cash.

an applicant paid around 11,000 pesos to have three documents authenticated at VFS

Legalized documents are returned from VFS roughly a week after submission.

Insurance, Language Certificate, Housing and the Cover Letter

After the documents are legalized, a cover letter is prepared — in it, the applicant states the purpose of the trip: reunification with their spouse in Germany.

Travel medical insurance is mandatory for filing — it is required for all Schengen visa applications, and an expensive policy is not necessary. In one of the cases reviewed, a 90-day policy was arranged to cover the period until the residence permit is issued; it is a temporary policy for that interim stage. Once the residence permit is granted, it is replaced with long-term German health insurance.

A one-way ticket is not officially on the list of required documents, but a booking is recommended.

A language certificate from an accredited institution is required — institutions such as the Goethe-Institut are accepted, along with ÖSD, TestDaF, and ECL tests. The certificate must not be older than one year.

Proof of housing in Germany and a certificate of residency are also required — without it, the application will not be accepted.

Additional Documents If the Spouse Is a Third-Country National

If the spouse in Germany is neither a German nor an EU citizen — for example, also a Filipino national — the list of required documents expands. A copy of their passport must be attached along with a copy of their residence permit (Aufenthaltstitel). Not every type of permit qualifies — only certain categories allow family reunification, and this point is worth confirming in advance: a permit that does not grant the right to sponsor a relative will not get the application approved.

The spouse must additionally provide:

• a bank account statement;
• a pay slip;
• an employment contract stating the salary — the single most important document in the set;
• confirmation of employment from the employer;
• health insurance valid in Germany.

an employment contract stating the salary — the single most important document in the set

The minimum sponsor income requirement is around €1,500 per month, or an amount sufficient to cover the family’s living expenses. In some cases, the Landrat Behörde additionally requests proof of the spouse’s pension insurance.

Documents from the Sponsoring Spouse in Germany

• Copy of the spouse’s passportrequired
• Copy of the residence permit (Aufenthaltstitel)requiredNot every type qualifies — confirm in advance
• Bank account statementrequired
• Pay sliprequired
• Employment contract stating the salaryrequiredThe single most important document in the set
• Confirmation of employment from the employerrequired
• Health insurance valid in Germanyrequired
• Pension insuranceRequested by the Landrat Behörde in some cases

Document Review at the Landrat Behörde and Booking the Embassy Appointment

1. The embassy forwards the file to the Landrat Behörde. After documents are submitted to the German embassy, the file is sent to the local authority — the Landrat Behörde — for review.
2. The Landrat Behörde reviews the documents and decides whether they are sufficient. If the reviewing authority is not satisfied with some documents or needs an updated version, the applicant receives a call, a letter, or an invitation.
3. If documents are missing, an in-person appearance is required. Upon receiving such a notice, the applicant must personally appear at the local authority (Ausländerbehörde) and submit the missing documents. In practice, additional requests have included pension insurance, the spouse’s German health insurance, and proof of employment — a letter from the employer.
4. Book the embassy appointment. The final step is booking the visa interview at the German embassy in advance; attendance in person is required.

Frequently asked questions

What to do if the Landrat Behörde requests additional documents after filing?

If some documents are missing or the reviewing authority needs an updated version, the applicant receives a call, a letter, or an invitation. Upon receiving such a notice, the applicant must personally appear at the local authority (Ausländerbehörde) and submit the missing documents. In practice, additional requests have included pension insurance, the spouse’s German health insurance, and proof of employment from the employer.

Can someone else submit documents to the Landrat Behörde or attend the interview on the applicant’s behalf?

No: both when appearing in person at the request of the Landrat Behörde (Ausländerbehörde) due to missing documents and at the final visa interview at the embassy, the applicant must be present in person — this step cannot be delegated to a representative.