which visa for Germany

[el capitan]

As a British national living in Germany, does anyone know if my girlfriend would need to apply for a fiancée/married visa from the German authorities or from the British authorities?

This is just background info required; we haven't actually reached this stage yet.

[Sconnie]

Have not checked anything but, I would think you if you are not a permanent resident/citizen you would have to apply for a UK spouse/fiance visa whichever applies and then apply for a schengen visa for your wife to visit you in Germany. Having said that when I was working in Germany for 7 months my wife (then fiance) came to stay with me on a schengen visit visa, I think this gave her 3 months max. stay.

[johncar54]

Schengen area do not have fiancee visas, either reunification if married if not a Schengen Visitors visa.

Very hard to get unless visitor has a good job, property and savings. You need to be able to prove that she will have good reason not to over stay.

[darren-b]

Have not checked anything but, I would think you if you are not a permanent resident/citizen you would have to apply for a UK spouse/fiance visa whichever applies and then apply for a schengen visa for your wife to visit you in Germany. Having said that when I was working in Germany for 7 months my wife (then fiance) came to stay with me on a schengen visit visa, I think this gave her 3 months max. stay.

Can't do it that way as unless you are living in the UK she wouldn't be eligible to apply for a UK spouse/fiance visa.

[el capitan]

I emailed the several branches of the British borders authority (they don't make it very clear who might actually handle such a question), and the German FO.

I have received a couple of jumbled automated messages from the British authorities stating under which conditions they will or won't answer my query, not only leaving me not knowing the answer I required, but also unsure wether they are going to even bother answering the question at all.

Thankfully German government systems are actually set up to help the population, rather than confuse and hinder them. So within the hour I had the following reply (written in perfect English) which was the simple answer I was looking for at this stage.

"Thank you for contacting the Help Desk of the German Foreign Office.

If you are living and working in Germany your future wife has to apply for her
visa at the competent German mission at the place she is living. Please find
more information in our faq.

Sincerely,
Your Help Desk Officer"

[johncar54]

"Thank you for contacting the Help Desk of the German Foreign Office.

If you are living and working in Germany your future wife has to apply for her
visa at the competent German mission at the place she is living. Please find
more information in our faq.

Sincerely,
Your Help Desk Officer"[/QUOTE]

El Captian that is what I said above.

UK are not involved if she is going to Germany. Its a Schengen visitors visa which she needs to apply for in German Consulate in Phil, but as I said not easy to obtain.