Full List: 31 Countries Whose Citizens Can Live and Work in Germany After Joining Their Spouses

• Germany confirmed that spouses of EU citizens who have settled in the country enjoy unrestricted living and working rights if they hold EU or EFTA nationality
• The rule covers citizens from all 27 EU member states and 4 EFTA countries, bringing the total number of eligible nationalities to 31
• Eligible spouses are not required to apply for a residence permit before relocating to Germany

Germany has confirmed that spouses of EU citizens already settled in the country can move there freely, provided they hold citizenship in an EU or EFTA member state, according to information published on a German government website.

The guidance addresses a straightforward scenario: an EU citizen who has established residency in Germany and wishes to bring a spouse over. In such cases, no specific residence permit is required. The spouse is entitled to live and work in Germany without any restrictions.

Germany: countries whose nationals qualify

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Citizens of all 27 European Union member states fall within the scope of this policy.

The countries are:

1. Austria
2. Belgium
3. Bulgaria
4. Croatia
5. Cyprus
6. Czechia (Czech Republic)
7. Denmark
8. Estonia
9. Finland
10. France
11. Germany
12. Greece
13. Hungary
14. Ireland
15. Italy
16. Latvia
17. Lithuania
18. Luxembourg
19. Malta
20. Netherlands
21. Poland
22. Portugal
23. Romania
24. Slovakia
25. Slovenia
26. Spain
27. Sweden

The four EFTA countries

In addition to EU nationals, spouses who are citizens of any of the four European Free Trade Association (EFTA) member states are equally eligible.

Those countries are:

28. Iceland

29. Liechtenstein

30. Norway

31. Switzerland

Together, the EU and EFTA lists cover a combined total of 31 nationalities whose holders can join an EU citizen spouse in Germany without navigating the standard residence permit process.

Family reunification: Germany lists eligible relatives

Meanwhile, Legit.ng recently reported that Germany had listed four categories of family members that non-EU citizens legally residing in the country may be able to bring to live with them.

The categories include spouses, children under 16, certain children up to 18, and children over 18 or other relatives in cases of extraordinary hardship.

Source: Legit.ng