General Information

This checklist is intended for family members of an EU or EEA citizen who are entitled to freedom of movement and who are traveling to Germany accompanied by the EU/EEA citizen or who are joining them.

In principle, family members who accompany or join an EU/EEA citizen who is entitled to freedom of movement also enjoy the right to freedom of movement. This right applies regardless of the family member's nationality, i.e., even to family members who are not themselves EU/EEA citizens.

According to the Act on the General Freedom of Movement for EU Citizens, the following family members of EU/EEA citizens are entitled to freedom of movement:

- Spouses or partners in life, as well as descendants, i.e., children and grandchildren, of EU/EEA citizens entitled to freedom of movement, their spouses, or partners in life who are under 21 years of age,

- Relatives in the ascending or descending line of EU/EEA citizens entitled to freedom of movement, their spouses, or life partners who are supported by the EU/EEA citizens, their spouses, or life partners.

If you are not accompanied by the EU/EEA citizen during the trip and do not subsequently join the EU/EEA citizen, the right to freedom of movement does not apply. In this case, you have to apply for a visa for the intended purpose of the trip. Family members of German citizens are not covered by the right to freedom of movement. More information and additional fact sheets can be found on our website.

Basic information

• The German Embassy in Nairobi is only responsible for processing your application if your main destination is Germany and you reside in Kenya, Somalia, the Seychelles or – if you are not a Rwandan citizen – in Rwanda.
• You have to submit your visa application to the external service provider TLScontact. Information about the services TLScontact offers and how to make appointments can be found in German and English on the TLScontact website.
• All application documents must be submitted in original with 1 copy.
• Please sort the documents in the order listed below.
• Documents not in the German or English language must be submitted with a certified German or English translation.
• The Embassy reserves the right to request additional documents in individual cases.
• Incomplete application forms as well as applications with incomplete documents will delay processing and may lead to rejection of the application.
• Processing time is as a rule ca. 2 weeks for complete applications but can take longer in individual cases. If your application is incomplete, the processing time can be up to 45 days.
• Please do not contact the mission abroad to check the status of your application during the normal processing period. Such inquiries are extremely time-consuming for the visa section and can thus not be answered. Please check your TLS account regularly for updates on your visa application status and/or document submission request/status.
• Submitting a complete application does not automatically result in a visa being issued.

Required Documents

1. Completed and duly signed application form. A digital application form to be completed online can be found on https://videx.diplo.de
2. One current, colored and biometric passport photograph (taken in front of a white background)

3. Passport + 1 copy of the data page

   Your passport shall have at least two blank pages and its validity shall extend at least three months after the intended date of departure from the territory of the Schengen Member States

4. If you are a foreigner (i.e. not a national of the country in which you live) who resides in Kenya, Somalia, the Seychelles or Rwanda, you must present a residence permit for your country of residence
5. Somali citizens: Completed and signed application for exemption of the passport requirement (provided at TLS or on their website)

6. If applicable: Proof of previous travel to the Schengen area

   Please provide copies of your previous Schengen visas.

7. Additional documents for minors below the age of 18
   1. Birth certificate
   2. Written travel consent from all parents listed on the child's birth certificate – certified by a notary public.
   3. Passport or ID copies of the parents listed on the child's birth certificate.
   4. If one parent is deceased or sole custody exists, corresponding proof (death certificate, court custody order) must be provided.
   5. Confirmation letter from the school that the child is a student there, including details of school holidays/absences, etc.
8. Documents proving status as a family member entitled to freedom of movement
   1. Invitation letter from the (non-German) EU/EEA citizen
   2. Copy of the EU/EEA citizen's identity document or passport data page
   3. Registration certificate of the EU/EEA citizen living in Germany
   4. Proof of relationship (e.g., marriage or birth certificate)
9. There is no visa fee. You only need to pay the TLS service fee of €28.50 (to be paid in Kenyan shillings according to the embassy's exchange rate at the time of application).

This fact sheet reflects the legal situation at the time of drafting it. It is regularly updated but makes no claim to be complete. Authoritative version of the fact sheet is the German version.