The Deutsche Welle offers a wide range of opportunities tolearn German. Free beginner and advanced German courses
are available in almost 30 languages on the website. Thefrequency lists for receiving radio broadcasts abroad arelisted there as well.
For instance, you can also use the audio language course“Radio D” jointly developed by the Deutsche Welle andthe Goethe-Institut. Beginners with no, or little, previous
knowledge can either download the audio episodes of Radio
D or subscribe to them as a podcast. Furthermore, the course
is broadcast in 16 languages on DW radio. In addition, a newinteractive online language course gives a picture of life inGermany in 30 lessons with over 1000 interactive exercises.
When taking the first steps towards learning German, thelanguage-learning crime thriller “Mission Berlin” can offer
further help as well.
If you prefer to learn while on the move, the Deutsche Welle
has brought out a portable phrasebook, e.g. for mobilephones. It contains short lessons with interactive exercisesfor download. A dictionary with vocabulary and idioms assists you when starting out in Germany.
Learning material in paper form
and multi-media materials can also be purchased in Germany. Reading lists and addresses where you can buy learningmaterials are available on the website or via the telephone
hotline of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees.

Contacts that can provide
further assistance
You can find further information about legal status andopportunities to learn German at the website of theFederal Office for Migration and Refugees and via its
telephone number +49 911 - 943 6390.
At the website www.integration-in-deutschland.de Internet links to the following Internet addresses and further
information are provided:■■ Further
information about level A1 language skills isoffered by the Common European Reference Framework for Languages:■■ http://www.goethe.de/ger■■ Internationally
recognised organisations/partners

for testing the language proficiency of people joining
their spouses in Germany:

Evidence of basic knowledgeof the German languagein the event of thesubsequent immigration ofspouses from abroad■■ http://www.goethe.de/pruefungenweltweit■■ http://www.telc.net■■ http://www.testdaf.de■■ Information
and language learning offers of theGoethe-Institut:■■ http://www.goethe.de/fernunterricht■■ http://www.goethe.de/lernen■■ http://www.goethe.de/sd1(sample examination paper for the Goethe certificate A1 “Start Deutsch 1”)■■ Information
and language learning offers of theDeutsche Welle

Germany has amended
its law relating to foreigners■■ http://www.dw-world.de/deutschkurse■■ http://www.dw-world.de/radioD (Audio language course “Radio D”)■■ http://www.dw-world.de/deutschinteraktiv

Information for spouses who
immigrate subsequently andtheir marital partners in Germany(Interactive online language course)■■ http://www.dw-world.de/missioneurope (language crime thriller)■■ http://mobile.dw-world.de (Mobile phrasebook)■■ Integration portal of the Federal Office for Migration

and Refugees:■■ http://www.integration-in-deutschland.de■■ Information of the German diplomatic missions:■■ http://w ww.auswaertiges-amt.de/diplo/de/

Laenderinformationen/03-WebseitenAV/Uebersicht.html

Imprint
Published by:
Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge
Abteilung 3 Integration
Referat Öffentlichkeitsarbeit Integration
90343 Nürnberg
Responsible: Erwin Schindler
Email: info.buerger@bamf.bund.deInternet: www.integration-in-deutschland.de
Edited by:
Department of conceptual design and basic pedagogical issues of the integration courses
Status: July 2009
Printed by: Bonifatius GmbH, Druck-Buch-Verlag, Paderborn
Revision: KonzeptQuartier ® GmbH
Photograph/photo credits: Marion Vogel, Corbis GmbH

EN 072009 Ehegattennachzug

Radio programmes and Internet offersfrom Deutsche Welle

www.integration-in-deutschland.depliant: “Start Deutsch 1” issued by the Goethe-Institut or by telc
GmbH, “Grundstufe Deutsch 1” issued by the ÖsterreichischesSprachdiplom (ÖSD) and “TestDaF” issued by the TestDaFInstitut e.V.

What has changed for you?
Would you like to move to Germany to your spouse?

Please note that only the German diplomatic mission processing your visa application can rule on the validity of yourlanguage certificate.

Or would you like to move to Germany together withyour spouse?
Or would you like to come to Germany to get married
there and live with your spouse?
In these cases, you must demonstrate before you enter thecountry that you possess a simple knowledge of German1.
This is to ensure that in Germany you can conduct basic
communication in German from the start.
Are there exceptions?
Yes. You do not have to prove any knowledge of German, as arule, if one of the following statements applies:■■ You or your spouse are citizens of a member state of theEuropean Union (excluding Germany).
■■ You are incapable of demonstrating basic knowledge ofthe German language due to a physical or mental illnessor handicap.
■■ You have a university degree and probably be able tofind work in Germany on the basis of your language skills(recognisably minor integration requirement).
■■ You do not wish to reside permanently in Germany.

What constitutes basic knowledgeof the German language?
Basic knowledge of the German language is knowledge ofthe German language at Competence level A1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for languages2.
This includes you being able to understand and use common, everyday expressions and very simple sentences (e.g.
asking for directions, shopping, etc). You should be able tointroduce yourself and others and ask and answer questions
about personal details such as where you live or what people
you know. Of course, the person you are talking to mustspeak clearly and be prepared to help.
You should also have basic German writing skills, e.g. you
should be able to enter your name, address, nationality, etc.
on forms.

■■ Your spouse has a residence permit as■■ highly-skilled worker (§ 19 AufenthG).
■■ researcher (§ 20 AufenthG).
■■ company founder (§ 21 AufenthG).
■■ person entitled to asylum (§ 25 (1) or § 26 (3) AufenthG).
■■ recognised refugee (§ 25 (2) or § 26 (3) AufenthG).
■■ holder of a permanent right of residence from other EUcountries (§ 38 a AufenthG).
■■ Your spouse is a citizen of Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada,

the Republic of Korea, New Zealand or the United Statesof America.
For further details, please contact the competent visa offices.

1	Cf. § 28 (1) sentence 5 and § 30 (1) sentence 1 no. 2 and the exceptions in § 30 (1)sentence 2 and 3 of the German Residence Act and § 41 of the Residence Ordinance.

How can you demonstrate basic
knowledge of the German language?
Normally, you must demonstrate the language skills before entering the country when applying for the visa for subsequent
immigration of a spouse at the German embassy or consulate
general.
For this you must enclose with your application a certificate
relating to a standardised language exam that complies withthe standards of the Association of Language Testers in Europe(ALTE). At present the following certificates are ALTE-com-2	Reference framework on which the member states have agreed.

If during the personal interview in the embassy or consulate
general it becomes evident beyond any doubt that you
have the required knowledge of the German language, noseparate proof is required.
Information on how you have to demonstrate a basic know­
ledge of German is also available on the websites of thevisa departments of German embassies and consulates general. The latter will advise you individually when applying
for the visa.

How can you acquire basic knowledgeof the German language?
If you do not yet have a basic knowledge of German, there
are a variety of options for learning German:
Language courses – all providers
Information about organisations offering language courses
is available from the German diplomatic mission and theGoethe-Institut.
Learning German by correspondence course offered by
the Goethe-Institut or via the Internet
A complete set of examination papers with which you canprepare for the language examination “Start Deutsch 1”
on your own, as well as information on correspondence
courses, is available on the Goethe-Institut website. There,
you will also find further level A1 exercises. Further information is available on the website and via the telephone hotline+49 911 - 943 6390 of the Federal Office for Migration andRefugees.