Johndigger

Hello.

I am currently a serving soldier in the Royal Engineers. I am getting married on the 28th of December to an American citizen.



Soon after, I will be posted to Germany. I do not earn over £18,600 so she can't qualify for UK spouse visa.


Will she, however, be able to qualify for a right to reside in Germany for a year or so?



Bemusingly, no one from the welfare department on my base seems to know anything about this!

Thank you for your help.

scot47

Surely someone in the MoD can answer the question ! Have you asked through "channels" ?

GT_Mac

Not bemusingly....The MOD/Army know 'jack' when it comes to this sort of thing...

Firstly congrats for the 28th Dec :-)

A foreign spouse of a German citizen (British in your case EU) must show proof of German language skills when applying for a visa, before arriving in the country. Under the terms of the amended Immigration Act 2007, foreign spouses must be able to prove that they have a basic knowledge of German as a minimum.

Spousal applications also require:
Marriage certificate (if applicable)
Certificate showing the applicant’s name appears in the ‘National Indices of Marriages’
Signed family reunion declaration
Proof of basic knowledge of German
Copy of the federal identity card or passport of fiancé in Germany
Copy of valid residence card for fiancé in Germany
Confirmation from the German Registry Office (Standesamt) that an application for marriage has been successful (if applicable)
Formal Obligation of the German Residence Law, given by the fiancé in Germany at the aliens authority (Ausländerbehörde) (if applicable)

mikelincs

Suspect the OP has mved on to pastures new as he only made the one post. Do UK military live on the base?, in that case surely they will have to comply with UK regs as the base will be classed as UK territory. The OP does, if he is still around, need to talk to the MOD or his commanding officer.

BritInParis

Speak to your Welfare Unit again. They really ought know about this stuff. Your wife should be able to join you under Status of Forces Agreement.

mikelincs

doubt that will help as the OP hasn't ever returned.

fuchs01

Go to a German consulate/Embassy
If not looking for work and can prove a supported financial status and can
Prove marital status.You should be ok.BUT you still have to the donkey work, of
applications through the German embassy.
The residence permit ' Aufenhaltserlaubnis' is your Target.
If you w ere already in Germany you would go to the Auslaenderamt, and Einwohneramt....Remember those last 2 words, because they are the German government Offices you apply to.
You wife being a US citizen does not need to apply outside the country, US citizens
are allowed to apply for residency while in the country, on their normal 3 month visa.
She will not have to have any proof of German language skills.
Obviously it would be prudent to enquire before you come, and again just contact
The Germany Embassy.
An ex buddy of mine, was in the army, married an ami in UK, 2 yrs later they moved
to Germany lived here for 3 yrs, and that was 8 years ago, now galavanting somewhere around Guatamala and Belize.
Though she herself was financialy viable, they only used his income and security,
and proof of marriage , to get her a 'Aufenhaltserlaubnis'.
Just repeating what others mentioned....your own guys should be helping you on this.