Which German exam is required for a spouse visa to Germany?

A1 ('Start Deutsch 1') is required before arrival. Only Goethe, telc, and ÖSD offer an A1 German exam, so only those three count for the spouse/family-reunion visa. TestDaF and ECL have no A1 exam and cannot be used. The German mission makes the final call on the certificate and its validity.

YOUR GOAL

I'm joining my spouse or family in Germany

Q: Who is exempt from the A1 German requirement for family reunion?

Exemptions include cases where the sponsoring spouse holds an EU Blue Card, skilled-worker, ICT, or researcher permit; where you or your spouse is an EU/EEA or visa-privileged-country citizen; where you hold a university degree; or in cases of illness, disability, or special hardship. Confirm your situation with your German mission.

THE ANSWER

For a spouse or family-reunion visa you need basic German at A1 before you arrive (§30). Only three certificates count: Goethe Start Deutsch 1, telc Start Deutsch 1, and the ÖSD A1 certificate. TestDaF and ECL do not offer an A1 exam and cannot be used for this visa.

Standard spouse / family-reunion visa

A1 ('Start Deutsch 1') from Goethe, telc, or ÖSD, before arrival.

GoetheA1(Start Deutsch 1)
telcA1(Start Deutsch 1)
ÖSDA1

You may be exempt (no A1 needed)

None

Exemptions include: spouse holds an EU Blue Card / ICT / skilled-worker / researcher permit; you or your spouse is an EU/EEA or visa-privileged-country citizen; you hold a university degree; illness/disability; or special hardship.

Several cases are exempt from the A1 requirement (see the checklist). The German mission where you apply makes the final call on which certificate it recognizes and how long it stays valid.

Your German mission has the final say

Confirm which certificate your specific mission accepts and its validity window (1 year vs 18 months varies by post).
Check the exemption list on the BAMF brochure if you hold a degree or your spouse has a skilled-worker permit.

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SourcesAs of 17 Jun 2026

Proof of basic German for spousal reunification (Stand 03/2023) · BAMF (Federal Office for Migration and Refugees)
§30 AufenthG (spouse reunification) · gesetze-im-internet.de (Federal Ministry of Justice)

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The five German exams at a glance

All five are CEFR-aligned and accepted as a class. Which one counts is set by the institution you apply to.

Exam	Levels	Mainly used for	Note
Goethe-Institut	A1 to C2	All routes; strong for university (C2) and visas	Most exam centers in India
telc	A1 to C2	Ausbildung, nursing (B1·B2 Pflege), jobs	Slots tend to open more often
ÖSD	A1 to C2	All routes; Austria's official exam	Accepted across routes
TestDaF	B2 to C1 (TDN 3-5)	University admission	No A1; not for a spouse visa
ECL	A2 to C1	General immigration / jobs	No A1 or C2; rarely used for university

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