Your husband or wife lives in Germany and you want to join them. For the spouse visa, the German embassy usually asks you to show basic German at level A1, with a certificate that is no more than one year old. This guide explains which certificates count, what the A1 exam looks like and how to prepare.
The spouse visa asks for A1 German from an ALTE-standard provider — Goethe, telc, ÖSD or ECL — and the certificate should be no more than a year old.
Source: auswaertiges-amt.de ·
In Germany, bringing a family member to live with you is called family reunion (Familiennachzug). When a husband or wife applies for the visa to join a partner who already lives in Germany, the German Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt) asks for simple German at level A1. A1 is the first level of the European scale (CEFR). It means you can introduce yourself, understand short everyday sentences, fill in a form and answer simple questions about your life.
You need an exam certificate from a provider that works to the ALTE quality standard. The Foreign Office names Goethe, telc, ÖSD, ECL, DSD and TestDaF. The certificate should be no more than one year old when you apply, so plan your exam date close to your visa appointment.
Rules for children, parents and other special cases are different, and the embassy in your country can ask for extra documents. Always read the checklist of the German embassy or consulate where you will apply before you book an exam.
The most widely offered A1 exam. Goethe-Institut centres and partner schools run it in many countries. You can practise the Goethe A1 reading, listening and writing parts as a mock exam on ScoreUp.
Accepted in the same way. telc scores the A1 exam out of 60 raw points and has an oral part in pairs or small groups. Read our telc A1 guide.
The Austrian ÖSD and the European ECL exams also meet the ALTE standard and are accepted at A1. They are useful where no Goethe or telc centre is near you.
These are higher-level exams, mostly taken for study. TestDaF counts only from level B2. If you already hold one of them, ask the embassy whether your result is enough.
Goethe-Zertifikat A1 has four parts. Reading (Lesen) and writing (Schreiben) are done on one paper of 45 minutes. Listening (Hören) is a separate paper, and speaking (Sprechen) takes place in a small group.
| Part | Tasks | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Reading (Lesen) | 3 parts, 15 questions | about 25 min |
| Listening (Hören) | 3 parts, 15 questions | about 20 min |
| Writing (Schreiben) | 2 parts: a form with 5 gaps and a short text | about 20 min |
| Speaking (Sprechen) | 3 parts, group of up to 4 candidates | about 15 min |
| To pass | At least 60 of 100 points overall (written 75 + oral 25) | |
The A1 exam is not modular: you take all parts on the same day and receive one overall result. There is no separate pass mark for speaking, so a weaker part can be balanced by a stronger one. telc Deutsch A1 works the same way — one exam, one result. Exam fees are set locally by each centre and differ from country to country, so check the price list of the centre where you book.
Find the family reunion page of the German embassy or consulate for your country. Note which certificates it names and how recent the certificate must be.
Focus on everyday topics: family, work, shopping, times and dates, the home. Learn the core vocabulary and short sentence patterns before you worry about grammar details.
Take the reading, listening and writing parts under exam timing. Mock exams show you the question types in advance, so nothing on exam day is new.
Because the certificate should be no more than one year old, take the exam when your visa documents are nearly ready, and book your place in good time.
A1 opens the door, but the next steps in Germany ask for more. For German citizenship (Einbürgerung), the standard rule is five years of legal residence plus German at level B1, the citizenship test (Einbürgerungstest) and the ability to support yourself. If you are married to a German citizen, you can apply after three years of residence once the marriage has lasted two years. A higher level such as B2 or C1 does not shorten these periods.
If your partner came to Germany with an EU Blue Card, they did not need a German certificate for their own visa. For their settlement permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis), however, German helps: 27 months with A1, or 21 months with B1. So both of you gain from continuing to learn after the move.
When you are ready for the next level, our Goethe B1 guide explains the exam used for citizenship and permanent residence.
The German Foreign Office asks for basic German at level A1 for the spouse visa. You show it with an exam certificate from a provider that meets the ALTE standard, such as Goethe, telc, ÖSD or ECL.
The Foreign Office names Goethe, telc, ÖSD, ECL, DSD and TestDaF. TestDaF counts only from level B2.
The certificate should be no more than one year old when you apply for the visa. Plan your exam so that the result arrives shortly before your embassy appointment.
You need at least 60 of 100 points overall. The written parts give 75 points and speaking gives 25. There is no separate pass mark for speaking, and you take all parts on the same day.
Fees are set locally by each Goethe-Institut, telc or ÖSD centre and differ from country to country. Check the price list of the centre where you plan to book.
No. Standard naturalisation asks for five years of residence and German at B1. Spouses of German citizens can apply after three years of residence and two years of marriage. B2 or C1 does not shorten either period.
Both are fully recognised, and neither is modular: you sit all parts together and get one result. Choose the provider with a centre near you and an exam date that fits your visa plan.