The expression family reunification covers different situations. Documentation changes according to the sponsor’s status, the relative, age, dependency and country of origin. A list found online should never replace the official instructions.
Documents proving the family relationship
Depending on the case, birth, marriage, registered partnership, adoption, guardianship or equivalent certificates may be involved. What matters is not only the certificate’s title but whether it contains the information required by the procedure.
Other documents depend on the person and route
A criminal record certificate, authorization from another parent, custody decision or evidence of financial dependency may be relevant in some files and not in others. Do not assume that everyone must provide documents covering the same number of years; the precise period and countries come from the applicable instructions.
Legalization, apostille and possible exemptions
When a foreign public document is submitted, the official information normally explains how it must be authenticated, subject to conventions and exemptions. Regulation (EU) 2016/1191 and a multilingual form may apply to certain EU public documents.
How to organize the file for translation
- Download the current official information sheet.
- Mark only the foreign documents and their formalities.
- Check that names match the passports.
- Send every document in full, including apostille or legalization.
At the quote stage, we can group documents by person and language and point out a missing page. The authority or your adviser decides whether the evidence is sufficient.