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German Appeals Court Denies Refugee Parents’ Bid for Family Reunification After Son’s Naturalization

It held that acquiring German citizenship ends parents’ eligibility under the EU’s family-reunification directive.

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Die Eltern eines Flüchtlings haben einem Gerichtsurteil zufolge keinen Anspruch auf Familiennachzug, wenn das Kind inzwischen deutscher Staatsbürger ist. Das entschied das Oberverwaltungsgericht Berlin-Brandenburg.

Overview

  • The dispute centers on a man who arrived in Germany as an unaccompanied minor refugee in 2015 and became a German citizen in 2022.
  • His parents’ 2017 application for family reunification was initially granted by the Berlin administrative court in November 2023.
  • On June 3, 2025, the OVG Berlin-Brandenburg overturned that decision, ruling the EU directive no longer applies once citizenship is obtained.
  • The court’s interpretation conflicts with a European Court of Justice ruling that had extended family-reunification rights to refugees who reached adulthood after applying as minors.
  • The parents have been granted leave to appeal to the Federal Administrative Court, leaving the final resolution pending.