Your Child's Own Residence Permit in Cologne: Born Here, Joining You, Turning 16 and 18

A Child Has Its Own Residence Status

German residence law does not treat a family as one unit. Every person, including a baby, needs a legal basis for the stay, and the parents are legally obliged to apply for the child. § 80 Absatz 4 AufenthG says the legal representatives of a minor must submit the applications for the child’s residence title and for the child’s passport. That is the starting point for everything below.

The right permit depends on how the child comes into the picture:

Born in Cologne: Two Questions Before the Appointment

The first question is whether your baby is German. Stadt Köln describes the rule of § 4 Absatz 3 StAG on its page: a child born in Germany to foreign parents becomes German at birth if a parent has had lawful habitual residence in Germany for five years and holds an unlimited right of residence. The registry office that records the birth also records the acquisition. The city checks this on its own initiative, says the check takes several weeks, and states that no fee applies and no personal appearance is needed. For a child who is German, a residence permit is not needed at all.

If your child is not German, the second question is the deadline. § 33 AufenthG says that when both parents (or the sole custodian) hold a permit, settlement permit or long-term EU permit at the time of birth, the child’s permit is issued ex officio. When only one parent holds such a title, the permit may be issued ex officio, and the same section adds that the stay of a child whose parent had a visa or could stay visa-free at the time of birth counts as allowed until that visa or visa-free stay ends. § 81 Absatz 2 AufenthG then adds the clock: for a child born in Germany who does not receive a permit ex officio, the application must be made within six months of the birth.

Stadt Köln does not publish a separate checklist for newborns on the pages found for this guide. The Ausländeramt’s online contact form, however, lists the topic Geburt Kind - Erstantrag Aufenthalt for exactly this case. Use it, enter the child’s name and date of birth, and attach the parents’ permits and the birth certificate. The city asks you to give at least one way to reach you, and attachments must be JPG, PNG or PDF, up to 5 MB per file and 15 MB in total. If you write for someone else, a power of attorney is needed.

Joining a Parent From Abroad

A child living abroad needs a national visa first, and this site’s guide on the family reunification appointment chain explains how the mission and the Cologne Ausländeramt split the work. After arrival, the child needs the actual residence permit. § 32 AufenthG gives the unmarried minor child of a foreigner a permit if both parents (or the sole custodial parent) hold one of the listed titles, including a residence permit under most sections, a Blue Card, a Niederlassungserlaubnis or a long-term EU permit.

Stadt Köln’s page for children of foreign nationals turns that into a checklist. The conditions it names:

• the child is under 18 and holds a valid, recognised passport
• at least one parent holds a qualifying title, and the paragraph is printed on the parent’s electronic card
• the parent’s main residence is in Germany, here in Cologne
• the family secures its livelihood without social benefits such as Bürgergeld (called Grundsicherungsgeld in the law since 1 July 2026)

The documents it asks for: the application for a family reunification permit (a BundID is not required), the child’s passport, a copy of the entry visa if required, a digital biometric photo, the birth certificate for a first application, written confirmation from a second parent who does not live in Germany that the child may live here, proof of income, health insurance if you are not statutorily insured, and housing proof. Foreign documents need a certified translation and, depending on the country, an apostille or legalisation.

Two legal details matter here. With joint custody, § 32 Absatz 3 lets the permit be issued for joining one parent if the other has declared consent or a binding decision exists, which is the paper behind Cologne’s second-parent line. And § 32 Absatz 2 applies a stricter test to a child who is already 16 and does not come together with the parents: the child must speak German or appear able to integrate based on education and life circumstances, with some exceptions for certain skilled-worker and research titles.

Extensions, and What Changes at 6

§ 34 Absatz 1 AufenthG protects a child’s extension. The permit is extended, without the usual livelihood test, for as long as a custodial parent holds a permit, settlement permit or long-term EU permit and the child lives with that parent. That is a real difference from the first issue, where Cologne lists secured livelihood as a condition. The extension is requested like an adult’s: online first, then a written invitation, then the appointment, as this site’s guide on the residence permit appointment shows. Fees are in the fee guide: half the adult amount.

The age of six has a practical effect. Under § 78 AufenthG fingerprints for the electronic residence card are taken from the sixth birthday. So a child of six or older needs to be at the appointment, and you should plan the school day around it.

At 16: The Child’s Own Settlement Permit

§ 35 Absatz 1 AufenthG says a minor who holds a family permit from this section of the law receives a Niederlassungserlaubnis if, on the 16th birthday, the permit has been held for five years. Stadt Köln’s page for young people from 16 adds the conditions it applies: a valid passport or travel document, no criminal record (the page says even fines can be a reason for refusal), no expulsion interest for which you are responsible, and school or vocational training until age 18. The statute is more specific: under § 35 Absatz 3 the entitlement is excluded in particular after a deliberate offence in the last three years with at least 90 daily rates, three months in prison or six months of youth sentence, or where an expulsion interest based on personal conduct exists, and even then a permit can still be granted. The fee is 55 euros under 18. A parent with custody has to come to the appointment for a minor, and the child’s own application is signed by the parent. Time spent at school outside Germany is generally not counted towards the five years, according to § 35 Absatz 2.

At 18: Independence

When a child reaches majority, § 34 Absatz 2 AufenthG turns the permit into an independent right of residence. From then on the young adult acts alone: § 80 Absatz 1 gives capacity to act in residence procedures to adults. Stadt Köln says an extension generally needs a valid passport, secured livelihood and no criminal offences, now or in future. If the young person already holds a permit for five years, § 35 Absatz 1 offers a settlement permit with sufficient German and either secured livelihood or an ongoing qualifying education. The Cologne page for young people names German at B1 for that route. While those conditions are not yet met, § 34 Absatz 3 allows the permit to be extended.

Step by Step

1. Check citizenship first if the child was born here. A German child needs no residence permit.
2. Write down the deadline. Six months from birth for a child born in Germany who does not get a permit ex officio.
3. Use the contact form with the topic Geburt Kind - Erstantrag Aufenthalt, or apply online for a child joining from abroad.
4. Gather documents. Passport, birth certificate, parents' permits, consent of the second parent, income, health insurance, housing.
5. Attend the appointment after you receive the invitation, with the child if the child is six or older.
6. Calendar the milestones: extension dates, the 16th birthday and the 18th birthday.

Compliance Note

This page explains the general framework of §§ 32 to 35, 78, 80 and 81 AufenthG and what Stadt Köln published as of October 2026. It is not legal advice. Individual cases, such as a child with a different citizenship, a parent with a humanitarian permit or separated parents, can be different. Ask the Ausländeramt or a recognised advice service about your own situation, and do not wait until a deadline is close.