Cross-border families, German procedures

Family law in Germany — handled in your language.

Divorce, custody and contact rights, maintenance, marriage contracts — family matters are stressful enough without a language barrier on top.

  • Divorce in Germany usually requires a separation year (Trennungsjahr) — start the clock properly
  • Custody and relocation questions in international families need early, careful handling
  • Maintenance (Unterhalt) for children and spouses follows calculable guidelines — know your number
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What we help with

Some of the situations people come to us with. Yours doesn't have to be on the list.

• Divorce (Scheidung) and the separation year (Trennungsjahr)

• Custody (Sorgerecht) and contact rights (Umgangsrecht)

• Child maintenance (Kindesunterhalt) and spousal maintenance

• Binational marriages and which country's law applies

• Moving abroad with a child, or a partner threatening to

• Marriage contracts (Ehevertrag) and prenuptial agreements

• Dividing assets and pensions (Zugewinn, Versorgungsausgleich)

• Residence status that depends on a marriage

Read this first

Divorce in Germany as a Foreign National

Jurisdiction and applicable law, the separation year, pension splitting, children and relocation, and residence status after a marriage ends.

9 min read

Common questions

Usually yes if you live here — foreign marriages are generally recognized. Which country's law applies is a separate question a lawyer will clarify early.

Relocating with a child against the other parent's will is legally serious. Get advice before making any move — in both directions of that situation.

In a German divorce at least the filing spouse needs a lawyer. Amicable cases can often share costs and keep it lean.

General information, not legal advice — your lawyer assesses your specific case in the free first consultation.

Related areas

Legal problems rarely arrive alone — a job loss can put a residence permit at risk, a divorce can raise housing questions.

Immigration & residence →
Housing & rental →
Social security →

Something else entirely? See everything we help with — whatever it is, you get an English-speaking German lawyer.