# Faust Academy

## Goethe A1 for the German spouse visa

URL: https://www.faustacademy.com/goethe-a1-exam-spouse-visa
Language: en
Updated: 2026-10-26

The German spouse visa, also called the family reunion visa, lets you join your husband or wife in Germany, and it asks for simple German. A spouse who joins a partner in Germany must be able to communicate in German at least in a simple way (section 30 AufenthG), and German law sets simple German at level A1 (section 2 (9) AufenthG). The rule also applies when your spouse is a German citizen (section 28 AufenthG). The law lists exceptions, for example for spouses of EU Blue Card holders. The German embassy or consulate that handles your visa decides which A1 certificate it accepts and whether an exception applies to you, so ask it before you book an exam. To practise the German you need, Faust has Goethe A1 practice papers for Lesen, Hören, Schreiben and Sprechen. Each paper gives you a score for its part, so you see which parts need more work.

A spouse who joins a partner in Germany must be able to communicate in German at least in a simple way (section 30 AufenthG). German law sets simple German at level A1 (section 2 (9) AufenthG). The law lists exceptions, for example for spouses of EU Blue Card holders.

The German embassy or consulate that handles your visa decides which certificate it accepts and whether an exception applies to you. Ask it before you book an exam.

On Faust, one scored online paper per part is free, and every PDF is free. Faust Academy is an independent practice platform.

### Start Deutsch 1 (Goethe A1): the four parts

| Part | Length | Tasks |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Reading (Lesen) | 25 minutes | 15 tasks in 3 parts |
| Listening (Hören) | 20 minutes | 15 tasks in 3 parts |
| Writing (Schreiben) | 20 minutes | 2 writing tasks |
| Speaking (Sprechen) | Oral exam | 3 parts, group exam |

### Goethe A1 pass marks

The whole exam counts together. You must take every part, and you need 60 points in total.

| Part | Maximum points | You need |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Written exam (Hören, Lesen, Schreiben) | 75 | Counts toward the total |
| Speaking (Sprechen) | 25 | Counts toward the total |
| Whole exam | 100 | 60 points |

### What the A1 exam checks

The written part, listening, reading and writing, takes 65 minutes. You listen to short announcements, talks and phone messages, read short notes, ads and signs, fill in a form and write a short message.

Speaking is a group exam with no more than four candidates. It lasts 15 minutes, and there is no preparation time. You introduce yourself, ask and answer questions on everyday topics, and make and answer requests.

The whole exam counts together. A good speaking score can make up for a weaker written score, as long as you reach 60 points in total.

### Questions to ask your embassy

- Which certificates do you accept as proof of A1?
- Does an exception apply to me, for example because my partner holds an EU Blue Card?
- Must the certificate have a recent date?
- Do you need the original certificate, a copy or the PDF?

### How to prepare from abroad

- Learn the words for numbers, times, dates, family, shopping and appointments. The A1 tasks use them all the time.
- Practise listening from the first week, because the audio runs at normal speed.
- Learn fixed phrases for a short message: a greeting, one sentence for each point of the task, and a closing.
- Take a full A1 practice paper each week and read your result by part.
- Book the real exam at a test centre when your practice results reach 60 points.

### Results and certificate

The test centre where you took the exam gives you the results. It cannot release a result early for one person.

The Goethe-Institut issues the certificate on paper or as a PDF. The test centre decides the form. Anyone can check a certificate at goethe.de/verify.

The Goethe-Institut exam rules name three formats: on paper at a test centre, digital on a laptop at a test centre, and, under certain conditions, online on your own computer. The structure, content and grading are the same in all three formats. Ask your test centre which formats it offers.

### Goethe A1 practice papers on Faust

Faust has 48 Goethe A1 practice papers: 12 for Lesen, 12 for Hören, 12 for Schreiben and 12 for Sprechen. Every PDF is free, with the answers, and every listening paper comes with its audio.

Full access to every paper is paid. The pricing page shows the current price.

### Practise Goethe A1

- [The Goethe A1 exam](https://www.faustacademy.com/goethe-a1-exam)
- [Goethe A1 listening practice test](https://www.faustacademy.com/goethe-a1-listening-practice-test)
- [Goethe A1 reading practice test](https://www.faustacademy.com/goethe-a1-reading-practice-test)
- [Goethe A1 writing practice test](https://www.faustacademy.com/goethe-a1-writing-practice-test)
- [Goethe A1 Modelltest PDFs (German page)](https://www.faustacademy.com/goethe-a1-modelltest)

### Questions

**Which German level do I need for a German spouse visa?**

A spouse who joins a partner in Germany must be able to communicate in German at least in a simple way (section 30 AufenthG). German law sets simple German at level A1 (section 2 (9) AufenthG). The law lists exceptions, for example for spouses of EU Blue Card holders. The embassy or consulate that handles your visa decides which certificate it accepts.

**Are there exceptions to the A1 rule for spouses?**

Yes. Section 30 of the German Residence Act lists exceptions, for example for spouses of EU Blue Card holders. Ask your embassy whether an exception applies to you.

**How many points do I need to pass Goethe A1?**

You pass the Goethe A1 exam with 60 of 100 points in total, and you must take every part.

**How long is the Goethe A1 certificate valid?**

The Goethe-Institut exam rules set no expiry date for the A1 certificate. The office that asks for your certificate, such as an embassy, a university or an employer, decides which certificates it accepts, so ask that office. Anyone can check that a certificate is real at goethe.de/verify.

**Where can I take the A1 exam outside Germany?**

The Goethe-Institut exam rules name three formats: on paper at a test centre, digital on a laptop at a test centre, and, under certain conditions, online on your own computer. The structure, content and grading are the same in all three formats. Ask your test centre which formats it offers. Find a test centre in your country on goethe.de.

**Where do I get my Goethe exam result?**

The test centre where you took the exam gives you the result. The Goethe-Institut does not release a result early for one person. The exam rules give no fixed number of days, so ask your test centre when it sends results.

**What does the Goethe A1 exam cost?**

Each test centre sets its own fee from its local fee schedule, and shows it on the registration form or on its exam page.

### Sources

- [German Residence Act, section 30 (spouse reunion)](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthg_2004/__30.html)
- [German Residence Act, section 2 (language level definitions)](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthg_2004/__2.html)
- [Goethe-Institut exam rules for A1 (Durchführungsbestimmungen), 1 September 2025](https://www.goethe.de/pro/relaunch/prf/de/Durchfuehrungsbestimmungen_A1_Start_Deutsch_1.pdf)
- [Goethe-Institut exam rules (Prüfungsordnung), 1 September 2025](https://www.goethe.de/pro/relaunch/prf/de/Pruefungsordnung.pdf)
- [Goethe-Institut: German exams from A1 to C2](https://www.goethe.de/de/spr/prf.html)