Is an ÖSD certificate accepted for family reunification in Germany?
Yes, ÖSD is accepted. The German Federal Foreign Office's Visa Handbook lists ÖSD among the recognised examination providers in its chapter on proof of language skills, covering every level from A1 to C2.
If you apply from Turkey, one detail matters a great deal: the German missions in Turkey accept certificates from only two providers for family reunification:
- Goethe-Institut — "Start Deutsch 1"
- ÖSD — "Grundstufe Deutsch 1"
The mission's own page states it plainly: other providers in Turkey are not recognised by the visa sections of the German missions. This means a telc certificate is not accepted in Turkey, even though telc is recognised in Germany and in other countries. Knowing this before you book an exam can save you months.
The exam date usually must be no more than one year old. Check the information sheet of the mission handling your application for the exact rule.
If you sat the exam inside Germany (for example at an ÖSD centre in Cologne), the provider is still ÖSD, so recognition is unaffected.
Sources: German missions in Turkey · Federal Foreign Office — accepted language certificates
This is general information, not legal advice.
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