Can grandparents get visitation rights?

What the Law Says

German law does not give grandparents an automatic right to visit their grandchildren. However, a specific provision — § 1685 of the German Civil Code (BGB) — allows courts to grant visitation rights to grandparents and other close relatives when it is in the child’s best interests.

Unlike parents, who have a statutory right to contact under § 1684 BGB, grandparents’ rights are not guaranteed. Instead, § 1685 BGB provides a narrow pathway: the family court may order visitation if denying contact would significantly harm the child’s well-being.

The law emphasizes that such decisions must be based solely on the child’s welfare — not the grandparents’ emotional needs or family tradition. Courts weigh factors like the existing relationship, the child’s age and wishes (if mature enough), and whether contact would disrupt stability or cause conflict.

Importantly, the custodial parent’s objection does not automatically block visitation — but it triggers strict judicial scrutiny. The burden is on the grandparents to prove that contact is necessary for the child’s development and emotional health.

Statutory Text

Das Kind hat das Recht auf Umgang mit jedem Elternteil; jeder Elternteil ist zum Umgang mit dem Kind verpflichtet und berechtigt.

— BGB § 1684 (1) — Contact with the child (visitation rights)

What Courts Have Said

German courts consistently hold that grandparents’ visitation rights depend entirely on the child’s welfare — not parental consent or family expectations.

What to Do

Sources

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