Confused: Austrian moving with non EU wife to Germany

Hi everyone,

I’m Austrian, married to a Chinese citizen. We currently live in China with our child, and we’re considering moving to Germany.

I checked the wiki, but most of the information seems to focus on Germans bringing non-EU spouses, or on non-EU citizens. It’s surprisingly hard to find a clear explanation for non-German EU citizens moving to Germany with their family.

My understanding was that, as an EU non German citizen, the process should be easier — but maybe I misunderstood.

When I looked at the visa options for my wife under “family members of an EU citizen,” I got the message: “It is not possible to change a Schengen visa into a permanent residence permit upon arrival.”

Which is the process I thought we take...

This confused me, because I thought family members of EU citizens could typically enter with a visa-free or simplified process and then apply for the residence card after arrival.

My questions:

As an Austrian (EU citizen, but not German) moving to Germany, what is the correct visa/residence process for my Chinese spouse?

Does she need a special “family reunion (EU)” type visa before entering Germany, or can she enter with a short-stay visa and apply for the residence card locally?

Is there anything different because I am not German but another EU nationality?

If anyone has gone through this as a non-German EU citizen, how strict are German authorities about “you must enter with the correct visa type”?

Any advice, real experiences, or reliable links would be hugely appreciated. Thanks!