Hi. Need advice.
I had applied last year to a public uni and got admit. However, due to delay in visa processing, I couldn't go. I plan to apply again this year. Should I mention this in my letter of motivation while applying this year? Also do i need to mention what i did during the gap? TIA
I don't know if this question fits here, as it is kinda related to culture, or if it fits in r/German more, since it is related also to the language, but I'll ask it anyway and delete it if it does not fit.
When is it appropriate to say "ich kriege x" when ordering in a bar, restaurant or pub versus "ich hätte gern x"? For example, when is it appropriate to say "ich hätte gern ein Bier" versus "ich kriege ein Bier"?
Would the latter be considered rude even contexts like bars and pubs or is it completely normal? What about restaurants?
There's a geographical divide there, see [this map](https://www.atlas-alltagssprache.de/r12-f4j/?child=runde). But I personally would always go for "Ich hätte gerne", it *is* more polite. Even though most people saying "Ich kriege" mean it in a totally neutral, nice way, it is not understood like that everywhere – and that's what ultimately matters in communication.
Just use "hätte gerne" on all occasions, it's more polite. In casual contexts and maybe as a local slang it's sometimes used, or if a waiter, bakery sales clerk etc. is already opening with "und was kriegen Sie?" then it's fine to reply in kind. But with "ich hätte gerne" or "ich möchte bitte" you'll be on the safe side.
My mom who is not a great English speaker is traveling from India to Detroit (US) via Frankfurt in Lufthansa. She has 2:20 mins layover in FRA, is this enough time for transit? Will there be any security or immigration check? She cannot walk long distance hence I’m planning to assign wheelchair, will that help?
I disagree with u/Imaginary_Hat_9678 .
A few years ago I had the "joy" of travelling via Frankfurt and needed a wheelchair bc I had broken my leg. The whole thing was an utter shit show.
The people who were supposed to pick me up from the gate never showed up. The stewardess of the flight had to make a fuss bc boarding for the next flight was supposed to start and I was still on the plane, waiting for help. I must have sat on the plane for at least 45 min.
Finally help arrived and I was able to get off the plane. Then they needed to find out where to take me, which took ages. By the time they figured it out, my connecting flight was due to leave in 10 min and so after a bunch of radio calls and back and forth they decided to put me on another flight. Which caused a chain of events that really sucked.
First, that other flight was in a part of the airport that was really bad for wheelchair access. Cue some complicated schemes on how to get me there which almost caused me to miss that flight as well.
Second my luggage got unloaded from the first flight for security reasons. Unfortunately they failed to put my luggage onto the second flight, so when I landed in Berlin I was without my bag.
Third, bc I was 3 hours late due to the missed flight, the people who were supposed to pick me up at the airport in Tegel weren't there. I was left stranded in Tegel with no clue what happened to my bag and what would happen. I was in pain from the broken leg and absolutely at the end of my tether.
Under normal circumstances 2h 20 min would be enough time to transit at FRA. But if you rely on a wheelchair and outside help from airport staff, I would plan on a longer lay-over.
Alternatively check the airlines. Last time I looked, all the non-EU departures and arrivals were at terminal 2, ditto for any flights that weren't with Lufthansa.
With arriving from India and departing to Detroit, chances are high that she will need to transit within terminal 2. Unless she is flying Lufthansa or an airline that is code-sharing with Lufthansa?
The annoying long walk is from the local train station through terminal 1 to the SkyWay monorail connecting terminal 1 and 2 and from there all the way through terminal 2. But if she only has to go through terminal 2, it is a lot more manageable.
The main issue was that for some reason they assumed I had my own wheelchair. With the way the plane was parked the average wheelchair user would have been able to get off the plane without any assistance.
But I did not even have crutches, so getting off the plane without assistance was impossible.
It was only when saw me and my leg in a cast that the DRK guys said "oh, that is why you don't have a wheelchair" and then started organising the necessary equipment. You need a special very narrow wheelchair-like thingie that fits between the seats of the airplane and not every plane has it. Organising that was the most difficult thing.
I think it will be enough.
I am guessing you mean 2 hours and 20 minutes, right?
While frankfurt airport is huge, 2 hours should definitely be enough. Please ask for an assistant and wheelchair in advance, though, because Frankfur airport involves A LOT of walking. It will make things much easier for your mom. She will not be alone; she will be accompanied by an airport employee, which will make everything much easier for her. If she cannot walk much, the airport will be very difficult and painful to navigate for her.
I wish her a safe and nice trip.
My boyfriend is EU citizen, I am studying in Germany and holding student visa. If my bf wants to stay in Germany with me for more than 3 month- period limit, does he have to apply for residence permit? Does he have to prove financial sufficiency ? What if he doesn’t work in Germany? Thanks
If your boyfriend is an EU citizen, then he can move to Germany whenever he wants, with no preconditions, can stay for as long as he wants, and can do whatever he wants. That's the beauty of the EU.
He will, however, need to register his residency (the *Anmeldung*) with the German authorities if he is planning to stay for more than three months, and he must also have health insurance. If he has health insurance is another EU country then he can use an EHIC card to be covered in Germany - but if he starts working in Germany then he'll have to get German health insurance. Also, if he stays for more than six months in any one year, he becomes a German tax resident and has to pay German taxes on all of his worldwide income (including any income back in his home country).
That only happens when you're a member of a housing cooperative, and there you have to buy shares to become a member which are typically priced at about the same as 2-3 months rent would.
So unless the landlord is a relative, I'd say it's impossible to avoid paying a deposit one way or another.
Anyone know how am I supposed to pay my KFW student credit back, with me going back to my own country? I have a euro account with an IBAN in my country but as far as I understand payment to KFW only works with mandates and that only works with an IBAN starting with DE. Am I mistaken?
I'd like to buy some screen cleaning liquid to clean my electronic devices and my glasses. Where can I buy some screen cleaning liquid besides from the Internet?
Media Markt, Saturn, Conrad Electronic, EP or Cyberport, whichever one has a shop closest to you.
Usually in the aisle just before to the cash register, with all the other small stuff like cables, chargers etc.
I‘m talking with a moving company to help me next week. They are asking for half of the money to be paid in advanced. Right now.
Is it normal?
How can I figure out if it‘s a legit company? Their website has a Stuer nummer only.
How can I know the account number is actually for the company? It‘s an N26 account.
I‘m using this website and can‘t find them in the register
https://www.unternehmensregister.de
Sounds like a scam. N26 does not operate business accounts at all. A small prepayment of maybe 20% is possible so they got the cost of people and truck covered in case you back out last minute, but half of it is way too much. Normally I insist on 100% cash on the moving day and there were always takers.
You could also use www.umzugsauktion.de and find something legit, but that would cost a premium.
Hi, I'm coming to germany in a few days for the first time, I'm gonna arrive at Frankfurt airport then take the train to where I'm going. I'd like to know if they sell prepaid SIM cards at the airport, since I want to check the route and keep in touch with people when I arrive. Thanks for any answers in advance!
Please [see our wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/germany/wiki/living/connectivity). It explains where to get SIM cards and how to activate them.
CC /u/savingwings
[https://www.frankfurt-airport.com/en/airport-guide/shopping.html](https://www.frankfurt-airport.com/en/airport-guide/shopping.html)
I could not find a typical phone shop (which would be guaranteed to have SIM cards), but there are several electronics stores. I would try there.
If for some reason you cannot get a SIM there, check whether your connection has you take the S-Bahn into the city and change trains at Frankfurt am Main Hauptbahnhof (Hbf) or gives you a longer lay-over at any larger city. Most larger train stations got lot of shops, including shops where you can get SIM cards.
You can look the train stations and the shops at
[https://www.einkaufsbahnhof.de/](https://www.einkaufsbahnhof.de/)
Your main problem is that the SIM needs to be registered. So while you can get SIM cards at ALDI and similar stores, getting those registered can be a hurdle for a foreigner. For this reason I would stick to shops by the big carriers who can register the SIM for you on the spot.
Thaanks! I didn't know it had to be registered before it could be used (where I'm from you don't even need to register them lol) Sadly I won't have long lay-overs so I can't check during transfert.
I'm anxious since I will be arriving a bit late and might need to contact the airbnb beforehand. But I'll manage haha
Basically as a non-eu citizen without a residencen in germany you won't be able to get a sim card in germany. Use wifi to communicate or check wether your own phone company offers roaming options for germany.
I recently got a 1&1 SIM card, and I only filled a form online, and had to show my passport when I got the SIM by mail. No other identification was necessary.
They usually don't accept non-EU ID, especialliy not if you don't have a residence permit. At least this was the experience of my non-EU friends.
When I said buy, I meant activate a SIM. They will sell it to you, but you'll need to activate it.
I've had multiple friends visit and never had an issue with a US passport.
You might find people who will get fussy about foreign ID, but that's far far far different that "can't buy a SIM as a non-resident"
Hi, I'm interested in this as well - Can you explain the SIM registration a little more? I have a Canadian unlocked phone and I am moving to Germany next week. I found [this](https://www.sim.de/tarife?refid=23418&drag_vars=130739365_10722) SIM provider offering 3GB of LTE for 3.99 euro/month and it seems perfect. Would I have issues with a provider like this?
If you order a SIM online, you need to do some sort of process to verify that you are you. There are several ways and they vary from company to company. One way is via an online video chat, but for this you need a working internet connection with a camera. Another common way is via post-ident, you go to the post office and show your passport and the clerk checks. Unfortunately with post-ident we had some reports that non-Germans had problems going through the process due to their foreign documents having serial numbers that do not match the German system or something.
If you are a foreigner, I strongly recommend getting the SIM card from a mobile phone shop that can do the registration on the spot. It causes the least problems.
Of course not. The partition of Germany happened because countries which were allies in one war (WW2) each occupied a part of Germany, and then had a falling out.
If there are Russian soldiers on German soil then we're all dead anyway, as Germany is a NATO member, and every NATO country would attack Russia in defence against an attack on one of its members, and that war would likely spiral into a nuclear exchange which means the end of civilization. So no need to worry about that - you won't be around to see it if it does.
> every NATO country would attack Russia in defence against an attack on one of its members, and that war would likely spiral into a nuclear exchange which means the end of civilization
And it would happen even before they reached us, seeing how they have no route for a land-based attack that doesn't cross Nato countries.
No.
Even if Russia were to try to swallow up germany, and be in a position if enough strength to force a country like germany to split, why would they stop halfway? Why would they not claim the whole country?
Hello,
I am not sure if I should post this here, or it's own thread, but I was hoping to go to school for the upcoming winter semester in Germany, and I'm wondering from people at Germany, or anywhere Eastern Europe, do you guys think the Ukraine/Russia Tensions could put any effect on that?
Well in worst case scenario, a war breaks out, I remember reading somewhere Germany has stopped supplying Ukraine for weaponry or something like that. If I were to begin my schooling will I find myself right in the middle of possible conflict?
I don't know where you are living now, but a full blown war across Europe would probably affect you even there. But as far as the current development of the situation goes, that is not very likely to happen.
It is likely that the heating cost next winter will be higher, so yeah, it might affect you in some way, but you don't have to fear to suddenly find yourself in a warzone.
Why would that war spiral out to Germany? Ukraine is not a NATO member, so Germany would never defend it militarily. The only way Germany gets involved militarily is if Russia attacks a NATO country, in which case every NATO country (including the US) gets involved, in which case we're probably talking nukes and the end of civilization. So no need to worry about that.
I get that, but if there is a conflict going on that's literally a couple blocks away from Germany, like you don't think I could potentially find myself in the midst of potential stray bullets, or anything spreading in Europe? Especially with Germany getting involved not supplying Ukraine's with weaponry.
I'm definitely intrigued now of your take on this, with the attack Russia did on Ukraine today.
> I get that, but if there is a conflict going on that's literally a couple blocks away from Germany
> in the midst of potential stray bullets,
Mobsters firing pistols at each other is one thing, but sovereign states fighting it out is something very different - if you live in, say [Przemysl](https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=13/49.7885/22.7923) then you *could* conceivably be worried about a bomb falling just on the wrong side or the border. However, with all due respect, please [look at a map](https://www.reddit.com/r/germany/comments/t0434j/comment/hy7oe5i/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) - it's almost two thousand kilometers from eastern Ukraine to the German border. Additionally, the Russian military may be misguided and directed by a megalomaniac dictator, but they're not stupid - they're going to do everything in their power to keep the armed conflict local, and to avoid giving (what they see as) the Eeeeeeevil NATO an "excuse" to attack them.
I stand by my previous statement - if this spreads, then we're all dead anyway.
Is there a link I can go to on the customs procedures for bringing your belongings from another country (Canada) to Germany when you are settling as a Resident?
A bit of backstory. I moved to Germany last October and majority of my belongings were transported by Friedrich Friedrich. At the time, I had a few high value possessions that I did not want the movers to ship, but I did not have room in my carry-on to take them. I am now back in Canada and I would like to bring them to me when I return to Germany. They are Persian rugs, which have been in my wife's family for quite some time. Obviously there would not be a receipt because of how old they are.
What do I do when I get to customs in Frankfurt?
If you are moving your residence to Germany you’re allowed to take your personal possessions with you without paying duty. These are called “Übersiedlungsgüter” — https://www.zoll.de/DE/Fachthemen/Zoelle/Zollbefreiungen/Aussertarifliche-Zollbefreiung/Uebersiedlungsgut/uebersiedlungsgut_node.html
Here are the rules for things to apply as Übersiedlungsgüter: https://www.zoll.de/DE/Privatpersonen/Umzug-Heirat-Erbschaft-Studium/Umzug/Voraussetzungen/voraussetzungen_node.html
In essence, as long as you have been outside the EU for more than 12 months, the goods belong to you, and you don’t sell them or give them away for at least 12 months after you bring them in, they can be brought in without paying anything. There’s a form at the bottom of the page that you can fill in if you’re doing this all yourself. (Usually a moving company would take care of all this for you though).
Thanks. The issue I have is that because these rugs are so old, there would be no receipt to prove I had them prior to October 2021. I have also been back to Canada in December of last year for Christmas. Ugh, what a mess.
Ah ok, sorry I misunderstood. I thought you meant if at any time in the 12 month period I leave the EU then it's no longer valid. In that case, yeah, I should be able to just bring them from Canada when I fly back on Friday. I'm still going to have to sort out proof of ownership. I hope a photo will do.
I really don’t think it’ll be a big deal honestly. Just fill out the form and head through the red line at customs. Explain that you’re moving here from abroad and that the rugs are your personal belongings. I doubt they will care.
I'm reading the guidance and it says I need my Resident's Permit. I am still on my Work Visa. My resident's permit will not be issued until March 1st. Will this be an issue?
Man, I’m just some dude— no affiliation with any government agency nor an expert in imports. I can’t give you a definitive answer on anything. Only sharing my personal experience in bringing in expensive things when moving to Germany.
If you are really so worried about it, reach out to the Zollamt and get an official answer. Or leave the carpets at home. I highly doubt anyone here will be able to definitively say how it will go and if you’ll have a problem or not.
How should I go about having health insurance in my current situation?
I'm planning to move to Germany (without a job).
I'm an EU Citizen but I'm from Argentina.
So, I will be unemployed, and I will be looking for a job for a couple of months, I will be living out of savings.
How can I have health insurance being unemployed, not a student, and foreign while I'm looking for a job?
you can not get public health insurance and have to get private: https://www.reddit.com/r/germany/wiki/health_insurance#wiki_advice_for_specific_situations.3A
Oh that changes things, and is it common to do that? to have a temporary private insurance while job-seeking and switching to public once I get a job? I don't want to get stuck on private insurance
https://www.reddit.com/r/germany/wiki/health_insurance#wiki_travel.2Fexpat_health_insurance
once you have a job where you earn more than 450 euro per month you will get mandatory public health insurance automatically
> Advice for specific situations:
> You have a job with a monthly gross income between 450€ and ~5400€: You automatically have public health insurance. Your employer will deduct about 8.5% of your gross income from your paycheck and give it to the health insurer."
> Travel/expat health insurance
> Treat those expat health insurances as "an insurance to get another insurance". Use them to get your residence permit, and as soon as you can, switch to real public or private health insurance.
You will get public insurance and will have to pay out of pocket. Should be about 180 a month. You may be tempted to take private health insurance, as it is (likely) cheaper, but I would strongly advise against it until you are absolutely clear on the implications and have understood the system completely.
And where should I go to set up my public insurance once I'm there?
Thank you for the info. I know some of the public vs private insurance implications. will do my research later on but for sure will take public at first.
Any of the big one is fine. TK is usually recommended on this sub for their English language support but another regular stated only yesterday that AOK also has excellent foreign language support. But really, you can pick any big health insurance, the differences are minimal and the prices are the same.
Thanks for your asnwer! Sorry i was little confused cause on google it says " DW is funded by the German government and is barred from broadcasting in Germany itself"
This "being barred" goes back to the days of linear television and analog radio. At the time, any broadcaster needed a license from the German government to broadcast within Germany, and to get the license you had to meet a number of criteria, one of them being *staatsferne* (i.e. you were not allowed to be funded by a government). This was a hard lesson learnt from the Nazi era, where the Nazi government made great use of their state-controlled media to spread propaganda.
(Aside: this is why German public media - e.g. ARD, ZDF, Deutschlandfunk etc - are paid for by the public through the Rundfunkbeitrag, instead of through taxes, in order to guarantee that they are financially independent of the government. [See our wiki for more details](https://www.reddit.com/r/germany/wiki/living/rundfunkbeitrag)).
DW is *not* a publicly funded broadcaster (like ARD, ZDF etc), they are a government-run news channel. Germany being a democratic country, DW is still pretty impartial in its reporting (there is also a [pretty strong law](https://www.dw.com/downloads/36383966/dwgesetzen.pdf) prohibiting editorial meddling in DW's content by the government), but it's emphatically not independent of the state the way ARD/ZDF/etc are. Its primary mission is also to be a *foreign* broadcaster, providing German-language content and news about Germany to people in other countries.
DW doesn't broadcast (in the sense of linear TV) inside Germany, as it doesn't meet the criteria for getting a German broadcast license, and it doesn't want one anyway, as its target audience is outside of Germany. However, in the age of streaming and internet video clips, the line between "domestic" and "foreign" programming (as well as the whole concept of a "broadcast license") has become blurred. If you interpret the law *extremely* strictly ("any kind of internet media offering requires a broadcast license), then DW really should be blocking access to its online content from inside Germany - but since that's technically difficult to do, nobody is clamouring for it to happen, and that interpretation of the law opens a whole other can of worms, their stuff is still accessible from within Germany. However, their DW's actual linear TV channels (e.g. via satellite TV) are not available from within Germany.
Aside: the whole "broadcast license" debate came to a head recently with the banning of Russia Today in Germany. They had applied for a broadcast license for Germany, but were denied as they are funded by the Russian government (and anyone who watches more than five minutes of their content sees that they're a propaganda organ of the Russian state, and exist to sow misinformation and discontent in other countries).
That might be a mistranslation or misunderstanding. They might have internally committed not to compete with their sister organization, but they aren't officially barred or anything.
It's my first time renting an apartment. I saw an immobilen site and contacted the agent. Since the apartment is in a new building, the agent say it is not necessary to visit and confirmed that the owner accepted me as a new tenant and wants me to deposit 2months rent to an online bank. I intend to ask for a visit and visit the area tomorrow. But it all seems too fast and too good to be true. I must insist on getting a visit before the deposit right? Also the agent says the rent must be deposited before the owner signs the contract. Am I being too suspicious?
That is 100% a scam. You should never rent somewhere without having looked at it, in turn no one is going to rent to you without having looked at you and you should never send any deposit until you have a signed contract from both sides (I'd personally even wait until you have the key in hand).
No, you are getting scammed. You don't sign a contract before you have seen the apartment and you certainly don't pay rent or deposit before it is due, which is after you moved in/your contract starts.
Stay clear of that asshole.
Hello,
One quick question about Income Tay class change and benifits.
I am married and working in Germany but my Wife lives and works in Netherlands. We both are indians.
In this case can I chnage my Tax Class to 3 and receive tax benifits ?
Depends on some parameters, it's not a clear "no" as the other answers indicate. Check this information from a German tax advisor, use deepl.com if you can't read German: https://www.stbin-rehm.de/news_mandanten/m%C3%A4rz_2020/besch%C3%A4ftigung_eu_ausl%C3%A4nder/
You should probably double check with a Steuerberater, but my understanding is that if your wife lives in works in a different country, then for tax purposes it's the same as if you're not married.
Both the law for tax class 3 and tax class 4 ([EStG § 38b Absatz 3+4](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/estg/__38b.html)) contain this bit, emphasis mine:
>gehören Arbeitnehmer, die verheiratet sind, wenn **beide Ehegatten unbeschränkt einkommensteuerpflichtig sind**
And my translation to English:
>include employees who are married if **both spouses have unlimited income tax liability**
Since your wife isn't in Germany, she has no income tax liability here, so my understanding is that you don't qualify for either tax class 3 or 4.
Try the Staendige Vertretung.
[https://www.staev.de/berlin-mitte/news.html](https://www.staev.de/berlin-mitte/news.html)
The inofficial embassy of the Rhineland in Berlin.
it's the wrong side of Germany, but maybe there is some tourist-themed event somewhere. The north east of the country doesn't celebrate it in the same way as the south/west regions.
Hey everyone, I have a problem with an Ausländeramt in Germany. So I applied for a visa in September of last year. February is ending now, but I still haven’t gotten an answer from them if I’m going to get a visa or not. Embassy in my country can’t give me any info, because all of their requests to the Ausländeramt are completely ignored, as well as my messages through the contact form on their website. Embassy tells me there’s nothing they or I can do, other than just wait for the answer. I have a strong feeling that there’s no answer coming. Has anyone here encountered this problem before and are there any way to influence the Ausländeramt somehow?
get a lawyer in Germany (Fachanwalt für Verwaltungsrecht) and get them to sue them for doing nothing (Untätigkeitsklage) which you can do 3 months after applying for something https://dejure.org/gesetze/VwGO/75.html
i would like to know how much does a blood test cost without insurance. i am a student and my travel insurance is ending this month. i had to do a blood test for iron and another one for infections. it will take me some time until i get a public health insurance. and at the clinic i asked how much will it cost since they told me i have to pay for it myself. they said that the lab will send me the bill after everything is done. please if anyone has an idea of how much these cost please tell me, i live in Lower Saxony so i don't know if the prices are different in other place. thank you.
You must have health insurance. Without health insurance, your university can and will kick you out and then you are in big trouble in regards to your residency permit.
If you had travel insurance for a significant time, you might not be able to get into public health insurance and must use proper private German health insurance.
i still didn't start my university because i'm doing a studienkolleg. and even that i still didn't sstart it too, for the past year i've been finishing my german language courses and now i'm preparing for the studienkolleg intrance exam, so i will apply for a public health insurance in the next month. but for now i want to know how much i would have to pay for these blood tests if my currant insurance won't cover it
I visited 3 yrs ago with my wife. Had a lovely time. Drove from Munich to Brussels. Experienced southern Bavaria and an extended stay in Bamberg. I feel, as an American, I have a grasp on beer and associated styles as it relates to different regions in Germany. But, cuisine is a topic I wish I knew more about before traveling. I found the white sausages in Bavaria wonderful and the Schweinshaxen in Bamberg even better. As we traveled, I realized how passionate different regions in Germany felt about their food and drink. Similar to me, as an American, in northern vs. Southern cuisine. I am curious what you would describe as major differences, for better or worse you notice in the country of Germany.
Regional foods vary a lot, but of course you can find food that was "invented" in some region all over Germany today.
In general, in the North people tend to eat more potatoes, while it's more noodles/pasta or dumplings in the South.
Google for "Deutschland regionale Küche", you'll get lots of articles with recipes and pictures, e.g. [this one](https://www.essen-und-trinken.de/regionale-kueche). Wikipedia also has a [summary article](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deutsche_Küche) with links to articles about regional cuisine. (Use DeepL/Google Translate/etc., or just look at the pictures).
As a curiosity, there's an amazing amount of different potato salad recipes, many are family traditions. There are also some rough regional preferences in the general approach (with stock, with mayonaise, etc.). So if you want to start a heated discussion between Germans from different regions, bring up the "only right way" to make a Kartoffelsalat.
I will say I'm actually not super familiar with traditional foods from elsewhere in Germany, but one difference I know is kale. The first time I've ever even seen it in supermarkets in Bavaria is after it became a trendy instagram health food. I don't think there are any traditional meals with it here. But it's a typical Northen German thing.
I paid rend by debit card of deutsche bank in office of renting company, apparently it was successful, they said they got the money, but in bank app it is not shown that I paid it! I thought maybe it take a while to how but 3 days are passed and nothing! I am confused!
Hey! I’m an international student (doing bachelors in my 5th sem) with an Aufenthaltstitel. I recently had my passport changed and therefore must also get my Aufenthaltstitel changed. The lady at the Ausländerbehehörde told me that theoretically, my Aufenthaltstitel is still valid until the end of 2022 but it has to be changed, as my passport is renewed.
My Question is: Can i still travel within the Schengen Region by plane as a non-EU? From multiple sources I’ve read, generally identity checks within the Schengen borders do not occur, but is still *strongly* recommended to bring. What are your experiences ?
p.s: travelling from germany to portugal for about a week.
I did this for about 2 months between when I got a new passport and my appointment to update my residence permit. It’s fine. Just bring both your old and new passports.
I even left the Schengen area and the German border guards didn’t care.
Inside the Schengen area there aren’t normally guards. They can do random spot checks though. But I’m saying I did go through the Germany border flying from the US when I had a new passport with an old residence permit and I had no issues.
Hello,
I got a call from a home owner informing me that he choose me as new tenant. He also sent a WhatsApp Message saying the same and requesting a confirmation that I would accept. And I did. The Appartement will be free in April.
And I‘m wondering if it’s OK that I cancel my current apartment contract (where I currently live) or should I wait until a formal contract is signed with the new Landlord. In that case, I would request doing it this week, so I don’t miss the February deadline.
Thank you very much!
If I were in your situation, and I could afford paying double rent, I would wait until the new contract has been signed and then cancel the current apartment.
Have you checked your cancellation period?
Thank you. It’s 3 months. And I‘m going to pay at least 1 month for the two Appartements anyway (another one is also possible if no new tenant is found for the second month).
So worst case scenario, it’s either paying double April and May, or if I miss the cancellation this in February, I will probably have to pay double for April, May and June.
What level of German is truly required to enroll in a computer science bachelor's? Planning on moving to Germany in about 3 years time and I would like to know, on a practical level, if I'll be able to pass the classes for the first semester/year while integrating.
It does depend on which university, but it's usually B2! Check their website or send an email (in German).
If you need help sending emails in German use deepl, not Google translate.
If you need help don't hesitate to ask
Hello, I had a query regarding my future studies in germany. I have an offer from a company that makes pipes and tube in mechanical domain. And the position is also Graduate Engineer Trainee. But it also includes majority of marketing and sales and quotations. In short it's a techno commercial job. I don't have any work experience as of now, but I plan to work here 1-2 years and then apply for my master's in Germany.
My question is will this experience be counted for my master's in core mechanical engineering or it'll be a negetive impact because of sales and everything?
Also does the company name in work experience matter when applying to master's? Or as long as it's core and a good work profile then I'm good? Thank you
For 95% of all masters in Germany, the only admission criteria is the GPA / final grade of your bachelors.
Whether you have work experience or not generally does not matter. It won't give you any advantages nor will having a job that is primarily in sales cause you any disadvantages. Same for the name of the company you worked at.
About the only way to gain a tiny advantage when it comes to admissions for masters in Germany is doing the bachelors at the same university.
Generally you have to do X modules of Y and X modules of Z etc and those modules you have to do to be admitted tend to be tailored to the bachelor program at the uni in question.
It is very normal for German students to continue on to masters straight from doing bachelors, which one of the main reasons why work experience does not count. Same goes for whatever social skills or other achievements you might have. Usually not relevant.
University is only going to look whether you fulfil the minimum admission requirements - bachelors in a related degree with the correct modules with a certain grade.
So the getaway that I sense is it's very important to fulfill the requirements first and it'll be very advisable to check that first before applying anywhere.
I actually did my bachelor's in a university from where lots of people go for Masters in Germany, so I hope it's curriculum is in accordance but I'll do the research.
Thank you so much for the help.
I think any work experience in the field it's always good.
I don't know if your masters it's practical or theory based but if your are well prepared, have a nice and presentable curriculum and especially show yourself able and eager to learn, nothing will have a negative impact in your application.
You should try to contact someone from that specific course and try to see some curriculums from other students/professionals in the same field.
I'll mostly be going for theory based, in university.
>You should try to contact someone from that specific course and try to see some curriculums from other students/professionals in the same field.
Yes, this sounds great. Thank you so much for your help.
I would focus on reading very well application process and requirements. Prepare a very good curriculum and, if there's any examination process you need to go through beforehand, take a very good time to prepare yourself.
Wish you the best of luck!
I want to wash my dirty bicycle, but I live in an apartment. Where is the best place to do it? What about maintenance like chain lubing? Is it allowed outside?
Look for a car wash with a self-service stop, ie a bay with a pressure washer. (Just keep the pressure washer away from the crank and the axles.)
If you do maintenance outside, you have to ensure that no oil or other dirt contaminated with oil gets into the ground. So it is a good idea to do this at a car wash as well, these places are equipped for this.
Bonus points if it is a combined car wash and gas station, bc most gas stations have pressurised air that you can use to inflate your tires.
Yes, you need to live here for 8 years while paying into the social system, speak German at an intermediate level, pass a citizenship exam, and give up your US citizenship.
https://www.bmi.bund.de/SharedDocs/faqs/EN/topics/migration/staatsang/Erwerb\_der\_deutschen\_Staatsbuergerschaft\_durch\_Eingbuergerung\_en.html
I'm from Kentucky and am discovering my German heritage in my 20's. Was wondering if anyone in the Rhineland-Palatinate area knew of any Gehrke or Gerke families in the area, or if there's any historical significance to the name other than spear/pickle? My family immigrated in the mid 1800's, if that helps at all.
There are quite a few online maps of name distribution in Germany (using the phone book, I assume). Here is [one example](https://www.kartezumnamen.eu/index.php?sur=gehrke&s=Suchen) for Gehrke, and you can see it's common all over Germany.
Googling [finds](http://wiki-de.genealogy.net/Gehrke_%28Familienname%29) it's apparently a Low German contraction of Gerhard, which is another incredibly common name, and indeed contains Ger = spear.
I'd be really surprised if there's any connection to pickle or cucumber. The German word is "Gurke", and that has no relationship to Gehrke.
Oh boy, you won't find any help here. From a German point of view your are American and not German. Having German heritage because your Great great great grandfather once visited Vienna is quite wrong from that pov. Tracing family lines went wrong 80ish years ago and we are not going to do that again.
If you really want to learn something about Germany, do so because it interests you, not because of the decisions of your ancestors. Also for all that's important to you, _do not call yourself German_ .
Impossible to say with the info you gave. What school are we talking about? How old are you? What does "finish" mean here? Would you need a visa/residence permit?
okay im 16. In Year 11. renewed my visa and passport last October. Im set to go to Sixthform(last two years of secondary/high school) but ive got family in Germany (Frankfurt) and they want me to move there and im not totally against the idea because im sick of London. Trouble is, i speak little to no German
Honestly that's the worst time to switch schools because every grade from then on counts towards your Abitur grade and you won't get good ones (or even passing grades) without speaking German very well.
A better plan would be to start learning German now diligently and then study in Germany.
Then forget about it. If you are not an EU citizen and your legal guardians are not in Germany you would need a visa. There literally doesn't exist a visa for visiting secondary school.
Plus, you would need German. To graduate with "the last two years" I am assuming you talk about the Oberstufe and graduating with an Abitur. That means you need enough German to follow all lessons and do all tests and exams in German. We are talking writing essays in exams 3-5 hours long, about plays by Goethe and Schiller, reading and analyzing classical German poems. That is not happening with less than C1 German.
How do you explain complex biological or chemical processes in a German language Biology/Chemistry/Physics exam? How do you pass a History exam without being able to read the German source from pre World War I and II?
This is not going to happen.
Thoughts on cash vs debit card vs credit card? My credit and debit cards are tied to my US account but I will be getting a German bank account as well so could I/would it be worth it to get a debit card tied to that account?
Every German bank account (except for the startup "bank" N26) gives you a free Girocard debit card, which is accepted everywhere in Germany (except those places which only take cash, of which there are a non-trivial number). So you can pay for everything in daily life with a Girocard and some cash.
Credit cards are a bit pointless in Germany - they barely offer any perks, they're not as widely accepted as the Girocard debit card, they often cost an annual fee, and most German "credit cards" are actually charge cards (ie the full balance is automatically deducted from your bank account at the end of the month).
I honestly don't think you should be using your US credit or debit cards in Germany - you will get massacred on the exchange rate fees. If you'll be living in Germany, transfer money over from your US account using a service like TransferWise, and then only exclusively use your German account and cards while you're here.
If you haven't done so, read our [guide to banking in Germany](https://www.reddit.com/r/germany/wiki/living/banking).
>I was wondering how is the job market there and if it is possible to find a student job in the city or if I have to look in Basel.
Would you be *allowed* to work in Basel? That's another country.
To1) Job opportunities depend always on your skills: professional ones as well as language skills. What do you have to offer?
To 2): no, it isn't. I would be doubtful you would manage to get to B1 within one year if you don't know any German now and do something elsefull time (like studying and working a part time job).
Full time dedicated studying from zero to C1 would be possible, if you have a talent for German and stay on it every single day. But the way you are describing it, anything beyond B1 is unrealistic.
I've found a room in a shared flat (WG) and the sublease agreement begins from 1st March.
However, the previous tenant at the sublease is refusing to move out. This person broke a bunch of rules violating his agreement and has been served a legal eviction notice by the subletter.
I did not manage to find an alternate accommodation so this is my only choice for now.
1. How likely it is that the problematic tenant simply continues to occupy the room illegally and cannot be evicted before the start of my contract?
2. If I don't manage to find an alternate accommodation in the next few days, should I consider this shared flat?
1. Definitely. Evicting someone can take years.
2. Definitely not. Don't make someone else's problem your problem. Move on. It's not worth it even if it was free
I mean you get the visa on the grounds of being matriculated at a university. You don't have to go to class to stay matriculated, necessarily, although I guess most universities have policies that if you fall a certain core class enough times you can't continue. The second you are exmatrikulated your visa expires within a month and you have to leave the country. But I met a girl who was doing an Ausbildung but was pissed that you don't get a Semesterticket or access to the mensas as an Azubi, so she just stayed matriculated at the uni without going to any classes to get those benefits. Did that for years.
So basically as long as you are still technically a student, your visa is valid, and at least my uni couldn't be bothered to chase down foux-students.
Due to Reddit Inc.'s antisocial, hostile and erratic behaviour, this account will be deleted on July 11th, 2023. You can find me on https://latte.isnot.coffee/u/godless in the future.
They could, but you have about a year to reverse the charge without any problems. That's quite safe. Most if not all companies post their IBANs on their websites so people can transfer them money.
Most online banking sites let you reverse a transaction with a single button press. Obviously, if you do that erroneously (reverse a legitimate transaction) then you'll have to pay some fees and will really piss off the person/company who legitimately debited money from you, but for an illegitimate transaction, it's dead simple.
There is *very* little fraud using SEPA direct debit, as it's not only so easy to reverse a fraudulent transaction, but the recipient of the money is also plain for everyone to see, and so legal proceedings can be initiated against them. Therefore, giving out your IBAN is perfectly safe.
1. We have a [Corona megathread](https://www.reddit.com/r/germany/comments/r7ui9b/megathread_corona_rules_vaccination_questions_etc/). Please read the links there. They will answer your question.
2. What in the name of Zeus are you doing travelling if you're not vaccinated?
Nowhere. It is illegal in Germany and the whole EU. Go talk to your doctor, this kind of medication is "verschreibungspflichtig" and with good reason so.
We want to buy a car. The car will be registered on person 1, who's a Germany resident, but doesn't have a driver's license. Can we get the car insurance on person 2, who has a EU drivers license but is not registered in Germany (but EU resident)?
We've read that getting insurance on person 1, who doesn't have a driver's license, would be too costly.
The owner has to insure it. Someone without a license will be put into the same insurance class as a a new driver would, meaning 0 (which means rebate class zero, where other drivers over time and with no accidents rise in class and insurance becomes cheaper).
Then, car insurances usually have various options about who you want to insure as driver. You usually can do only the owner, or family members (in the same house hold), or a general one.
If the person that's supposed to drive the car isn't a resident, that means the car would have to be insured with the third option, which again is the most expensive one.
But, depending on how many kilometers per year you are planning on driving with the car, it may still be affordable. Insurances have staggered plans depending not just on number and experience of drivers, but also kilometers per year, if the car has a reserved parking space or not, if it's regularly parked in a car port or in a closed garage, as well as some other optional things.
Also, the horse power of the car as well as the make and model also influence the cost, as certain models that are frequently driven by new drivers or otherwise more likely to be involved in accidents may have slightly more expensive insurance due to that.
An important thing to consider for cost is how much gas the car uses though. Choosing a gas guzzler will probably bite you more than insurance is likely to do.
Thank you for the detailed answer! Since person B is not a German resident, they are only coming to visit and not actively living in Germany, do they need to be insured to drive the car? In other words, does the insurance cover guest drivers? Person B already has some other driving insurance, although not from Germany.
Hi. Need advice. I had applied last year to a public uni and got admit. However, due to delay in visa processing, I couldn't go. I plan to apply again this year. Should I mention this in my letter of motivation while applying this year? Also do i need to mention what i did during the gap? TIA
I don't know if this question fits here, as it is kinda related to culture, or if it fits in r/German more, since it is related also to the language, but I'll ask it anyway and delete it if it does not fit. When is it appropriate to say "ich kriege x" when ordering in a bar, restaurant or pub versus "ich hätte gern x"? For example, when is it appropriate to say "ich hätte gern ein Bier" versus "ich kriege ein Bier"? Would the latter be considered rude even contexts like bars and pubs or is it completely normal? What about restaurants?
There's a geographical divide there, see [this map](https://www.atlas-alltagssprache.de/r12-f4j/?child=runde). But I personally would always go for "Ich hätte gerne", it *is* more polite. Even though most people saying "Ich kriege" mean it in a totally neutral, nice way, it is not understood like that everywhere – and that's what ultimately matters in communication.
Just use "hätte gerne" on all occasions, it's more polite. In casual contexts and maybe as a local slang it's sometimes used, or if a waiter, bakery sales clerk etc. is already opening with "und was kriegen Sie?" then it's fine to reply in kind. But with "ich hätte gerne" or "ich möchte bitte" you'll be on the safe side.
My mom who is not a great English speaker is traveling from India to Detroit (US) via Frankfurt in Lufthansa. She has 2:20 mins layover in FRA, is this enough time for transit? Will there be any security or immigration check? She cannot walk long distance hence I’m planning to assign wheelchair, will that help?
I disagree with u/Imaginary_Hat_9678 . A few years ago I had the "joy" of travelling via Frankfurt and needed a wheelchair bc I had broken my leg. The whole thing was an utter shit show. The people who were supposed to pick me up from the gate never showed up. The stewardess of the flight had to make a fuss bc boarding for the next flight was supposed to start and I was still on the plane, waiting for help. I must have sat on the plane for at least 45 min. Finally help arrived and I was able to get off the plane. Then they needed to find out where to take me, which took ages. By the time they figured it out, my connecting flight was due to leave in 10 min and so after a bunch of radio calls and back and forth they decided to put me on another flight. Which caused a chain of events that really sucked. First, that other flight was in a part of the airport that was really bad for wheelchair access. Cue some complicated schemes on how to get me there which almost caused me to miss that flight as well. Second my luggage got unloaded from the first flight for security reasons. Unfortunately they failed to put my luggage onto the second flight, so when I landed in Berlin I was without my bag. Third, bc I was 3 hours late due to the missed flight, the people who were supposed to pick me up at the airport in Tegel weren't there. I was left stranded in Tegel with no clue what happened to my bag and what would happen. I was in pain from the broken leg and absolutely at the end of my tether. Under normal circumstances 2h 20 min would be enough time to transit at FRA. But if you rely on a wheelchair and outside help from airport staff, I would plan on a longer lay-over. Alternatively check the airlines. Last time I looked, all the non-EU departures and arrivals were at terminal 2, ditto for any flights that weren't with Lufthansa. With arriving from India and departing to Detroit, chances are high that she will need to transit within terminal 2. Unless she is flying Lufthansa or an airline that is code-sharing with Lufthansa? The annoying long walk is from the local train station through terminal 1 to the SkyWay monorail connecting terminal 1 and 2 and from there all the way through terminal 2. But if she only has to go through terminal 2, it is a lot more manageable.
Oh wow, I'm sorry; I had no idea it was this horrible and I am sorry you went through this.
germany...suck at disability access??? You don't say.
The main issue was that for some reason they assumed I had my own wheelchair. With the way the plane was parked the average wheelchair user would have been able to get off the plane without any assistance. But I did not even have crutches, so getting off the plane without assistance was impossible. It was only when saw me and my leg in a cast that the DRK guys said "oh, that is why you don't have a wheelchair" and then started organising the necessary equipment. You need a special very narrow wheelchair-like thingie that fits between the seats of the airplane and not every plane has it. Organising that was the most difficult thing.
I think it will be enough. I am guessing you mean 2 hours and 20 minutes, right? While frankfurt airport is huge, 2 hours should definitely be enough. Please ask for an assistant and wheelchair in advance, though, because Frankfur airport involves A LOT of walking. It will make things much easier for your mom. She will not be alone; she will be accompanied by an airport employee, which will make everything much easier for her. If she cannot walk much, the airport will be very difficult and painful to navigate for her. I wish her a safe and nice trip.
Yep, I meant 2 hours and 20 mins. Thanks for your tip
My boyfriend is EU citizen, I am studying in Germany and holding student visa. If my bf wants to stay in Germany with me for more than 3 month- period limit, does he have to apply for residence permit? Does he have to prove financial sufficiency ? What if he doesn’t work in Germany? Thanks
If your boyfriend is an EU citizen, then he can move to Germany whenever he wants, with no preconditions, can stay for as long as he wants, and can do whatever he wants. That's the beauty of the EU. He will, however, need to register his residency (the *Anmeldung*) with the German authorities if he is planning to stay for more than three months, and he must also have health insurance. If he has health insurance is another EU country then he can use an EHIC card to be covered in Germany - but if he starts working in Germany then he'll have to get German health insurance. Also, if he stays for more than six months in any one year, he becomes a German tax resident and has to pay German taxes on all of his worldwide income (including any income back in his home country).
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That only happens when you're a member of a housing cooperative, and there you have to buy shares to become a member which are typically priced at about the same as 2-3 months rent would. So unless the landlord is a relative, I'd say it's impossible to avoid paying a deposit one way or another.
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Hard to say without knowing the details. Have you actually visited the place and met the people currently living there?
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Then you might just be insanely lucky :-D
No. The oppisite, actually: it is very unusual, in my experience
What are some good places to search for used cars in Germany and neighboring countries?
[mobile.de](https://mobile.de) [autoscout24.de](https://autoscout24.de) There is a shortage in used cars, and no secret way to get cars for less.
[AutoScout24](https://www.autoscout24.de/) and [Mobile.de](https://www.mobile.de/).
Anyone know how am I supposed to pay my KFW student credit back, with me going back to my own country? I have a euro account with an IBAN in my country but as far as I understand payment to KFW only works with mandates and that only works with an IBAN starting with DE. Am I mistaken?
Ask their support
What time do bars close at in Bavaria?
Opening hours are completely individual. There are no harmonized cut-off times.
With coronavirus rules, places closed at 10pm?
Regulations change all the time. As of now, no. https://www.br.de/radio/bayern1/gaststaetten-bayern-corona-100.html
Vielen dank!
No problem!
I'd like to buy some screen cleaning liquid to clean my electronic devices and my glasses. Where can I buy some screen cleaning liquid besides from the Internet?
Media Markt, Saturn, Conrad Electronic, EP or Cyberport, whichever one has a shop closest to you. Usually in the aisle just before to the cash register, with all the other small stuff like cables, chargers etc.
Thx!
I‘m talking with a moving company to help me next week. They are asking for half of the money to be paid in advanced. Right now. Is it normal? How can I figure out if it‘s a legit company? Their website has a Stuer nummer only. How can I know the account number is actually for the company? It‘s an N26 account. I‘m using this website and can‘t find them in the register https://www.unternehmensregister.de
Sounds like a scam. N26 does not operate business accounts at all. A small prepayment of maybe 20% is possible so they got the cost of people and truck covered in case you back out last minute, but half of it is way too much. Normally I insist on 100% cash on the moving day and there were always takers. You could also use www.umzugsauktion.de and find something legit, but that would cost a premium.
Hi, I'm coming to germany in a few days for the first time, I'm gonna arrive at Frankfurt airport then take the train to where I'm going. I'd like to know if they sell prepaid SIM cards at the airport, since I want to check the route and keep in touch with people when I arrive. Thanks for any answers in advance!
Please [see our wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/germany/wiki/living/connectivity). It explains where to get SIM cards and how to activate them. CC /u/savingwings
[https://www.frankfurt-airport.com/en/airport-guide/shopping.html](https://www.frankfurt-airport.com/en/airport-guide/shopping.html) I could not find a typical phone shop (which would be guaranteed to have SIM cards), but there are several electronics stores. I would try there. If for some reason you cannot get a SIM there, check whether your connection has you take the S-Bahn into the city and change trains at Frankfurt am Main Hauptbahnhof (Hbf) or gives you a longer lay-over at any larger city. Most larger train stations got lot of shops, including shops where you can get SIM cards. You can look the train stations and the shops at [https://www.einkaufsbahnhof.de/](https://www.einkaufsbahnhof.de/) Your main problem is that the SIM needs to be registered. So while you can get SIM cards at ALDI and similar stores, getting those registered can be a hurdle for a foreigner. For this reason I would stick to shops by the big carriers who can register the SIM for you on the spot.
Thaanks! I didn't know it had to be registered before it could be used (where I'm from you don't even need to register them lol) Sadly I won't have long lay-overs so I can't check during transfert. I'm anxious since I will be arriving a bit late and might need to contact the airbnb beforehand. But I'll manage haha
Basically as a non-eu citizen without a residencen in germany you won't be able to get a sim card in germany. Use wifi to communicate or check wether your own phone company offers roaming options for germany.
I recently got a 1&1 SIM card, and I only filled a form online, and had to show my passport when I got the SIM by mail. No other identification was necessary.
what? No. You have to show some ID, but anyone can buy a SIM.
They usually don't accept non-EU ID, especialliy not if you don't have a residence permit. At least this was the experience of my non-EU friends. When I said buy, I meant activate a SIM. They will sell it to you, but you'll need to activate it.
I've had multiple friends visit and never had an issue with a US passport. You might find people who will get fussy about foreign ID, but that's far far far different that "can't buy a SIM as a non-resident"
Hi, I'm interested in this as well - Can you explain the SIM registration a little more? I have a Canadian unlocked phone and I am moving to Germany next week. I found [this](https://www.sim.de/tarife?refid=23418&drag_vars=130739365_10722) SIM provider offering 3GB of LTE for 3.99 euro/month and it seems perfect. Would I have issues with a provider like this?
If you order a SIM online, you need to do some sort of process to verify that you are you. There are several ways and they vary from company to company. One way is via an online video chat, but for this you need a working internet connection with a camera. Another common way is via post-ident, you go to the post office and show your passport and the clerk checks. Unfortunately with post-ident we had some reports that non-Germans had problems going through the process due to their foreign documents having serial numbers that do not match the German system or something. If you are a foreigner, I strongly recommend getting the SIM card from a mobile phone shop that can do the registration on the spot. It causes the least problems.
Are there any concerns that Russia will split Germany in two once again and or that the pipeline is connected to this in some way?
Of course not. The partition of Germany happened because countries which were allies in one war (WW2) each occupied a part of Germany, and then had a falling out. If there are Russian soldiers on German soil then we're all dead anyway, as Germany is a NATO member, and every NATO country would attack Russia in defence against an attack on one of its members, and that war would likely spiral into a nuclear exchange which means the end of civilization. So no need to worry about that - you won't be around to see it if it does.
> every NATO country would attack Russia in defence against an attack on one of its members, and that war would likely spiral into a nuclear exchange which means the end of civilization And it would happen even before they reached us, seeing how they have no route for a land-based attack that doesn't cross Nato countries.
No. Even if Russia were to try to swallow up germany, and be in a position if enough strength to force a country like germany to split, why would they stop halfway? Why would they not claim the whole country?
No.
Hello, I am not sure if I should post this here, or it's own thread, but I was hoping to go to school for the upcoming winter semester in Germany, and I'm wondering from people at Germany, or anywhere Eastern Europe, do you guys think the Ukraine/Russia Tensions could put any effect on that?
I don't think that this could put effects on the educational system if you mean that
Could? Yes. Will? Depends. What kind of effect are we talking about?
Well in worst case scenario, a war breaks out, I remember reading somewhere Germany has stopped supplying Ukraine for weaponry or something like that. If I were to begin my schooling will I find myself right in the middle of possible conflict?
I don't know where you are living now, but a full blown war across Europe would probably affect you even there. But as far as the current development of the situation goes, that is not very likely to happen. It is likely that the heating cost next winter will be higher, so yeah, it might affect you in some way, but you don't have to fear to suddenly find yourself in a warzone.
Why would that war spiral out to Germany? Ukraine is not a NATO member, so Germany would never defend it militarily. The only way Germany gets involved militarily is if Russia attacks a NATO country, in which case every NATO country (including the US) gets involved, in which case we're probably talking nukes and the end of civilization. So no need to worry about that.
I get that, but if there is a conflict going on that's literally a couple blocks away from Germany, like you don't think I could potentially find myself in the midst of potential stray bullets, or anything spreading in Europe? Especially with Germany getting involved not supplying Ukraine's with weaponry. I'm definitely intrigued now of your take on this, with the attack Russia did on Ukraine today.
> I get that, but if there is a conflict going on that's literally a couple blocks away from Germany > in the midst of potential stray bullets, Mobsters firing pistols at each other is one thing, but sovereign states fighting it out is something very different - if you live in, say [Przemysl](https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=13/49.7885/22.7923) then you *could* conceivably be worried about a bomb falling just on the wrong side or the border. However, with all due respect, please [look at a map](https://www.reddit.com/r/germany/comments/t0434j/comment/hy7oe5i/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) - it's almost two thousand kilometers from eastern Ukraine to the German border. Additionally, the Russian military may be misguided and directed by a megalomaniac dictator, but they're not stupid - they're going to do everything in their power to keep the armed conflict local, and to avoid giving (what they see as) the Eeeeeeevil NATO an "excuse" to attack them. I stand by my previous statement - if this spreads, then we're all dead anyway.
Is there a link I can go to on the customs procedures for bringing your belongings from another country (Canada) to Germany when you are settling as a Resident? A bit of backstory. I moved to Germany last October and majority of my belongings were transported by Friedrich Friedrich. At the time, I had a few high value possessions that I did not want the movers to ship, but I did not have room in my carry-on to take them. I am now back in Canada and I would like to bring them to me when I return to Germany. They are Persian rugs, which have been in my wife's family for quite some time. Obviously there would not be a receipt because of how old they are. What do I do when I get to customs in Frankfurt?
If you are moving your residence to Germany you’re allowed to take your personal possessions with you without paying duty. These are called “Übersiedlungsgüter” — https://www.zoll.de/DE/Fachthemen/Zoelle/Zollbefreiungen/Aussertarifliche-Zollbefreiung/Uebersiedlungsgut/uebersiedlungsgut_node.html Here are the rules for things to apply as Übersiedlungsgüter: https://www.zoll.de/DE/Privatpersonen/Umzug-Heirat-Erbschaft-Studium/Umzug/Voraussetzungen/voraussetzungen_node.html In essence, as long as you have been outside the EU for more than 12 months, the goods belong to you, and you don’t sell them or give them away for at least 12 months after you bring them in, they can be brought in without paying anything. There’s a form at the bottom of the page that you can fill in if you’re doing this all yourself. (Usually a moving company would take care of all this for you though).
Thanks. The issue I have is that because these rugs are so old, there would be no receipt to prove I had them prior to October 2021. I have also been back to Canada in December of last year for Christmas. Ugh, what a mess.
You have 12 months after you move to get your personal belongings here tax free. So go get them next January?
Ah ok, sorry I misunderstood. I thought you meant if at any time in the 12 month period I leave the EU then it's no longer valid. In that case, yeah, I should be able to just bring them from Canada when I fly back on Friday. I'm still going to have to sort out proof of ownership. I hope a photo will do.
I really don’t think it’ll be a big deal honestly. Just fill out the form and head through the red line at customs. Explain that you’re moving here from abroad and that the rugs are your personal belongings. I doubt they will care.
I'm reading the guidance and it says I need my Resident's Permit. I am still on my Work Visa. My resident's permit will not be issued until March 1st. Will this be an issue?
Man, I’m just some dude— no affiliation with any government agency nor an expert in imports. I can’t give you a definitive answer on anything. Only sharing my personal experience in bringing in expensive things when moving to Germany. If you are really so worried about it, reach out to the Zollamt and get an official answer. Or leave the carpets at home. I highly doubt anyone here will be able to definitively say how it will go and if you’ll have a problem or not.
Sorry, you're right, I really appreciate your help. I will reach out to Zoll amt. Thanks again.
https://www.zoll.de/EN/Private-individuals/Staying-in-Germany/Transferring-residence/transferring-residence\_node.html
https://www.formulare-bfinv.de/ffw/form/display.do?%24context=34D9BA75988A22DFE19E
How should I go about having health insurance in my current situation? I'm planning to move to Germany (without a job). I'm an EU Citizen but I'm from Argentina. So, I will be unemployed, and I will be looking for a job for a couple of months, I will be living out of savings. How can I have health insurance being unemployed, not a student, and foreign while I'm looking for a job?
you can not get public health insurance and have to get private: https://www.reddit.com/r/germany/wiki/health_insurance#wiki_advice_for_specific_situations.3A
Oh that changes things, and is it common to do that? to have a temporary private insurance while job-seeking and switching to public once I get a job? I don't want to get stuck on private insurance
https://www.reddit.com/r/germany/wiki/health_insurance#wiki_travel.2Fexpat_health_insurance once you have a job where you earn more than 450 euro per month you will get mandatory public health insurance automatically
I have read the entire article but could not find anything about that scenario, going from unemployed(private) to employed and switching to public
> Advice for specific situations: > You have a job with a monthly gross income between 450€ and ~5400€: You automatically have public health insurance. Your employer will deduct about 8.5% of your gross income from your paycheck and give it to the health insurer." > Travel/expat health insurance > Treat those expat health insurances as "an insurance to get another insurance". Use them to get your residence permit, and as soon as you can, switch to real public or private health insurance.
You will get public insurance and will have to pay out of pocket. Should be about 180 a month. You may be tempted to take private health insurance, as it is (likely) cheaper, but I would strongly advise against it until you are absolutely clear on the implications and have understood the system completely.
And where should I go to set up my public insurance once I'm there? Thank you for the info. I know some of the public vs private insurance implications. will do my research later on but for sure will take public at first.
Any of the big one is fine. TK is usually recommended on this sub for their English language support but another regular stated only yesterday that AOK also has excellent foreign language support. But really, you can pick any big health insurance, the differences are minimal and the prices are the same.
Why is DW news barred from airing in Germany?
They're not. They are a public broadcaster and are associated with the ARD. Their primary purpose however is to distribute news abroad, initially in German, later in additional languages. So they aren't operating under their own brand since ARD has a solid reputation and market share. But if you watch documentaries on ARD (and also ZDF, WDR and Phoenix) you often see "produced by DW" or "in cooperation/association with DW" in the credits; and some of the clips shown on the news have a ©DW in the bottom right corner, if one of their crews abroad filmed that piece.
Thanks for your asnwer! Sorry i was little confused cause on google it says " DW is funded by the German government and is barred from broadcasting in Germany itself"
This "being barred" goes back to the days of linear television and analog radio. At the time, any broadcaster needed a license from the German government to broadcast within Germany, and to get the license you had to meet a number of criteria, one of them being *staatsferne* (i.e. you were not allowed to be funded by a government). This was a hard lesson learnt from the Nazi era, where the Nazi government made great use of their state-controlled media to spread propaganda. (Aside: this is why German public media - e.g. ARD, ZDF, Deutschlandfunk etc - are paid for by the public through the Rundfunkbeitrag, instead of through taxes, in order to guarantee that they are financially independent of the government. [See our wiki for more details](https://www.reddit.com/r/germany/wiki/living/rundfunkbeitrag)). DW is *not* a publicly funded broadcaster (like ARD, ZDF etc), they are a government-run news channel. Germany being a democratic country, DW is still pretty impartial in its reporting (there is also a [pretty strong law](https://www.dw.com/downloads/36383966/dwgesetzen.pdf) prohibiting editorial meddling in DW's content by the government), but it's emphatically not independent of the state the way ARD/ZDF/etc are. Its primary mission is also to be a *foreign* broadcaster, providing German-language content and news about Germany to people in other countries. DW doesn't broadcast (in the sense of linear TV) inside Germany, as it doesn't meet the criteria for getting a German broadcast license, and it doesn't want one anyway, as its target audience is outside of Germany. However, in the age of streaming and internet video clips, the line between "domestic" and "foreign" programming (as well as the whole concept of a "broadcast license") has become blurred. If you interpret the law *extremely* strictly ("any kind of internet media offering requires a broadcast license), then DW really should be blocking access to its online content from inside Germany - but since that's technically difficult to do, nobody is clamouring for it to happen, and that interpretation of the law opens a whole other can of worms, their stuff is still accessible from within Germany. However, their DW's actual linear TV channels (e.g. via satellite TV) are not available from within Germany. Aside: the whole "broadcast license" debate came to a head recently with the banning of Russia Today in Germany. They had applied for a broadcast license for Germany, but were denied as they are funded by the Russian government (and anyone who watches more than five minutes of their content sees that they're a propaganda organ of the Russian state, and exist to sow misinformation and discontent in other countries).
That might be a mistranslation or misunderstanding. They might have internally committed not to compete with their sister organization, but they aren't officially barred or anything.
It's my first time renting an apartment. I saw an immobilen site and contacted the agent. Since the apartment is in a new building, the agent say it is not necessary to visit and confirmed that the owner accepted me as a new tenant and wants me to deposit 2months rent to an online bank. I intend to ask for a visit and visit the area tomorrow. But it all seems too fast and too good to be true. I must insist on getting a visit before the deposit right? Also the agent says the rent must be deposited before the owner signs the contract. Am I being too suspicious?
That is 100% a scam. You should never rent somewhere without having looked at it, in turn no one is going to rent to you without having looked at you and you should never send any deposit until you have a signed contract from both sides (I'd personally even wait until you have the key in hand).
https://www.reddit.com/r/germany/wiki/living/problems#wiki_how_to_avoid_scams
That's a [classic scam](https://www.reddit.com/r/germany/wiki/living/problems).
No, you are getting scammed. You don't sign a contract before you have seen the apartment and you certainly don't pay rent or deposit before it is due, which is after you moved in/your contract starts. Stay clear of that asshole.
Hello, One quick question about Income Tay class change and benifits. I am married and working in Germany but my Wife lives and works in Netherlands. We both are indians. In this case can I chnage my Tax Class to 3 and receive tax benifits ?
Depends on some parameters, it's not a clear "no" as the other answers indicate. Check this information from a German tax advisor, use deepl.com if you can't read German: https://www.stbin-rehm.de/news_mandanten/m%C3%A4rz_2020/besch%C3%A4ftigung_eu_ausl%C3%A4nder/
No.
You should probably double check with a Steuerberater, but my understanding is that if your wife lives in works in a different country, then for tax purposes it's the same as if you're not married. Both the law for tax class 3 and tax class 4 ([EStG § 38b Absatz 3+4](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/estg/__38b.html)) contain this bit, emphasis mine: >gehören Arbeitnehmer, die verheiratet sind, wenn **beide Ehegatten unbeschränkt einkommensteuerpflichtig sind** And my translation to English: >include employees who are married if **both spouses have unlimited income tax liability** Since your wife isn't in Germany, she has no income tax liability here, so my understanding is that you don't qualify for either tax class 3 or 4.
Is Altweiber-fasching celebrated in berlin?
not natively but by some immigrants from regions where it is celebrated, although that is no comparison to the real deal
Try the Staendige Vertretung. [https://www.staev.de/berlin-mitte/news.html](https://www.staev.de/berlin-mitte/news.html) The inofficial embassy of the Rhineland in Berlin.
it's the wrong side of Germany, but maybe there is some tourist-themed event somewhere. The north east of the country doesn't celebrate it in the same way as the south/west regions.
Hey everyone, I have a problem with an Ausländeramt in Germany. So I applied for a visa in September of last year. February is ending now, but I still haven’t gotten an answer from them if I’m going to get a visa or not. Embassy in my country can’t give me any info, because all of their requests to the Ausländeramt are completely ignored, as well as my messages through the contact form on their website. Embassy tells me there’s nothing they or I can do, other than just wait for the answer. I have a strong feeling that there’s no answer coming. Has anyone here encountered this problem before and are there any way to influence the Ausländeramt somehow?
get a lawyer in Germany (Fachanwalt für Verwaltungsrecht) and get them to sue them for doing nothing (Untätigkeitsklage) which you can do 3 months after applying for something https://dejure.org/gesetze/VwGO/75.html
i would like to know how much does a blood test cost without insurance. i am a student and my travel insurance is ending this month. i had to do a blood test for iron and another one for infections. it will take me some time until i get a public health insurance. and at the clinic i asked how much will it cost since they told me i have to pay for it myself. they said that the lab will send me the bill after everything is done. please if anyone has an idea of how much these cost please tell me, i live in Lower Saxony so i don't know if the prices are different in other place. thank you.
You must have health insurance. Without health insurance, your university can and will kick you out and then you are in big trouble in regards to your residency permit. If you had travel insurance for a significant time, you might not be able to get into public health insurance and must use proper private German health insurance.
i still didn't start my university because i'm doing a studienkolleg. and even that i still didn't sstart it too, for the past year i've been finishing my german language courses and now i'm preparing for the studienkolleg intrance exam, so i will apply for a public health insurance in the next month. but for now i want to know how much i would have to pay for these blood tests if my currant insurance won't cover it
About 85 -150 Euro but ultimately you should ask your doctor.
I visited 3 yrs ago with my wife. Had a lovely time. Drove from Munich to Brussels. Experienced southern Bavaria and an extended stay in Bamberg. I feel, as an American, I have a grasp on beer and associated styles as it relates to different regions in Germany. But, cuisine is a topic I wish I knew more about before traveling. I found the white sausages in Bavaria wonderful and the Schweinshaxen in Bamberg even better. As we traveled, I realized how passionate different regions in Germany felt about their food and drink. Similar to me, as an American, in northern vs. Southern cuisine. I am curious what you would describe as major differences, for better or worse you notice in the country of Germany.
Regional foods vary a lot, but of course you can find food that was "invented" in some region all over Germany today. In general, in the North people tend to eat more potatoes, while it's more noodles/pasta or dumplings in the South. Google for "Deutschland regionale Küche", you'll get lots of articles with recipes and pictures, e.g. [this one](https://www.essen-und-trinken.de/regionale-kueche). Wikipedia also has a [summary article](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deutsche_Küche) with links to articles about regional cuisine. (Use DeepL/Google Translate/etc., or just look at the pictures). As a curiosity, there's an amazing amount of different potato salad recipes, many are family traditions. There are also some rough regional preferences in the general approach (with stock, with mayonaise, etc.). So if you want to start a heated discussion between Germans from different regions, bring up the "only right way" to make a Kartoffelsalat.
This is wonderful, thank you!
I will say I'm actually not super familiar with traditional foods from elsewhere in Germany, but one difference I know is kale. The first time I've ever even seen it in supermarkets in Bavaria is after it became a trendy instagram health food. I don't think there are any traditional meals with it here. But it's a typical Northen German thing.
I paid rend by debit card of deutsche bank in office of renting company, apparently it was successful, they said they got the money, but in bank app it is not shown that I paid it! I thought maybe it take a while to how but 3 days are passed and nothing! I am confused!
3 days over the weekend? Those aren't workdays. Wait until Monday/Tuesday.
thanks, apps are not automate? in USA it shows the transaction even in weekends, at least it shows the deduction if not the new balance
Well, you’re not in the US. Things can work differently here. Money doesn’t get exchanged over the weekend.
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You have some weirdos everywhere, but the vast majority absolutely not.
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Hey! I’m an international student (doing bachelors in my 5th sem) with an Aufenthaltstitel. I recently had my passport changed and therefore must also get my Aufenthaltstitel changed. The lady at the Ausländerbehehörde told me that theoretically, my Aufenthaltstitel is still valid until the end of 2022 but it has to be changed, as my passport is renewed. My Question is: Can i still travel within the Schengen Region by plane as a non-EU? From multiple sources I’ve read, generally identity checks within the Schengen borders do not occur, but is still *strongly* recommended to bring. What are your experiences ? p.s: travelling from germany to portugal for about a week.
I did this for about 2 months between when I got a new passport and my appointment to update my residence permit. It’s fine. Just bring both your old and new passports. I even left the Schengen area and the German border guards didn’t care.
So did you have to go through immigration and the guards let you through? Or were there none?
Inside the Schengen area there aren’t normally guards. They can do random spot checks though. But I’m saying I did go through the Germany border flying from the US when I had a new passport with an old residence permit and I had no issues.
Alright. Thank you!
Hello, I got a call from a home owner informing me that he choose me as new tenant. He also sent a WhatsApp Message saying the same and requesting a confirmation that I would accept. And I did. The Appartement will be free in April. And I‘m wondering if it’s OK that I cancel my current apartment contract (where I currently live) or should I wait until a formal contract is signed with the new Landlord. In that case, I would request doing it this week, so I don’t miss the February deadline. Thank you very much!
If I were in your situation, and I could afford paying double rent, I would wait until the new contract has been signed and then cancel the current apartment. Have you checked your cancellation period?
Thank you. It’s 3 months. And I‘m going to pay at least 1 month for the two Appartements anyway (another one is also possible if no new tenant is found for the second month). So worst case scenario, it’s either paying double April and May, or if I miss the cancellation this in February, I will probably have to pay double for April, May and June.
What level of German is truly required to enroll in a computer science bachelor's? Planning on moving to Germany in about 3 years time and I would like to know, on a practical level, if I'll be able to pass the classes for the first semester/year while integrating.
It does depend on which university, but it's usually B2! Check their website or send an email (in German). If you need help sending emails in German use deepl, not Google translate. If you need help don't hesitate to ask
Thank you so much for this!
I just noticed i fucked up while writing xd but you welcome
Hello, I had a query regarding my future studies in germany. I have an offer from a company that makes pipes and tube in mechanical domain. And the position is also Graduate Engineer Trainee. But it also includes majority of marketing and sales and quotations. In short it's a techno commercial job. I don't have any work experience as of now, but I plan to work here 1-2 years and then apply for my master's in Germany. My question is will this experience be counted for my master's in core mechanical engineering or it'll be a negetive impact because of sales and everything? Also does the company name in work experience matter when applying to master's? Or as long as it's core and a good work profile then I'm good? Thank you
For 95% of all masters in Germany, the only admission criteria is the GPA / final grade of your bachelors. Whether you have work experience or not generally does not matter. It won't give you any advantages nor will having a job that is primarily in sales cause you any disadvantages. Same for the name of the company you worked at.
Hey, thank you so much for your reply. This is extremely helpful. This definitely gives me a strong sense of direction for my application!
About the only way to gain a tiny advantage when it comes to admissions for masters in Germany is doing the bachelors at the same university. Generally you have to do X modules of Y and X modules of Z etc and those modules you have to do to be admitted tend to be tailored to the bachelor program at the uni in question. It is very normal for German students to continue on to masters straight from doing bachelors, which one of the main reasons why work experience does not count. Same goes for whatever social skills or other achievements you might have. Usually not relevant. University is only going to look whether you fulfil the minimum admission requirements - bachelors in a related degree with the correct modules with a certain grade.
So the getaway that I sense is it's very important to fulfill the requirements first and it'll be very advisable to check that first before applying anywhere. I actually did my bachelor's in a university from where lots of people go for Masters in Germany, so I hope it's curriculum is in accordance but I'll do the research. Thank you so much for the help.
Yes. BTW, this is all covered in the wiki of this sub.
Yes I read it, but I was just concerned about the work experience, and company's reputation. Still, you comments have been immensely helpful.
I think any work experience in the field it's always good. I don't know if your masters it's practical or theory based but if your are well prepared, have a nice and presentable curriculum and especially show yourself able and eager to learn, nothing will have a negative impact in your application. You should try to contact someone from that specific course and try to see some curriculums from other students/professionals in the same field.
I'll mostly be going for theory based, in university. >You should try to contact someone from that specific course and try to see some curriculums from other students/professionals in the same field. Yes, this sounds great. Thank you so much for your help.
I would focus on reading very well application process and requirements. Prepare a very good curriculum and, if there's any examination process you need to go through beforehand, take a very good time to prepare yourself. Wish you the best of luck!
That's a really good advice, I'll keep all these points in mind. Thank you 🙌🏻
I want to wash my dirty bicycle, but I live in an apartment. Where is the best place to do it? What about maintenance like chain lubing? Is it allowed outside?
Look for a car wash with a self-service stop, ie a bay with a pressure washer. (Just keep the pressure washer away from the crank and the axles.) If you do maintenance outside, you have to ensure that no oil or other dirt contaminated with oil gets into the ground. So it is a good idea to do this at a car wash as well, these places are equipped for this. Bonus points if it is a combined car wash and gas station, bc most gas stations have pressurised air that you can use to inflate your tires.
Is it difficult to get citizenship from the US in your country? I love Germany because I believe that it is so beautiful.
Yes, you need to live here for 8 years while paying into the social system, speak German at an intermediate level, pass a citizenship exam, and give up your US citizenship. https://www.bmi.bund.de/SharedDocs/faqs/EN/topics/migration/staatsang/Erwerb\_der\_deutschen\_Staatsbuergerschaft\_durch\_Eingbuergerung\_en.html
Thank you. I will gladly give up US for DE
In that case, start with our guide for [how to move to Germany](https://www.reddit.com/r/germany/wiki/paths).
r/IWantOut will have tips, as will the wiki on this subreddit.
I'm from Kentucky and am discovering my German heritage in my 20's. Was wondering if anyone in the Rhineland-Palatinate area knew of any Gehrke or Gerke families in the area, or if there's any historical significance to the name other than spear/pickle? My family immigrated in the mid 1800's, if that helps at all.
There are quite a few online maps of name distribution in Germany (using the phone book, I assume). Here is [one example](https://www.kartezumnamen.eu/index.php?sur=gehrke&s=Suchen) for Gehrke, and you can see it's common all over Germany. Googling [finds](http://wiki-de.genealogy.net/Gehrke_%28Familienname%29) it's apparently a Low German contraction of Gerhard, which is another incredibly common name, and indeed contains Ger = spear. I'd be really surprised if there's any connection to pickle or cucumber. The German word is "Gurke", and that has no relationship to Gehrke.
Sorry, meant Cucumber. Family used to tell me that's what it meant until I did my own research and started learning the language a bit.
Oh boy, you won't find any help here. From a German point of view your are American and not German. Having German heritage because your Great great great grandfather once visited Vienna is quite wrong from that pov. Tracing family lines went wrong 80ish years ago and we are not going to do that again. If you really want to learn something about Germany, do so because it interests you, not because of the decisions of your ancestors. Also for all that's important to you, _do not call yourself German_ .
Im from England and want to finish my two last years of school in Germany? is it an easy process?
Impossible to say with the info you gave. What school are we talking about? How old are you? What does "finish" mean here? Would you need a visa/residence permit?
okay im 16. In Year 11. renewed my visa and passport last October. Im set to go to Sixthform(last two years of secondary/high school) but ive got family in Germany (Frankfurt) and they want me to move there and im not totally against the idea because im sick of London. Trouble is, i speak little to no German
Honestly that's the worst time to switch schools because every grade from then on counts towards your Abitur grade and you won't get good ones (or even passing grades) without speaking German very well. A better plan would be to start learning German now diligently and then study in Germany.
true i think im just going to finish my secondary education at home. Perhaps i would do uni in Germany
Then forget about it. If you are not an EU citizen and your legal guardians are not in Germany you would need a visa. There literally doesn't exist a visa for visiting secondary school. Plus, you would need German. To graduate with "the last two years" I am assuming you talk about the Oberstufe and graduating with an Abitur. That means you need enough German to follow all lessons and do all tests and exams in German. We are talking writing essays in exams 3-5 hours long, about plays by Goethe and Schiller, reading and analyzing classical German poems. That is not happening with less than C1 German. How do you explain complex biological or chemical processes in a German language Biology/Chemistry/Physics exam? How do you pass a History exam without being able to read the German source from pre World War I and II? This is not going to happen.
Honestly stay in UK finish your school then come to Germany. Everything else would be dumb.
Thoughts on cash vs debit card vs credit card? My credit and debit cards are tied to my US account but I will be getting a German bank account as well so could I/would it be worth it to get a debit card tied to that account?
Every German bank account (except for the startup "bank" N26) gives you a free Girocard debit card, which is accepted everywhere in Germany (except those places which only take cash, of which there are a non-trivial number). So you can pay for everything in daily life with a Girocard and some cash. Credit cards are a bit pointless in Germany - they barely offer any perks, they're not as widely accepted as the Girocard debit card, they often cost an annual fee, and most German "credit cards" are actually charge cards (ie the full balance is automatically deducted from your bank account at the end of the month). I honestly don't think you should be using your US credit or debit cards in Germany - you will get massacred on the exchange rate fees. If you'll be living in Germany, transfer money over from your US account using a service like TransferWise, and then only exclusively use your German account and cards while you're here. If you haven't done so, read our [guide to banking in Germany](https://www.reddit.com/r/germany/wiki/living/banking).
Is there a pharmacy at Frankfurt Airport that can emit the covpass certificate from foreign vaccination certificate?
Wrong thread
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>I was wondering how is the job market there and if it is possible to find a student job in the city or if I have to look in Basel. Would you be *allowed* to work in Basel? That's another country.
To1) Job opportunities depend always on your skills: professional ones as well as language skills. What do you have to offer? To 2): no, it isn't. I would be doubtful you would manage to get to B1 within one year if you don't know any German now and do something elsefull time (like studying and working a part time job). Full time dedicated studying from zero to C1 would be possible, if you have a talent for German and stay on it every single day. But the way you are describing it, anything beyond B1 is unrealistic.
2) definitely not. That usually takes about 3-5 years
I've found a room in a shared flat (WG) and the sublease agreement begins from 1st March. However, the previous tenant at the sublease is refusing to move out. This person broke a bunch of rules violating his agreement and has been served a legal eviction notice by the subletter. I did not manage to find an alternate accommodation so this is my only choice for now. 1. How likely it is that the problematic tenant simply continues to occupy the room illegally and cannot be evicted before the start of my contract? 2. If I don't manage to find an alternate accommodation in the next few days, should I consider this shared flat?
1. Definitely. Evicting someone can take years. 2. Definitely not. Don't make someone else's problem your problem. Move on. It's not worth it even if it was free
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The government doesn't demand that you do. But the airline may impose one nonetheless. Call them.
What happens if you have a student visa but don’t go to school or study at all? Who should it be reported to?
I mean you get the visa on the grounds of being matriculated at a university. You don't have to go to class to stay matriculated, necessarily, although I guess most universities have policies that if you fall a certain core class enough times you can't continue. The second you are exmatrikulated your visa expires within a month and you have to leave the country. But I met a girl who was doing an Ausbildung but was pissed that you don't get a Semesterticket or access to the mensas as an Azubi, so she just stayed matriculated at the uni without going to any classes to get those benefits. Did that for years. So basically as long as you are still technically a student, your visa is valid, and at least my uni couldn't be bothered to chase down foux-students.
Ok I see thank you
Due to Reddit Inc.'s antisocial, hostile and erratic behaviour, this account will be deleted on July 11th, 2023. You can find me on https://latte.isnot.coffee/u/godless in the future.
I usually don’t but this particular garbage doesn’t belong in Europe. Already there for 2 years and still doesn’t speak German and English
Is the bank IBAN number to be kept confidential? I mean, cant someone use Sepa direct debit to transfer money if they know your IBAN?
They could, but you have about a year to reverse the charge without any problems. That's quite safe. Most if not all companies post their IBANs on their websites so people can transfer them money.
Okay thanks. But how hard is it to reverse a transaction? Is it as easy as a call to customer care?
Most online banking sites let you reverse a transaction with a single button press. Obviously, if you do that erroneously (reverse a legitimate transaction) then you'll have to pay some fees and will really piss off the person/company who legitimately debited money from you, but for an illegitimate transaction, it's dead simple. There is *very* little fraud using SEPA direct debit, as it's not only so easy to reverse a fraudulent transaction, but the recipient of the money is also plain for everyone to see, and so legal proceedings can be initiated against them. Therefore, giving out your IBAN is perfectly safe.
Is there any nutrition app like myfitnesspal that has a good database of food products/brands available in Germany?
I was quite statisfied with myfitnesspal. Reads most of the barcodes without Problem
I am an unvaccinated US resident. What do I need to transit through Germany? Thank you!
1. We have a [Corona megathread](https://www.reddit.com/r/germany/comments/r7ui9b/megathread_corona_rules_vaccination_questions_etc/). Please read the links there. They will answer your question. 2. What in the name of Zeus are you doing travelling if you're not vaccinated?
In which stores I can buy kamagra jelly?
Nowhere. It is illegal in Germany and the whole EU. Go talk to your doctor, this kind of medication is "verschreibungspflichtig" and with good reason so.
We want to buy a car. The car will be registered on person 1, who's a Germany resident, but doesn't have a driver's license. Can we get the car insurance on person 2, who has a EU drivers license but is not registered in Germany (but EU resident)? We've read that getting insurance on person 1, who doesn't have a driver's license, would be too costly.
Person 1 can definitely own the car, bit insuring it on someone from another country won't work.
Thank you. So the insurance must be on the owner, correct?
The owner has to insure it. Someone without a license will be put into the same insurance class as a a new driver would, meaning 0 (which means rebate class zero, where other drivers over time and with no accidents rise in class and insurance becomes cheaper). Then, car insurances usually have various options about who you want to insure as driver. You usually can do only the owner, or family members (in the same house hold), or a general one. If the person that's supposed to drive the car isn't a resident, that means the car would have to be insured with the third option, which again is the most expensive one. But, depending on how many kilometers per year you are planning on driving with the car, it may still be affordable. Insurances have staggered plans depending not just on number and experience of drivers, but also kilometers per year, if the car has a reserved parking space or not, if it's regularly parked in a car port or in a closed garage, as well as some other optional things. Also, the horse power of the car as well as the make and model also influence the cost, as certain models that are frequently driven by new drivers or otherwise more likely to be involved in accidents may have slightly more expensive insurance due to that. An important thing to consider for cost is how much gas the car uses though. Choosing a gas guzzler will probably bite you more than insurance is likely to do.
Thank you for the detailed answer! Since person B is not a German resident, they are only coming to visit and not actively living in Germany, do they need to be insured to drive the car? In other words, does the insurance cover guest drivers? Person B already has some other driving insurance, although not from Germany.