How do you become a resident of Germany?

Question

I'm sooo stired of America!!! I already have German ancestors so I think it might be a little easier for me.

How would I do that?

Answer 1

Listen to t_maia, she's 100% right. I lived in Germany for 3 years. I had to be freelance. Then the laws changed in 2005 and I wasn't allowed to work there anymore or renew my work permit.

You absolutely MUST speak German very well to navigate the Auslaenderbehoerde. They don't take kind to non-German speakers.

Answer 2

I understand wanting to live in a diffirent country. It would be best if you started by working in the country and living there on a temporary visa first. Find a job there and move, then you can find ways to become a permenant resident or even national. Embassy's can help with this as well.

Answer 3

omg dont do this, be proud to be american..

ok, anyways, if u decide to leave us, ull have to live in germany for a few years i guess or get married to a german..

Answer 4

Could you switch with a friend of mine? she is trying to become an American and it is sooo hard.

Answer 5

Come on over and stay! As a native German, I'm soooo happy that someone really considers staying in our country.

Here's a link to a blog of one of your countrymen living here (I chose the entry I found most funny):

http://andrewhammel.typepad.com/german_j...

And here's another one writing in German, trying to explain us the USA:

http://usaerklaert.wordpress.com/uber-di...

If THEY made it, you can do also.

Answer 6

For an American citizen with money it is easy to move to Germany. Without money it is not. The problem for a US citizen wanting to move to Germany is not getting a residency permit, it is getting a work permit.

I don't know what kind of qualifications you hold, but in order to get a work permit a potential employer has to prove that there is 1. no other German or EU-citizen available for the job 2. no other non-EU citizen already holding a German residency permit available for this job and 3. that you'll be employed on the same terms as a German or EU-citizen.

Typical qualifications that often fit these criteria are holders of a PhD, specialised civil engineers, computer experts. Another option is to become a teacher for English if you hold a TOEFL certificate, have previous teaching experience and can find a language school willing to employ you on a freelance basis.

Opening up your own business in Germany is also an option. It is relatively easy to get a work permit if you intend to work freelance.

And if you are totally unqualified: The easiest way to a permanent residency and work permit in any country in the EU is to graduate from a college or university, either with bachelor, masters or PhD. After graduation you are given one year to find a find a job fitting your degree. For this job you will recieve a work permit that is tied to this job for a few years.

A year of study (=cost of living for a year) in Germany is approx. 7000 EUR, depending on where you intend to live. At the current exchange rate this is almost 10,000 USD. You'll need to show at least this amount of money for a year or the German government won't give you a residency permit for the purpose of studying. While students are given work permits allowing them to work up to 15 hours per week, the income derived from this is usually not enough. Thus a student's main income has to come from parents or savings.

As for the technical side of moving over: US-citizens do not need to apply for a residency permit beforehand. All you need to do is to book yourself a ticket with a flexible return date and apply for a residency permit immideatly after arrival at the Auslaenderbehoerde. You'll need to show enough money to support yourself (10,000 USD for a year or less depending for how long you apply) and valid health insurance (from a private insurance company in Germany).

As for useful sites: http://www.toytowngermany.com is the forum for English-speaking expats in Germany. There are lots of people who have done what you intend to do and can give you lots of detailed advice.

BTW, unless you can claim German citizenship through your grandparents and speak fluent German or so your German ancestry won't help you at all. 30% of all US citizens have at least one German greatgrandparent. Go figure.

Answer 7

You can look for a job and get a working visa. I think after few years you can apply for permanent residents, but why are you not asking your local German Embassy? Or look on the Internet at the web from German Consulate.  

They doing some new rules here in Germany like in the US. They want to give the people from the another countries opportunity work and live in Germany with a green card. They need some educated good people they can work here. Just get some inform. from the Embassy and good luck for you.

Answer 8

Hallo David,

First you need 500000 Euros or a university dipolma and a job for the visa.

Germany is a nice country yeah really and indeed --- but to live here you need very strong nerves --- and very often you will loose your live. You see Germany is the centre of Europe and all good or crazy ideas of the whole continent are focused here. And who is just in office, tries to make his crazy world come true.

Who governs Germany governs Europe and that is so for more than thousand years and so all powers of the world try to get influence on Germany. When you ask me, where is it best to live --- I will answer like my pa Canada, Oregon, Utah or south Argentina. Why do you beliefe Paraguay is the dreamland for emigration of the Germans?

The Germans say since 2 centuries: "Amerika, Du hast es besser" ( America you have it better  --- you don't have to carry the burdon of 2000  years). If an American comes to Germany and sees a monument,  he sees, that he has a lack of 2000 years of history. If a German sees the same monument, he knows , he is carring a burden.

Come to Germany for some month as tourist and you will see  Germany is not as bad Curt or or Lizzy tries to tell you,  but it is not the paradise.

Look for a job and stay here longer --- I am convinced your paradise will be sasquetschawn, utah, oregan or south argentina.

All I want to teach you --- living in Germany --- it is not the heaven --- but it is also not the h**l. For Eurepean considerations.

Greetings from Hamburg, Germany

Heinz

@Curt: your suggestions are the expressway toGerman prison.

@ Lizzy: Are you afraid of blond German girls? You must be afraid of comfortable home, babies, like phillipinas offer. If a man says, better to be an amazonas indian   than a German (American) husband, will be the end of your dreams

Answer 9

t_maia2000 has given you a good and complete answer.

Just one or two admends:

Two or three years ago, you had to ask for two different permits: Residence permit (given by the inmigration authority) and work permit (given by the work authority or "Arbeitsamt")

According to the new inmigraton law, work permit and residence permit will be now issued  as one item by the immigration authority (Ausländerbehörde).

If your visa may let you work depends on the kind of visa that is issued by the authorities.

Working  as a freelance is not that easy. Traditionally you get a residence and a working permit if you apply for a job: in a few words you can work as an employee;  if you want to work as a freelance you may get first  the allowance otherwise you are working on illegal basis.

There are two sorts of freelance permits: 1. You can get a freelance permit for a determinated field as for example english teacher on freelance basis or translator on freelance basis. 2. You want to open your own business: In this case you have to invest at least 500 000 Euro and offer at least five jobs (Section § 21 German Immigration Law).

Very important: According to the new law you have to show good German language skills or at least you have to proove that you made a German Language basis course.

As t_maia2000 already said, as US citizens you may acquire the residence permit from the competent foreigners authority after your arrival in Germany. You may not however commence gainful employment until you have the permit.

If you speak German I would recomend to visit the following Web:

http://www.info4alien.de//

You will find the text of the inmigration laws and a forum about the topic