Expats Questions Answered

By law you have 14 days after moving into a permanent address. In practice, book your appointment as early as you can — slots in Berlin and Munich fill up fast.

Your passport, a completed registration form, and a signed Wohnungsgeberbestätigung (landlord confirmation) — most delays happen because this last document is missing or incomplete.

Anmeldung first, then a bank account and health insurance, then your tax ID. Order matters — several of these steps depend on the one before it.

A visa gets you into Germany; a residence permit (Aufenthaltstitel) is what lets you stay and work once you're here. Most non-EU arrivals need to convert their entry visa into a residence permit shortly after arrival.

If you have a university degree and a job offer meeting the 2026 salary threshold (around €50,700, lower for shortage occupations), you likely qualify. It's usually the fastest route to permanent residence.

Often yes, under a Fiktionsbescheinigung (temporary certificate) if you applied before your visa expired — but the exact rules depend on your visa type. Check with your Ausländerbehörde or an immigration lawyer directly.

It depends on why you're moving — employment, freelancing, study, and family reunification each have separate visa categories with different requirements and processing times.

Yes — online banks like N26 and Wise let you open an account before you've registered your address. Traditional banks usually require a German address first.

N26 and Wise are fastest to open and fully in English; a traditional bank (like Deutsche Bank or Sparkasse) offers branch access and can be easier for some landlords and employers to work with.

SCHUFA is Germany's credit scoring system. Landlords and some contracts ask for it, and new arrivals usually start with no score at all — it takes a few months of banking activity to build one.

Not always to open the account, but most banks will ask for it soon after — it's issued automatically by mail a few weeks after your Anmeldung.

Yes, without exception. You need proof of coverage for your Anmeldung, visa, and most employment contracts.

Most employees default to public insurance (GKV). Private (PKV) can be cheaper when you're young and healthy, but switching back to public later is difficult — think carefully before opting in.

TK (Techniker Krankenkasse) is usually the top pick for English support and service quality; AOK and Barmer are solid alternatives, with some differences by region and family situation.

Yes — you can apply as soon as you have a contract or visa need, though most insurers will ask for your address once you have it.

Yes, especially in tech, finance, and multinational companies based in Berlin, Munich, and Frankfurt — though German still widens your options significantly outside those sectors.

Not usually — payroll tax is deducted automatically. A Steuerberater becomes useful once you have foreign income, are self-employed, or want to claim deductions on your annual return.

Your Steuer-ID (Tax ID) is personal and permanent, issued once by mail. Your Steuernummer (Tax Number) is issued by your local tax office and used mainly if you're self-employed or run a business.

Yes — several recruitment agencies specialize in placing English-speaking professionals, particularly in tech, finance, and engineering roles across Berlin, Munich, and Frankfurt.