Moving To Germany – Part 1

We know that you want to move to Germany. There are a lot of people who follow their desire to move to Germany for many reasons. These reasons could be anything like pursuing love, living in a place with a higher quality of life, getting a benefit of a unique education system, and getting an education without paying thousands of euros in tuition fees. It also could discover a new culture.

Table of Content

• Eight Things To Prepare Before Moving To Germany
• Find a Job or Get a German University Enrollment
• Get Health Insurance
• Apply For Visa On Time
• Book Your Flight Tickets In Advance
• Find A Place To Live In Germany
• Get An Appointment To Register
• Look For Which Bank You Want To Use
• Start Learning The Basic German Language
• Conclusion

Eight Things To Prepare Before Moving To Germany

You must be thinking about how you can make this happen. In this article, we will talk about eight steps that explain how to move to Germany as a foreigner. You will get eight things to take care of before moving to Germany.

Find a Job or Get a German University Enrollment

The best way to prepare for your move to Germany is to find a job or enroll at a German university. It depends on your nationality; however, it is the most hassle-free way for you to move and stay legally in Germany.

Foreigners moving to Germany from other EU countries such as Canada, the US, New Zealand, Australia, Israel, Japan, or the Republic of Korea, may visit Germany as a tourist and start job hunting. Later they can apply for a work and residence permit from within Germany.

The expats who hold a different nationality except the ones listed above can apply for the job seeker visa. It allows you to stay six months in Germany to find a job.

The people who are graduates and skilled professionals from Non-EU countries may apply for the blue card visa in Germany. The blue card is a quick entrance to Germany and the EU and a work permit for up to four years.

Get Health Insurance

One primary requirement to get a German visa is to opt for health insurance the German government accepts. You can sign up for German health insurance if you already have a job.

Suppose you are planning to find a job after arriving in Germany or want to work as a freelancer. Then you can opt for expat health insurance for your visa. It works as temporary health insurance for the time being. You can look for employment and decide which health insurance is best for you. Moreover, you can refer to our article on insurance in Germany to get information about other additional insurances.

Apply For Visa On Time

The waiting time for the visa application range from one to four months. It depends on your home country and the type of visa you want to apply for. That’s why you should check for your visa requirements in advance. You should apply for a German visa three months before your planned departure date to get the passport and visa back on time.

Book Your Flight Tickets In Advance

Your flight ticket booking should depend on the city where you found a job or university. It also depends on where you plan to job hunt and ensure to fly to the nearest international airport. Every big city has its airport. The three largest ones are in Berlin, Munich, and Frankfurt.

You should note that most airlines allow you to travel with one checked bag weighing up to twenty-three kgs. You should book in advance if you are planning on taking an additional bag. 

Find A Place To Live In Germany

You should find a place to stay before you arrive in Germany. If you have an apartment already, select one in Germany that will ease your life. It will allow you to register your home after your arrival. You can check many furnished apartment rental websites such as Homelike.

Get An Appointment To Register

Once you arrive in Germany, registering your accommodation is the most important thing. Most of the cities in Germany require you to do so within the first two weeks of your arrival.

In Germany, the registration process is known as Anmeldung. The process is that you present yourself to a government office and register your address. By following this process, you are letting them know there is a new resident in the city.

The address registration typically takes fifteen minutes. Once you complete the process, you will get a critical piece of paper. This important document will help you get German services such as opening a bank account and contacting an internet service for your apartment.

Look For Which Bank You Want To Use

Once you arrive in Germany, you should look for which bank you want to use. You can refer to our articles opening a bank account and bank account comparison to get the suitable choice for you. Your employer will ask for a German bank account to credit your salary. That’s why it is a crucial thing to do.

Opening a bank account depends on where you live in Germany. You can open a bank account from abroad by using mobile bank services. Suppose you want to use the services of a traditional private German bank such as Commerzbank. In that case, you can open a bank account once you are in Germany.

Moreover, you can choose the money transfer services before moving to Germany. It will help you wire transfers from your foreign bank account to Germany. You should avoid using a regular bank because their bank fees are very high. You can choose Wise, which is a fully digital and modern provider. It offers the real exchange rate without any increased charges.

Start Learning The Basic German Language

If you are still not good at speaking German, you can move, live and work in Germany. However, there are a lot of benefits to speaking and understanding the German language. There is no doubt that the German language is challenging. If you are new to this great and beautiful country, do not expect to speak German fluently during the first few months. Sometimes it takes years to be proficient.

It would help if you took the time to learn some essential German words and sayings before moving to Germany. Here in Germany, the natives do not mind speaking English. These days there are a lot of resources available to learn the basics of German. However, the best way is to actively use the language and get direct feedback from a professional teacher. Lingoda is one of the online language schools, and they have small classes and great flexibility.

Conclusion

We hope you are clear about what to do before moving to Germany. We assure you that you will happily follow these steps and make them happen. In the beginning, moving to Germany might be a long and complicated process. But if you have clear criteria for what to do before moving, then it will ease your life. Now we will proceed to the next part of moving to Germany. Here we will talk about the essential things you need to do once you are in Germany.