In Zeiten wie diesen erhalten wir viele Posts von US-Bürgern oder Einwohnern, die „nach Deutschland ziehen“ wollen, weil sie glauben, dass dadurch ihre Probleme in ihrem eigenen Land gelöst werden. Diese Beiträge neigen dazu, sich etwas zu wiederholen, spontan zu sein und nicht recherchiert zu werden, was der Grund dafür ist Diskussionen über die Einwanderung aus den USA werden vorerst in diesen Beitrag verschoben (Bearbeiten: Es sei denn, Ihr Beitrag macht deutlich, dass Sie bereits die erforderliche Recherche durchgeführt haben und jetzt tatsächlich eine Klärung zu etwas benötigen, das in den hier bereitgestellten Ressourcen nicht behandelt wird.)
Bitte lesen Sie die folgenden Informationen sorgfältig durch. Ja, der Beitrag ist lang. Aber wenn Sie tatsächlich vorhaben, Ihr Leben auf einen anderen Kontinent zu verlegen, wird Ihnen das Lesen dieses Beitrags leichter fallen als jeder andere Schritt in diesem Prozess. Lesen Sie auch die bereitgestellten Links, insbesondere die offiziellen Websites.
Erstens und am wichtigsten: Die Einwanderung nach Deutschland ist nicht so einfach wie die Entscheidung, hierher „umziehen“ zu wollen. So wie Menschen nicht einfach in die USA einwandern können (Sie haben vielleicht bemerkt, dass es dort Mauern gibt und dass Menschen bei dem illegalen Versuch sterben, weil sie keinen legalen Weg haben), können sich Nicht-EU-Bürger nicht einfach dazu entschließen, nach Deutschland zu ziehen.
Nicht-EU-Bürger benötigen möglicherweise ein Visum, um überhaupt in das Land einreisen zu dürfen. Bürger bestimmter Länder, einschließlich der USA, benötigen dies nicht. Jedoch, Für einen längeren Aufenthalt als 90 Tage benötigen sie eine Aufenthaltserlaubnis. Das bedeutet, dass sie einen ausländerrechtlich anerkannten Grund benötigen, um in Deutschland leben zu dürfen. „Ich möchte hier leben“, „Deutschland ist schöner als mein Land“ oder „Ich bin Amerikaner“ sind keine ausreichenden Gründe.
https://www.make-it-in-Germany.com/de/
https://www.reddit.com/r/Germany/wiki/paths
Für die meisten US-Bürger sind ein Arbeitsvisum oder ein Studentenvisum die beiden praktikabelsten Möglichkeiten für eine Aufenthaltserlaubnis. [Note: while technically a residence permit is needed rather than a visa, "visa" is typically used colloquially to describe this. It will be used that way in the rest of this post.]
Für ein Arbeitsvisum ist ein Stellenangebot und (von seltenen Ausreißern abgesehen) eine in Deutschland anerkannte Qualifikation erforderlich. Das bedeutet ein Hochschulabschluss oder ein Berufsabschluss, der einer deutschen Berufsausbildung gleichwertig ist, der geregelt ist, mehrere Jahre dauert und eine Kombination aus schulischer und praktischer Ausbildung beinhaltet. Weder „Zertifikate“ noch Berufserfahrung oder vage definierte „Fähigkeiten“ ersetzen eine formale Ausbildung. Ein englischer Muttersprachler und/oder die amerikanische Staatsbürgerschaft sind ebenfalls keine Voraussetzungen.
Abhängig von Ihren Umständen kann es einfach sein, einen Job zu finden – oder es kann schwierig bis unmöglich sein. Wenn Ihr Job ortsspezifische Kenntnisse, Fähigkeiten oder Zertifizierungen erfordert, können Sie diesen Job nicht einfach in einem anderen Land ausüben. Außerdem erfordern die meisten Jobs in Deutschland die deutsche Sprache. Sobald Sie mit Kunden, Patienten, Regeln, Gesetzen, Vorschriften, Behörden zu tun haben, können Sie mit einem Job auf Deutsch rechnen. Einige Jobs in international agierenden Unternehmen, IT-Startups und dergleichen sind auf Englisch. Sie sind eine Minderheit und Menschen aus vielen Ländern versuchen, diese Jobs zu bekommen.
Möglicherweise qualifizieren Sie sich dafür Gelegenheitskartedas es Nicht-EU-Bürgern ermöglicht, für bis zu einem Jahr zur Arbeitssuche nach Deutschland zu kommen. Während dieser Zeit können Sie Teilzeit arbeiten. Beachten Sie jedoch, dass jede dauerhafte Anstellung, die Sie finden, um nach Ablauf der Opportunity Card zu bleiben, die Voraussetzungen für ein Arbeitsvisum erfüllen muss. https://www.make-it-in-Germany.com/en/visa-residence/types/job-search-opportunity-card
Wenn Sie gehört haben, dass es einfach ist, in Deutschland auf Englisch zu leben, weil „jeder fließend Englisch spricht“, dann stimmt das nicht. Zunächst einmal erhält zwar jeder in der Schule Englischunterricht, doch die meisten sprechen dadurch nicht fließend Englisch. Zum anderen findet das tägliche Leben in Deutschland selbst für diejenigen, die fließend Englisch sprechen, auf Deutsch statt. Ein großer Teil der in diesem Subreddit geposteten Probleme ist letztendlich darauf zurückzuführen, dass man kein Deutsch spricht. https://www.reddit.com/r/Germany/wiki/living/knowing-german
Für ein Studentenvisum ist eine Hochschulzulassung und der Nachweis finanzieller Mittel für ein Jahr erforderlich, derzeit ca. 12.000 Euromeist auf einem Sperrkonto. Beachten Sie, dass dies der Mindestbetrag ist, von dem Sie laut Gesetz leben können. Es ist nicht ein „empfohlenes Budget“. Vielerorts wird es für den Lebensunterhalt nicht ausreichen. Zu Beginn wird in der Regel auch zusätzliches Geld für Dinge wie vorübergehende Unterbringung, Kautionen für langfristige Unterbringung, alles, was Sie brauchen, aber nicht mit ins Flugzeug nehmen können, usw. benötigt.
Beachten Sie, dass ein Standard-High-School-Abschluss in den USA häufig keinen Zugang zu einer deutschen Universität gewährt und dass die überwiegende Mehrheit der Bachelor- und Master-Abschlüsse auf Deutsch unterrichtet wird.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Germany/wiki/studying
Wenn es Ihnen gelingt, einen Weg zur Einwanderung zu finden, Eine Familienzusammenführung kann möglich sein – Dies gilt für Ehepartner, minderjährige Kinder und im Falle einer Blue Card möglicherweise auch für Eltern (kann jedoch für Eltern aufgrund der Kosten für die private Krankenversicherung unerschwinglich sein).
Andere Familienmitglieder können im Rahmen der Familienzusammenführung nicht nachkommen. Eine „Common-Law“-Ehe gibt es nicht; Du musst verheiratet sein. Und da dies ein „Hack“ ist, den die Poster hier manchmal ausprobieren wollen: Einen Freund zu heiraten, mit dem man keine romantische Beziehung hat, nur damit er einwandern kann, ist Einwanderungsbetrug.
Manche Amerikaner denken, dass dies ein Weg für sie sein sollte: Nein, Sie werden in Deutschland kein Asyl bekommen. Nichts, was derzeit in den USA passiert, ist so hoch, dass Sie für einen Asylanspruch infrage kommen würden. Manche würden die Erwähnung als beleidigend empfinden, angesichts der Umstände, die Menschen in anderen Ländern erleben können, die sie möglicherweise immer noch nicht für einen Asylanspruch in Deutschland qualifizieren.
Zum Schluss noch ein großer Vorbehalt: Gehen Sie nicht davon aus, dass ein Umzug nach Deutschland Ihre Probleme auf magische Weise lösen wird. Eine Reihe von Problemen, die Menschen in den USA als Umzugsgrund nennen, gibt es auch in Deutschland, wenn auch in anderer Form. Es gibt auch in Deutschland Probleme, die es in den USA möglicherweise nicht in dieser Form gibt.
Gehen Sie nicht davon aus, dass die Einwanderung nach Deutschland den gleichen Lebensstil wie in den USA bedeuten würde, nur etwas uriger, mit Lederhosen (die die meisten von uns nicht tragen) und kostenloser Gesundheitsversorgung (die ist nicht kostenlos). Hochverdienende Jobs zahlen weniger als in den USA, die Wohneigentumsquoten sind niedriger, die Lebensstile sind im Allgemeinen sparsamer, die Politik ist ebenfalls polarisiert (Bearbeitung, 07.11.2024, nun, das wurde viel dramatischer deutlich, als ich gedacht hatte, hah), bestimmte Behörden sind überlastet, die Digitalisierung hinkt hinterher, Ihr Lieblingsessen ist möglicherweise nicht verfügbar… wenn Sie außer Stereotypen nichts über Deutschland wissen, das Land noch nie gesehen haben, aber erwarten, dass es eine Art Paradies ist, ist eine Einwanderung möglicherweise nicht ratsam.
(Vorschläge für Korrekturen/Ergänzungen willkommen.)
Want to move to Germany from the US? Read this first!
byu/thewindinthewillows ingermany
Von thewindinthewillows
27 Comments
Before any of you common folk think about moving here I think we really need to think about and reserve places for America’s unsung heroes: Celebrities. It’s a well known fact that after promising to leave America in case of a Trump victory we really need to see that these special people receive preferential treatment.
Americans realising they need a residence permit lol
If I have the means of purchasing a house in full with no need for a mortgage, would I still need to apply for a freelance visa? Or is residency easier for homeowners? I am self employed with a portfolio and 2+ years of tax returns, so the freelancer visa might be a good route for me and my spouse, but I just wondered if homeownership was an easier way.
Hey all,
Saw this post and wanted to ask here since it seems to get a lot of traffic.
Looking to move over to Europe in about 2 or 3 years hopefully and i’m looking at Germany right now. I’m doing what I can to research but it is a little hard. **I do have a European citizenship already** so I’m not looking into the immigration laws or anything like that – mostly looking into how job searching and rent availability is at the moment. Resources from abroad for doing so are little vague. To summarize below:
I have a Bachelors in Transportation and Logistics (With a Minor in Marketing and some Accounting Technical Degrees). I am already looking into transferring my degree over using ECTS. I have 5 years work in a relevant field (3PL) so far (other odd end jobs as well in IT, and Customer Service).
Obviously I will be looking into Transportation and Logistics work with one of the bigger steamship lines or the ports. I have been told that opening in Logistics is readily available in the job market. Looking to confirm how true that is.
I do intend to be at the B2 level in speaking German by the time I move. I have started a class and am looking to join a local German speaking club to get more acclimated (they meet once a week). Again I have 2-3 years to reach this level so I am optimistic that I will hit that level.
I know rent for flats and studio apartments can be pretty competitive. I am looking to keep it in what I hope is the realistic range (900-1100 Euro). I don;t mind a longer commute if I need to search in a district outside the city centers. Is it true that there is a longer wait time to get into one? Here in the US once your pay stubs and credit is confirmed its really just a matter of paying the deposit and moving in. Most can do that within a week. Do I need to consider AIRBNB while I get my employment situated?
I will have a decent saving built up to support the move and myself for a bit. Will be transferring my current IRA over as well. I have no dependents and very few things to move over. Trying not to to be ignorant of the situation over in Germany, just having some conflicting info is all and am trying to smooth it out and see if this is even feasible.
I appreciate any thoughts.
Edit: Before anyone asks, no I’m not fleeing Trump. My family is retiring in Europe and my father has chosen to go back to Europe. I don’t want to be in the states alone so I’m looking into options.
I’m not looking to move to Germany but I do have a question. My mother was born and raised in Germany until she moved to the US about 30 odd years ago. This means I can apply and get dual citizenship right? And how long does the process for that take?
Germany is becoming more far right then america if its not already there as the afd will win pretty much any upcoming election violence againstm inoretys all across europe is a inevetebilety the germans of today are probanly more galvanized and bugoted then those of weimar germany ..so the idea that americans think germany or the eu will be better is sad no there is no haven of democracy the internet the new printing press has guaranteed the spread of hateful rhetoric…and of course falling global economys …no country is safe from the far right
This is a great overview of what this would look like. I was only looking into it bc I saw DW talking about it this morning. Thanks for writing this up!
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If my wife is Israeli and was granted German citizenship, would I, an American, be allowed to stay as a spouse?
Dont do this. Germany is done. (From a german)
The way things are looking at the moment it might be more attractive to immigrate to the US 😀
I am moving to Germany in 10 days on work visa. Sharing my experience:
* Started applying for jobs in Jun 2024
* Got offer in Aug
* Applied for EU Blue Card (work) visa in Sep. Got it in 10 days
* Moving to Germany in Nov 2024 (i.e. now)
Money stuff:
* My salary in Germany is a quarter of what I am making in the US. I am a software engineer. (US software engineer salary is 120k-500k. German software engineer salary is 60k-115k)
* My taxes in Germany will be 42.5% compared to ~38% in the US (California). This includes federal+state+health insurance+social security. I know in the US we don’t think of health insurance as “tax” but you have to if you want to make a fair comparison
* Whether or not your health insurance costs less in Germany depends on how much you pay in the US and your salary in Germany. In the US, I pay $50/month and I have out-of-pocket max of $3k. In Germany, I will be paying $525/month and have no out-of-pocket max. Healthcare cost in Germany is a percentage of your income.
* My general impression of salary range is this. US has a huge gap between the highest and lowest earners. Germany does not. So, if you’re the top 2% earner in the US moving to Germany, you’ll get a huge cut. If you’re the top 30% earner in the US, then the cut in Germany isn’t as drastic.
* I spent a total of 3 months in Berlin in the last 12 months and I’d say cost of living in Berlin is about 30-40% cheaper than in the US, depending on where in the US. Note the disproportionate reduction in cost of living (40% less) vs. salary (75% less)
For those who are upset with women’s reproductive right and Trump:
* Abortion after 12 weeks is illegal in Germany. There are exceptions etc.
* Abortion before 12 weeks is legal but you have to go get counseling and wait 3 days. Then you can do it. You pay out of pocket. Health insurance doesn’t cover it.
* Birth control is not covered by health insurance. Granted, the pills cost 10-15€/month out of pocket. But, say you want an IUD, it’s not covered and you have to pay yourself.
* On the note of health care, German health insurance covers “necessary” medical stuff. That means, dental and visions are not covered because somehow it’s not medically necessary for you to be able to live and see where you’re walking, or not have a toothache. That’s not necessary according to German government…
* The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is on the rise. This party is anti-immigrant and has neo-nazi in it, among other things. If you think you’re running away from Trump to Germany, you just wait… It’s going to be a drama not dissimilar to the US. So if your reason for moving is Trump, think twice.
Other thoughts:
* It is important to learn German. Yes, you hear English spoken half the time you’re walking on the street in Berlin from expats talking. This is not the case with other cities. Even in Berlin, it’s really difficult to navigate immigration, talk to city clerk at the city hall, nurses at the ER, listen to train/bus cancellation/rerouting, try to join a gym, get a cell phone contract from the store. So go learn it. I only have the very lowest level of skills (A1) and it’s extremely helpful to be able to recognize words. I hope to get better in the next years.
* The stereotype that Germans are efficient is not true. They are rule followers. If the rules are good and make the process efficient, then they’re efficient. But if the rules are stupid and cause obstacles, then they’re not efficient.
EDIT: routine check-ups (every six months), fillings, and teeth cleaning (once per year) is actually covered in Germany. More complex procedures like root canal is ~60% covered. Thanks for pointing this out.
A standard America High School certificate will get you into a German university if you have the German language requirements, you apply through the same central office as everyone else.
You do need to fulfill all requirements for the bachelor or such that you are desiring to enter.
How quick is the approval for the Opportunity Card if you directly qualify as a skilled worker? Are there companies or engineering firms where you can get by working in English? How easy is it to find an engineering job as a foreigner?
My wife has a master’s degree in engineering from an Ivy League university with 10 years of experience and now works for a Fortune 500 company. She has worked in Germany before for a total of 4 months with an American company previously and I stayed there for 2 months as well. We know that we like Germany enough to make a move there for at least the medium-term. We would obviously work to learn German, but would go in without any formal training.
How easy do you think it would be for her to find an engineering job?
I am 22 years old male I have a secondary education and social studies from a credited University from the Northeast. Is this considered a valuable skill in the eyes of the government or am I cooked? I know getting to become a teacher in Germany takes a lot longer and you need a master’s/two subjects but could I work as an assistant? I do want to move to Germany to stay with my girlfriend but I am currently only A1 working towards learning German every day.
I actually have someone I want to marry and live with in Germany about 2 years from now, what would be the best things to do starting now? We’ll both be 18 when I plan to move, I will have around 30000 USD and they will have a small apartment. We plan to live together and both work, but neither of us know the legal ways of everything. They live in Germany, I do not. I live in the United States, and will have A2-B1 German ability by the time I turn 18, which will be after they do. I have experience in the IT field along with wanting to possibly finish my degree in Germany.
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I know it’s hyperbolic to say you’re moving out do the US everytime trump gets elected, but I am considering it as a long term backup plan. I can get German citizenship as soon as my mom does. We are both eligible. I have relatives who I am close to in Bavaria. I’ve visited 4 times.
The main hurdles would be
1)learning German
2)getting a job. I am currently deciding on a new career, may need schooling
Would I be able to stay in Germany if I got a job that did NOT require a degree from an accredited university?
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Have you considered the Chancenkarte / Opportunity Card? It’s a new program and its promise is that you can come quite easily if you are skilled, have some saved money, and speak English. Not even a job is required at first.
Thank you for this. Germany is at the top of our list of places to go. We have been debating it for years and the election was our final straw. This is greatly helpful.
Just out of curiosity:
Many posts handle about studying in Germany, or studied something and now want to move to Germany. What exactly is the problem now since a not so new president is re-elected? I dont think the situation can get much worse then it is now.
I am one such American that does believe life would be a little better outside of my country, though obviously I still have much research to do and definitely multiple languages to brush up on. As an LGBT+ person, I decided to look abroad after I heard the news of the election. Currently speaking there is no way to be granted asylum anywhere in the world and I do agree that asking for asylum is a slap in the face to my people in places where it is far more difficult to live as your authentic self. As far as Germany is concerned though, how is it being any kind of a minority? Most statistic websites rate Germany fairly safe, but im sure there are still groups of people who are opposed to foreigners or anyone who is different from them. Also, in reading about citizenship requirements, Naturalization for people who move to Germany includes acknowledgement of the National Socialist regime and their obvious issues, but is that the case for Germans born there who don’t have to do any denouncement?
I am considering my options as I do want to leave the US but for multiple reasons, I love learning languages and learning about new cultures and I feel like just in general there is a whole wide world to be explored, I just dont know what the right fit is for me, but thats why Im doing my research in advance so I may be prepared for when I do spread my wings and take off.
My mother was German and my father American and I have lived in Munich and worked for the army. I have a cousin who lives in Garmish. I loved living there and would like to go back and live in Munich again. I have a child who would like to go. I am not running from anything. Munich is a beautiful city.
Hello all, I am posting this on a whim to gauge feedback
I am interested in moving to Germany/EU but am unsure how possible this will be for me. I am currently a NOC/network engineer in the U.S. working for one of the big fiber companies. I have a CCNA and am working towards a CCNP. How likely is it to get a job solely off of a CCNP in Germany? Are these certs (or Juniper, Nokia etc certs) widely considered valuable there as they are in the U.S? Also my company has EU presence but not in Germany so that rules a transfer out.
Yes I have some German language, I went to university 1 year in DE with my classes being in German. I passed the B2 language test which while I know isn’t amazing by any means but it did grant me access to the Hochschule where I took my classes. Problem is I never ended up graduating anyway I dropped in my 3rd year during Covid thinking it was just a break and it would all blow over in a few months. Well it didn’t. And I got a remote job immediately so I’ve just been working ever since. Only now with the election has it peaked my interest to finish my degree just to better my chances of getting out.
Anyway — that’s not really the point. Question is how likely am I to score a job in DE with a CCNP + B2 level German? Should I give up on more certs and focus on degree?
I will say that the asylum paragraph is less clear-cut than OP seems to imply.
Germany does grant over 20% of the asylum applications that American citizens put in every year, and it does not consider America a “safe country of origin”. So you will, at the very least, be given the same due process as anyone else applying for asylum from anywhere else.
It is also important to note that each asylum application is reviewd individually, based on the circumstances of the person applying, and can’t be rejected on ground of generic criteria such as “you’re American”. And there are recent developments that might make it more likely for certain groups of the population to receive asylum in Germany, especially if the new administration keeps pushing in the same direction it has in the past.
For example, if your country refuses to give you a medically necessary abortion, threatening your life, that is a human rights violation and grounds for asylum at least as long as it takes to get the procedure done in Germany. If your country also has laws prosecuting people for having an abortion – as the Republicans are currently trying to push – that would be grounds for *permanent* asylum after the procedure. If your country doesn’t provide for medically necessary surgery or tries to revoke your identity rights (frex as a trans person) or prosecutes you for your identity or partner, that is a human rights violation and grounds for asylum.
Basically, if you’re a rich, white, heterosexual cis dude with a wife, three houses, a fat stack of cash and a cushy life in the US, then no, you will not be granted asylum in Germany.
But if you’re a homeless black trans guy who is also pregnant with an ectotopic pregnancy threatening his life but is refused an abortion and also receives threats from neighbours and gets regularly profiled by police, then yes, there is actually a decent chance you might get asylum in Germany.
A pretty good rule of thumb is this: if you could leave *this very instant* with absolutely nothing to your name than the clothes you are currently wearing and your phone and live in an asylum processing facility in Germany, and you would prefer that over continuing your current life in the US, then there is a pretty good chance that you may, in fact, qualify for asylum.