39 guides · 9 city guides

Guides

Visas, registration, money, housing, work and travel. Official links and partner options sit side by side, and every figure shows when we last checked it.

Show guides for

Plan your move

Which German visa or residence permit fits youStudy, skilled work, the EU Blue Card or the Chancenkarte: who each route is for, what it asks you to prove, and where to apply.2 min read Getting a German student visaThe documents a German embassy asks students for, the order to collect them in, and the APS certificate if you're from India, China or Vietnam.2 min read The skilled worker visa and getting your qualification recognisedHow the § 18a and § 18b skilled worker permits work, how to get a foreign degree or vocational qualification recognised, and which office to ask.2 min read The EU Blue Card in GermanyWho qualifies, the salary thresholds (€50,700 or €45,934.20), the route to permanent residence, and your family's rights.2 min read The Chancenkarte (Opportunity Card)A 12-month permit to look for work in Germany. How the points system works, the money you need, and what you're allowed to do while you search.2 min read The blocked account (Sperrkonto)Why the embassy asks for €11,904, how the money is paid back to you each month, and how to pick a provider.2 min read Health insurance in Germany: public, private and expatHealth insurance is compulsory for everyone living in Germany. Which kind students, employees and Blue Card holders can choose, and what each costs.2 min read Finding a flat in Germany from abroadStudent halls, flat shares, furnished apartments and long-term rentals: which to aim for first, what landlords ask for, and how to avoid losing money.3 min read How to spot a rental scamFake listings target people searching from abroad. The patterns they follow, and the checks that protect your deposit.2 min read What to check in a Mietvertrag before you signThe clauses in a German rental contract worth reading twice, and the ones that are standard boilerplate.2 min read Rent deposits (Kaution) and deposit guaranteesHow much a German landlord can ask as a deposit, how you get it back, and when a deposit guarantee is cheaper than paying cash.2 min read Getting a German phone number and mobile dataData from the moment you land, then a German number for bank and government codes. eSIMs, prepaid SIMs, contracts and the ID check.2 min read

Your first weeks

How Anmeldung worksRegistering your address at the Bürgeramt is the step most other German paperwork depends on. What to bring, when to book, and what you get.3 min read Arriving in a German city: your first two weeksWhat works the same in every German city: the order to do things in during your first days, and which offices you'll deal with.1 min read Opening a German bank accountOnline banks, traditional banks and the legal right to a basic account. Which ones need your Anmeldung, and what you need a German IBAN for.2 min read Girokonto vs Sperrkonto, and which one you need firstThey sound similar. They're different accounts, and most students and Chancenkarte holders end up needing both.1 min read Your residence permit appointment at the AusländerbehördeTurning your entry visa into a residence permit: when to apply, what to bring, and what the Fiktionsbescheinigung is if your appointment comes late.2 min read Your tax ID (Steuer-ID) and tax classThe 11-digit tax ID arrives by post after you register. What it's for, what to do if it doesn't come, and which tax class you'll be in.1 min read The Rundfunkbeitrag (broadcasting fee)Every household in Germany pays €18.36 a month for public broadcasting, whether or not you own a TV. How it works in a flat share, and who is exempt.1 min read Getting internet at homeCheck what your address can get, order early because installation takes weeks, and know the contract rules before you sign.1 min read Electricity and gas when you move inIf you don't choose a supplier, you land in the local default tariff, which usually costs more. How to register your meter and switch.1 min read Liability insurance and the other policies people havePersonal liability insurance isn't compulsory, but most people in Germany have it. What it covers, what it costs, and which other policies are worth a look.1 min read

Travel and getting around

Arriving at a German airport: passport control, customs and getting into townThe documents to keep in your hand luggage, the customs limits for goods and cash, and how to get from the airport to your new address.2 min read Travelling around Germany by train and busWhich trains the Deutschlandticket covers, how Deutsche Bahn saver fares and BahnCards work, and when a long-distance bus is the cheaper option.1 min read Travelling outside Germany on a residence permitWhere your German permit lets you travel, the 90-day rule in other Schengen countries, and why a Fiktionsbescheinigung can stop you coming back.1 min read Semesterticket vs Deutschlandticket: do you need to buy anything?Most students already have transport through their semester fee. How to check, and the maths for everyone else.1 min read E-scooters vs shared bikes: which is cheapest?Shared scooters and bikes price rides as an unlock fee plus a per-minute rate. Which one is cheaper depends on how long you ride.1 min read Driving in Germany on a foreign licenceA licence from outside the EU is valid for six months after you move here. Which countries can swap it without tests, and how to apply.1 min read

Work, tax and money

Reading your first German payslipWhy your net pay is much lower than your gross salary: income tax, the solidarity surcharge and the four social insurance contributions, line by line.2 min read Working while you studyThe 140-day rule on a student permit, the 20-hour Werkstudent limit, and the €603 Minijob ceiling. Three different limits that count different things.1 min read Your first German tax returnWho has to file, the deadlines, what you can deduct, and why many employees get money back from a voluntary return.2 min read SCHUFA: your German credit recordLandlords and phone companies check your SCHUFA score. Why newcomers have none, how to get your free data copy, and how a record builds up.1 min read Receiving money from homeBank transfers, money-transfer services and card top-ups compared: where the fees and exchange-rate markups hide.1 min read

Staying long-term

Bringing your family to GermanyFamily reunification for skilled workers and Blue Card holders: who can join you, what they need, and what changed in 2024.1 min read Permanent residence and citizenshipWhen you can apply for a settlement permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis), the faster routes for Blue Card holders and German graduates, and the 5-year route to citizenship.1 min read Leaving Germany: deregistration and what to cancelDeregister your address, cancel contracts, close your blocked account and claim back pension contributions. The checklist for moving away.1 min read

Daily life

Doctors, emergencies and pharmaciesThe emergency numbers, how to find a GP who speaks English, what to do when practices are closed, and how pharmacies work.1 min read Official letters and their deadlinesGerman authorities write by post, and many letters start a deadline. How to read a Bescheid, the one-month objection rule, and what to do if a letter is unclear.1 min read Recycling, Pfand and other everyday rulesSorting rubbish, getting bottle deposits back, Sunday closing and quiet hours: small rules that make the first weeks easier.1 min read

City guides

Registration offices, immigration offices, airport trains and neighbourhoods for 9 cities.

All city guides

Berlin

Airport: BER (Berlin Brandenburg)
Airport to centre: FEX Airport Express, about 30 min to Hauptbahnhof
Local transport: BVG and S-Bahn Berlin (VBB)

Munich

München · Bavaria

Airport: MUC (Munich Airport)
Airport to centre: S1 or S8, about 40 to 45 min to Hauptbahnhof
Local transport: MVG and S-Bahn (MVV)

Hamburg

Airport: HAM (Hamburg Airport)
Airport to centre: S1, about 25 min to Hauptbahnhof
Local transport: HVV (Hochbahn, S-Bahn and buses)

Frankfurt

Frankfurt am Main · Hesse

Airport: FRA (Frankfurt Airport)
Airport to centre: S8 or S9, about 15 min to Hauptbahnhof
Local transport: RMV (VGF U-Bahn and trams, S-Bahn)

Cologne

Köln · North Rhine-Westphalia

Airport: CGN (Cologne Bonn Airport)
Airport to centre: S19 or regional trains, about 15 min to Köln Hbf
Local transport: KVB and S-Bahn (VRS)

Stuttgart

Baden-Württemberg

Airport: STR (Stuttgart Airport)
Airport to centre: S2 or S3, about 27 min to Hauptbahnhof
Local transport: VVS (SSB Stadtbahn, S-Bahn)

Düsseldorf

North Rhine-Westphalia

Airport: DUS (Düsseldorf Airport)
Airport to centre: S11 or regional trains, about 12 to 20 min to Hauptbahnhof
Local transport: Rheinbahn and S-Bahn (VRR)

Leipzig

Saxony

Airport: LEJ (Leipzig/Halle Airport)
Airport to centre: S5 or S5X, about 15 min to Hauptbahnhof
Local transport: LVB and S-Bahn (MDV)

Heidelberg

Baden-Württemberg

Airport: FRA (Frankfurt Airport)
Airport to centre: Train, about 1 hour, usually via Mannheim
Local transport: rnv trams and buses, S-Bahn (VRN)