Moving to Germany: Visa, Money, Insurance, Taxes

Why you can trust us

• We are independent from the providers of the financial products that we test and evaluate.
• We are transparent regarding our research processes and evaluation methods.
• Our content undergoes careful quality check to ensure that it is well-researched, factually correct, and understandable.
• We have 18+ years of experience with financial products. Our recommendations and evaluations are based on sound specialist knowledge. In addition, we have our life experience as expats, and we know first-hand what expats in Germany want and need.

Most visa routes ask for the same three proofs: a valid passport, enough money for your stay and health insurance the embassy accepts. Once you have arrived, a lot hangs on registering your address (Anmeldung): your tax ID is sent to that address, and many banks ask for the registration certificate. Everyday topics such as Pfand, recycling and the radio tax are on living in Germany.

Visa and residence

• Visa overview: Schengen C visas for stays of up to 90 days, national D visas for longer stays, and who needs which.
• Long-stay visas: study, skilled work, the EU Blue Card, the Opportunity Card, job seeking, freelancing and family reunion.
• Short-stay visas: business trips, trade fairs, events, medical treatment and airport transit.
• Visa requirements: passport, photos, documents and the application steps.
• Visa rules and fees: the Schengen Area, the 90/180-day rule, visa fees, ETIAS and what to do after a refusal.

Money for the move

• Blocked account: the proof of funds that students, job seekers and some other visa applicants pay into a locked account before they apply.
• Opening a bank account: the documents you need and the steps from application to your first card.
• Bank accounts for expats: which banks open an account without a German SCHUFA history, and which work better once you are registered.

Health insurance

• Expat health insurance: which cover you need for the visa, for a job and as a freelancer, and how to move on from incoming cover.
• Health insurance for a Schengen visa: the cover the embassy expects for a short stay.
• Student health insurance: the insurance phases from arrival to enrollment and beyond.

Work, study and taxes

• Studying in Germany: requirements, English-taught programs, costs and the student visa.
• Minijobs: jobs paying up to €603 a month, with their own tax and social security rules.
• Tax classes: the six wage tax classes, which one applies to you and which combinations married couples can choose.
• Income tax calculator: your net salary from your gross pay and tax class.
• Tax return: when filing is required, when it pays to file voluntarily, and how to file with ELSTER.

Where to live and what it costs

• Cost of living: what rent, groceries and transport cost, and how much that varies by region.
• The 16 federal states: city states, old and new states, and what sets each one apart.