Germany is a popular country for many foreigners due to its booming economy and many immigration opportunities. Still, to move there, you must understand what requirements you have to meet and how to go about it.
Here, we explore how to move to Germany in three easy steps.
Step 1. Understanding Your Immigration Options
Moving to Germany in the long term requires some planning, and most importantly, you need to have a clear reason for moving.
For example, you can move to Germany if:
- You have found a job there.
- You are self-employed or a freelancer.
- You want to join a family member.
- You’re enrolled in a German university.
Moving can be challenging and sometimes overwhelming. You may want to consult with legal professionals to make the process smoother—especially regarding visa applications and legal formalities. Experienced in German immigration law, the right consultants can help you secure the right visa and provide a hassle-free move.
Moving to Germany for Work
One of the most common and easiest ways to move to Germany is to have a job offer or some kind of work set up in the country. After that, you can apply for one of the following work visas, depending on your profession and type of work.
- Work visa for skilled workers. You must have academic qualifications or qualified vocational training to obtain this visa.
- Work visa for experienced professionals. This kind of work visa is eligible for foreigners with extensive experience in their chosen field. Usually in a non-regulated profession.
- EU Blue Card. For an EU Blue Card, you must also be a highly skilled worker and have a job offer with a salary of no less than €48,300 (as of 2025).
- Freelance visa. To qualify for a freelancer visa, you must be able to work independently and have enough money to support yourself.
Please note that Germany also offers a Jobseeker visa and an Opportunity Card visa to allow you to enter the country to search for employment. Afterward, you can obtain a residence permit.
Where to Find Jobs?
To help you find a job in Germany, you can use any of the following sites:
English-speaking Jobs in Germany
List of Professions in Demand in Germany
Germany is experiencing an occupational shortage in the following professions:
- Manufacturing.
- Mining.
- Construction.
- IT and communications service managers.
- Childcare service managers.
- Social welfare managers.
- Aged care service managers.
- Science and engineering professionals.
- Physical and earth science professionals.
- Physicists.
- Chemists.
- Meteorologist.
- Mathematicians and statisticians.
- Biologists.
- Zoologists.
- Farming, forestry, and fisheries management.
- Civil engineers.
- Architects.
- Medical doctors.
- Nurses and midwives.
- Veterinarians.
- Dentists.
- Pharmacists.
See a full list of the labor shortages.
Moving to Germany to Join a Family Member
You can also move to Germany to join a family member, which in most cases is your spouse or registered partner. Your partner could be a German citizen, which means you are eligible to obtain a residence permit as the spouse of a German national, or they could’ve moved to Germany under another visa and are eligible to take you with them.
For either of these cases, you need to apply for a German family reunification visa. You will obtain first a temporary residence permit, and then a permanent one, and eventually, you can apply for citizenship.
Moving to Germany to Study
Another way to move to Germany is to apply for a student visa. To be eligible for this kind of visa, you must have been accepted at a German university. Even though a German student visa is not a long-term residence permit, it allows you to easily find a job after graduation and then move to the country long-term.
You can apply for a job-seeker visa after your studies, or if you’ve already found employment, get a work visa directly. Then, you can stay in the country long-term.
Moving to Germany as a Digital Nomad
Unfortunately, Germany does not have a digital nomad visa, but some digital nomads can qualify for a freelance visa.
However, in this case, you must have German clients and work in specific fields such as IT, graphic design, writing, web development, and so on. You can apply as a freelancer even with non-
German clients, but you’re less likely to obtain the visa.
Step 2. Applying for a Visa
With a clear understanding as to why you’re moving to Germany, you have to apply for the following:
- A visa and a residence permit upon entry— if you are from a country that has no visa agreement with Germany.
- A residence permit after entering the country— if you are from Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, or the United States of America.
If you’re an EU citizen, you don’t need either, but you must register your residence within 90 days of entering the country.
If you don’t need a visa, you can skip ahead to the “Settling in Germany” section. However, if you plan to start working right away—even if you can enter visa-free—it’s best to apply from your home country at a German embassy or consulate. Otherwise, you won’t be able to work or study until you get your residence permit.
Process
The application process for a German visa goes as follows:
1. Find out where to apply. Locate the nearest German embassy or consulate in your country in charge of visa applications.
2. Fill out the online application form. Follow the instructions as you go, and at the end, you have to download and print out the application.
3. Schedule an appointment. You need to go in person to the embassy/consulate to submit your fingerprints and sit down for a brief interview.
4. Prepare the required documents. You need to prepare some required documents for your application, such as your passport, the visa application form, proof of financial means, and so on.
5. Submit your application. On the day of your visa appointment, submit your application and pay the visa fee if required.
6. Retrieve your visa and enter Germany. When your application is finished processing, you can receive your visa and enter the country to initiate the application for a residence permit.
Documents
The documents required for your Germany visa application include the following:
- Your valid passport.
- Passport photographs.
- Visa application form.
- Proof of academic qualifications (if required).
- Proof of financial means.
- A copy of your work contract (if applicable).
- Your CV.
- Proof of travel insurance.
- Proof of clients or business license if self-employed or freelancer.
Fees
The application visa fee is €75 for a long-term national D visa. This does not account for any additional fees you have to pay for your residence permit after entering the country.
Step 3. Settling in Germany
Before you can start living your new life in Germany, there are a few things you need to complete so you can fully settle down.
First and foremost, make an appointment with the immigration office in your area, “Ausländerbehörde,” to apply for your residence permit. It takes weeks, and even months, before you can schedule an appointment, so during that time, you can continue with the rest of the formalities so you can obtain your residence permit successfully.
Find Accommodation
You need to show proof of accommodation when you apply for your visa. In this case, you can show proof of hotel reservation or a temporary set-up, and after you arrive in Germany, you must find a new place.
You need to do this so you can register your address since without proof of registration, you can’t apply for your permit. So, as soon as you make an appointment with the immigration office for your residence permit, you must immediately start searching for a place to live.
To help you find accommodation in Germany, use the following sites:
Short-term accommodation sites:
- Wunderflats.
- Homelike.
- Spotahome.
- Airbnb.
Long-term accommodation sites:
- ImmobilienScout24.
- WG-Gesucht.
- Immonet.
- Wohnungsboerse.
Student housing sites:
- Studenten-WG.
- Deutsches Studentenwerk.
- Flatio.
Open a Bank Account
In most cases, to sign a rental agreement with a landlord, you must have a German bank account. However, you can’t open a bank account without having a registered address or a residence permit. This is a very difficult process to go around when you first move to Germany.
But there are ways to work around it. Most expats work with online banks such as N26, Wise, or Revoult. These banks allow you to open a bank account with a residence registration or permit, but within a specific timeframe, you must submit proof of residence.
Additionally, it’s important to note that for most of these banks, you must be in Germany to open your account.
Sign Up for Health Insurance
Germany provides public health insurance for all citizens and residents, and coverage with an insurance provider is mandatory. You have to sign up with a provider within three months of arriving in the country, otherwise, you face fines and legal issues.
If you’re employed in Germany, signing up for public health insurance is automatic, as your employer will sign you up with a provider. If you’re a self-employer or a student, you must pick out your provider and send a request for coverage.
You can also opt for private insurance, but not everyone qualifies for private health insurance, as you must earn over (€73,800) to sign up with private insurance.
Register Residence
To register your residence in Germany follow the steps below:
1. Make an appointment with the local citizens’ office “Bürgeramt,” a list of which you can find here.
2. Prepare your documents such as your passport, your visa, and proof of tenancy agreement “Wohnungsgeberbestätigung”.
3. Attend your appointment and wait for your registration certificate “Anmeldebestätigung” or “Meldebestätigung”.
If it’s the first time you’re registering your residence, two or five weeks later, you will get your tax ID number, which you’ll need for other bureaucratic purposes in Germany.
Apply for a Residence Permit
Within 90 days of entering Germany, you must submit your request for a residence permit. Essentially, you are “transforming” your national D visa to your permit based on why you’re moving e.g., work, study, family reunification, etc.
To do this, you must set up an appointment with the immigration office “Ausländerbehörde”, who will email you the appointment date. If your application is approved, it may take up to 8 weeks to get your residence card until it’s printed and ready.
Moving to Germany as an EU Citizen
To move to Germany as an EU citizen, all you need is a valid ID, and you must register your new residence.
Within two weeks of moving to your new place in Germany, you must complete the process at the registration office in your place of residence in Germany. If you fail to do it within the required two weeks, you may be fined up to €1,000.
Obtaining German Citizenship
After five years of uninterrupted living in Germany, you can apply for citizenship. However, you must meet the eligibility criteria, including passing the German citizenship test and having the required language skills.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Does It Cost to Move to Germany?
- Moving to Germany costs can be as cheap as €2,000 for students, for example, and up to €10,000 or more for a family.
- Moving costs change depending on where you’re moving from, how much stuff you’re taking with you, whether you need a visa, and where in Germany you’re moving to.
What Is the Living Cost in Germany?
The living costs in Germany for a single person go around €750 to €900 without rent.
- Including other expenses, average costs can increase:
- Rent—€1,000–€2,000 for a one-bedroom apartment
- Utilities (electricity, heating, water, etc.)— €150–€250
- Groceries— €250–€400
- Transportation— €49 (‘Deutschlandticket’ for unlimited public transport)
- Internet— €30–€50
If you live in areas other than the popular cities like Berlin, Munich, and Hamburg, you can find lower rent prices and overall lower living costs.
What’s the Average Salary?
In 2024, the average annual salary in Germany was just around €50,000. But this changes dramatically depending on your chosen profession, work experience, and where you live in Germany.
German cities with the highest average salary include the following:
- Munich— €58,199
- Hamburg— €58,158
- Berlin— €56,502
- Frankfurt— €55,714
Is Germany a Safe Place to Move to?
Yes, the country ranked in the 20th place according to the Global Peace Index report in 2024.
Some petty crimes may be prevalent in popular cities, but violent crime remains rare, and law enforcement response is quick and immediate.
What’s the Work Culture Like?
Germans are efficient workers who love order, structure, and schedules. This means do not be late to work and stick to your working hours. Typically, the working week is around 36 to 40 hours, five working days, with the weekends off. Sunday is a complete day of rest, which means you’ll rarely find someone working.
Working for 6 hours without a break is illegal in Germany, so make sure you take your break as needed. Also, being respectful and wearing proper attire is important; after all, you have to be professional in your workplace.
Do I Need to Know German?
If you need to apply for a visa to enter Germany, you may be required to show proof of language proficiency before applying for your visa. If not, you can still make the initial move without knowing a lot of German.
That being said, knowing the language will make your life easier for many of the bureaucratic processes in Germany. Plus, it will be easier to find a job and then acclimate to the culture.
Do I Have to Pay Taxes in Germany?
Yes, you have to pay taxes in Germany as an employed person. However, in most cases, taxes and social contributions are deducted from your salary automatically.
But self-employed persons and freelancers must pay their taxes directly to the tax authorities “Finanzamt”.
Can I Move to Germany to Retire?
Unfortunately, Germany doesn’t have a specific retirement visa, so just moving there with the specific goal of retiring can be complicated, depending on where you’re from.
- If you don’t need a visa to enter the country, this can be easier as you can apply for a residence permit as long as you provide proof of enough savings to support yourself.
- If you do need a visa, then there is no direct immigration pathway for retirement; you just have to move there under a different visa and then spend your retirement in the country.