LIFEINGERMANY.

COM
LIFE IN
GERMANY

12-STEPS YOU NEED

TO TAKE BEFORE
MOVING TO GERMANY

IN ONE EASY CHECKLIST

HEY, I'M JENNA!
FOUNDER OF LIFE IN DÜSSELDORF & LIFE IN GERMANY

Moving to Germany can open the flood gates to a whole mix of emotions. Happy, sad, anxious, alone, determined,
you name it… we’ve all been there! 

Getting started is THE single biggest hurdle to settling into your new life here in Germany. If you can nail that, the
rest is smooth sailing! 

Relocating can be easy if you have the right information. In this step-by-step checklist, you'll receive the concrete
foundation you need to move to Germany, plus a ton of tips that can help you save €1,000s while getting started
and even more every year after. This is the only checklist you'll need when moving to Germany, so take it step-by-
step, check off each task in the list, and I guarantee you'll spend way less time stressing over your relocation
tasks and a ton more time getting to know your new city!

I've grown our online tribe to more than 20,000 members, many of whom took these exact steps in this checklist
and are now living awesome lives here in Germany. You complete this checklist and I can promise you, you’ll
love it here in Germany! 

PS: If you enjoy this checklist, I'd love your positive review on our Google Business page!!
Happy Moving!

Jenna
THE CHECKLIST

✅ Submit Your Visa

✅ Open up a Bank Account

✅ Buy a Phone Plan

✅ Find a Place to Live

✅ Register in the City

✅ Register for Insurances

✅ Get Your Residence Permit

✅ Find a Job

✅ Get an Electricity Contract

✅ Connect Your Internet

✅ Plan Your Transportation

✅ Learn German

*NOTE: All underlined text in this checklist refers you to clickable links with more information
 1: SUBMIT YOUR VISA
Depending on where you are from and your purpose for moving to Germany will depend on what visa you will
need before arriving.

ENTERING GERMANY

If you are an EU citizen, part of the European Economic Area (EEA), or from Switzerland, you are free to
travel, live, work, and study in Germany without a visa. You will, however, need to apply for a residence permit
(you can refer to that in step 7).

Non-EU citizens will only be allowed to stay for a maximum of 90 days on a tourist visa (some countries
require no visa for the first 90 days and some do) and will then also require a residence permit to live, work, or
study in Germany.

MOVING TO GERMANY

If you are a non-EU citizen, you can enter Germany on a short-term visa, but you will require a residence permit
and long-term visa when living and/or working in Germany. Here is a list of the following visas you can get.

Check off which visa you need and then click the link for more information on how to apply. If you need
more information, you'll get everything you need in the Welcome Program.

Student Visa 
German Language Course Visa 
Job Seeker Visa 
Work Employment Visa 
Freelance Visa 
Scientist/Visiting Scholar Visa 
Medical Treatment Visa 
Family Reunification Visa
To obtain a residence permit in Germany, there are a number of steps you will need to take which include setting
up a bank account and registering in the city. You can find this information (in chronological order) in Step 7: Get
Your Residence Permit of this checklist.

To avoid confusion (it gets confusing, trust me), continue following this checklist step-by-step and I promise we
will get to the residence permit information when we need to.
 2: OPEN UP A BANK ACCOUNT
Depending on which bank account you choose, there are different steps you need to take when opening up a
bank account here in Germany. There are a number of options you can choose from, but to keep things simple
(and affordable), here are the top three expat favourites. You decide which one works best for you!

TIP: You CAN register and open a bank account BEFORE moving to Germany with these 3 banks, any German
address to send the bank card to will do. To avoid issues, ONLY open an account within 3 months of relocating
(you may eventually be asked to provide a tax ID # and/or residence permit within a 3 month period).

(#1 EXPAT CHOICE)

Opening a vivid account takes only a few minutes online and you don't need to already be living in
Germany to do so. It is one of the most amazing mobile banks (and investment portfolios) for
expats in Europe and is extremely easy to navigate via the app. The entire site is run in English or
German and once you’re registered, your account is officially open and all of your banking can be
done straight from your phone. The best part? They also offer free sub-accounts to manage your
savings and expenses as well as up to 25% cashback on your everyday purchases.

Cost: FREE
Includes: FREE Visa Debit Card (+ free metal card & 40€ if you use a "refer a friend" link)
You can withdraw money from all over the world and open multiple free sub-accounts to help
you manage your savings and expenses in more than 40 currencies.

LEARN MORE

What sets Tomorrow apart from other banks is its unique
sustainable banking system. Tomorrow saves 1m² of
rainforest from deforestation every euro you spend with
your Tomorrow card. On top of that, they also offer the
great perks banks like vivid do, with free banking, sub-
accounts, shared accounts, and financial planning.
You'll likely recognize the name N26 above all others and
that's because they were one of the first in the mobile
banking industry to offer a free account. They still offer
excellent services and are well-loved among expats, but
newer banks like vivid offer more premium services for free
now as well as investment and saving options.

Cost: FREE Cost: FREE

Includes: FREE Visa Debit Card Includes: FREE Maestro and Mastercard

LEARN MORE LEARN MORE

If you're planning on transferring a big lump sum of money into your new bank account to get started, do not
transfer directly from bank to bank! You will save €100s by using an online transfer service like Wise, TorFX, or
CurrencyFair - plus, they're much easier to navigate.
 3: BUY A PHONE PLAN

Next up, it’s time to get a phone plan. Take a deep breath and relax, because this part is a breeze! 

There are 3 networks in Germany and hundreds of mobile plan providers. Each mobile plan provider is a part of
one of these 3 networks. In general, all 3 networks are good, but Vodafone and Telekom tend to be the favorites
(regardless, you’ll get spotty signals on the highways and in the woods). If you’d like to still compare networks, we
go deep into that in the Welcome Program. Otherwise, let’s continue!

NOTE: MOST PHONE PLAN PROVIDERS REQUIRE YOU TO PAY VIA DEBIT (NOT CREDIT) SO YOU NEED TO MAKE
SURE YOU HAVE YOUR BANK ACCOUNT (SEE ABOVE) OPENED BEFORE YOU COMPLETE THIS STEP.

WHICH TYPE OF CONTRACT DO YOU WANT?

First, you’ll have to pick which type of phone contract you would like to have: 

Prepaid Plans: Calling and texting billed per minute/SMS

Package Plans: Monthly packages including calling, texting, and data (free cancellation each month and does
not include a phone)

All-inclusive Plans (Allnet): Annual contracts including calling, texting, & data (often include a phone and
higher data usage)

PICK YOUR PHONE PLAN

If you don’t need a phone with your contract, I would highly recommend the package plans as they can be
much cheaper and offer a lot more flexibility (canceling or pausing month-by-month). Picking the right cell phone
plan is the easiest way to save a ton of money relocating!

There are tons of options, but let’s save you even more time and give you some of the best rated and most
affordable options below:

COMPARE PRICES COMPARE PRICES COMPARE PRICES

This is the phone company I'm with! =]

 4: FIND A PLACE TO LIVE

Now that you’ve set yourself up with a German bank account and phone plan, you can officially get paid, pay your
rent, and start checking off all the other items on your checklist. 

It’s time to start looking for a place to live. And yes, you can do this before you arrive as well. You have
one of 4 options, check off which option you would prefer.

You can rent a fully furnished apartment/house

You can rent an unfurnished apartment/house

You can rent a shared apartment/house *Cheapest option (may come furnished or not)

You can buy an apartment/house

Now that you’ve made up your mind, scroll down and start checking off the list of things you’ll need to make that
happen.

WHERE TO LOOK

Look for an apartment/house on one of the many search engines. You’ll likely find the most success using:

HousingAnywhere (great for furnished flats rentals which allow you to register in the city - VERY IMPORTANT)
Immobilienscout24
  Ebay Kleinanzeigen (like the Craigslist of Germany)

If you're looking for a shared apartment/house, you will also find a lot of options on:

WG-Gesucht

WHAT YOU NEED

A copy of your ID and passport 

A visa and residence permit (more information on residence permits below)

Employment contract or salary statements (or a mortgage approval if you’re buying)

Your credit report from SCHUFA (click here for information on how to apply for free)

A deposit (usually first and last months rent) or downpayment (if purchasing)

This can be a difficult process but don't fear! We help you find your dream apartment in the Welcome Program.
 5: REGISTER IN THE CITY

Once you’ve found a place to live and have signed the rental contract, you can now keep moving forward in your
checklist.

The next step will be to register in the city you are moving to. Regardless of where you come from or who you are,
everyone needs to register in the city within the first 2 weeks of arriving. These forms can all be found in the
Welcome Program.

WHERE YOU'LL NEED TO GO

First, figure out if the city you are moving to has an:

Einwohnermeldeamt/Registration Office (often in southern states), or a 

Bürgerbüro/Civil Office (often in northern states)

If you can’t find either of these, you may be moving to a smaller town which in this case, you would be registering
at the Rathaus (city hall). Regardless of where you need to go, they will all process the same paperwork and get
you registered in the city. 

WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO BRING

Once you’ve figured out where you need to go, you will need to set up an appointment. This can often be done
online, but you can also go in to make an appointment as well. We take you through the online systems in the
Welcome Program so you don't have to do it alone.

You will need to bring the following with you to your appointment:

Passport and/or ID
A copy of the rental contract (Mietvertrag)
A filled out copy of the registration form (this can often be found online or you can pick it up at the office)
Your marriage certificate - original & German translation (if applicable)
Birth certificate of your children - original and German translation (if applicable)

YOU'LL GET YOUR TAX ID TOO

Once you’re registered in the city, you will automatically receive your tax ID number which will allow you the
opportunity to work in Germany. The next step will be to apply for your insurances in order to move forward with
your application for a residence permit. Once you’ve applied for this permit, you can officially start working.
 6: REGISTER FOR INSURANCES
There are a number of insurances you can sign up for in Germany, but the two most important for getting started
are health insurance and liability insurance.

NOTE: If you would like to sign up for health insurance before you arrive in Germany but don't have a job lined
up, you can save a ton of money going with expat health insurance. Once you've found a job, you can easily just
swap over to public health insurance. I recommend TK or Barmer as they both have excellent English services.

HEALTH INSURANCE

Health insurance (Krankenversicherung) is mandatory. Without it, you will not be able to get your residence permit.
This also means you will not be able to live, work, or study in Germany. So now that we’ve cleared that up, there
are 2 types of health insurance options you can choose from - public or private. We go through both in great
detail in the Welcome Program so you know exactly which one will be best for you and possibly your family.

PUBLIC INSURANCE
+ When employed, you are automatically signed up for public insurance
+ Public insurance can be more expensive than private insurance at first, but the cost does not increase with age
+ You do not have to pay any upfront fees, medical bills are paid directly by the health insurance provider 
+ You always have the option to switch to private insurance if you qualify
+ You’re spouse (if unemployed or earning less than 450/month) and children can be insured through your plan free of charge

If you decide you would like to register for public insurance, there are quite a few different options. The
best public insurance providers for expats are:

QUESTIONS?
The team from Barmer health insurance has
kindly offered to hop on a 30-minute call with
you for free! This is not a sales call, but a call
for you to ask questions and figure out exactly
what steps you need to take.

LEARN MORE BOOK A CALL LEARN MORE

NOTE: Public insurance companies do not differ much from one another in regards to price and services. If there
is any difference at all, they will be very minor add-ons (perhaps one offers a free eye screening and the other
doesn’t). Both of the recommended insurance providers above offer excellent English services and support.
Regardless of which health insurance provider you choose, healthcare in Germany is excellent.
 PRIVATE INSURANCE

Private insurance is not available to everyone. If you are a freelancer, doctor, civil servant, student, or employee earning a minimum
of €62,550 annually, you may opt-in for private insurance.

+ Private insurance can be cheaper than public insurance, but can increase with age (great for expats not planning to stay forever)
+ You can often get appointments much faster 
+ You can see specialty doctors without having to visit your general practitioner (GP) first 
+ You have access to private practices (which can offer exclusive services and are much less busy)
+ You may receive additional perks like private hospital rooms, better services, etc.
- Your spouse and children can be insured through your plan for an additional fee

If you choose to go with private health insurance, one provider stands strong among the rest (& they're
English speaking).

LEARN MORE

Ottonova is a modern and easy to understand private health insurance provider specifically designed with English speaking expats in
mind. You can easily sign up online, and there is 24/7 English speaking support. It is cheaper than many of the outdated German
private insurance companies and also offers some really cool perks - like finding specialists and booking appointments on their app! 

TIP: If you’re healthy and planning on staying in Germany for less than 5-10 years, Ottonova should
be your first choice. This is a much cheaper option than public insurance for those not planning on
staying in Germany forever. Private plans are cheaper than public when you're young & healthy.

LIABILITY INSURANCE

Unlike health insurance, personal liability insurance (Haftplichtversicherung) is not mandatory. It is, however,
extremely recommended. Why? Because things happen and people are quick to file insurance claims here in
Germany, even for minor accidents. That’s why most Germans have liability insurance, plus it’s cheap - usually
costs only a few Euros per month.

There are 2 liability insurance providers that offer English services, awesome prices, and come highly
recommended by expats.

LEARN MORE LEARN MORE

TIP: If you don’t mind navigating your way through a German website, Tarifcheck is an excellent way
to compare pricing and liability insurance options.

If you have a pet, you may also want to look into pet liability insurance (Tierhalterhaftpflichtversicherung). In Germany,
people take owning a pet seriously and any bites or scratches can quickly result in you being sued. Pet insurance is also
cheap, so I would risk going without it here in Germany. Pet health insurance should also be a no-brainer.
 7: GET YOUR RESIDENCE PERMIT
Your residence permit is different from your visa. You require a residence permit to live and work in Germany.

It is in the form of a plastic card with a biometric chip, but may also be a sticker in your passport and is also
referred to as an Aufenthaltserlaubnis. 

TIP: There are also a number of ways you can automatically extend your permit which we talk about
in our Welcome Program.

HOW TO PREPARE
In order to obtain your residence permit from the immigration office (Ausländeramt), you will need to check the
following items off of your list: 

Ensure you’re registered at your local registration office under your current German address 
Obtain a document confirming you’re registered for German health insurance 
Obtain your German bank account details and financial statements 
Fill out the application for the immigration office (we fill this out together in the Welcome Program)
Book an appointment to submit these documents at the immigration office

IF you've been following the steps laid out in this checklist, you should have all of the documents readily available.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO BRING

A completed application form 
A valid passport 
  2 passport photographs 
Proof of German knowledge (if applicable) 
Proof of German health insurance 
Proof that you are financially stable (or have someone to support you)
  Letter of intent for stay (from employer, school, etc.)
  Money for the residence permit application fee
 8: FIND A JOB
You’re likely going to need a job if you’re planning on living here in Germany, so if you haven’t already lined one
up, it’s time to start job hunting. You have your tax ID number, your bank account, and your health insurance,
now you can officially be added to the payroll!

NOTE: Your job search can start long before you decide to move to Germany, and should! It can take a while.

HOW MUCH WILL YOU EARN?

  Before searching for jobs, you should already have a rough estimate of what you are worth/how much
you would like to earn

In Germany, there is a fantastic resource you can use to determine how much you can expect to make in a certain
area and a specific field of study in any given region. It’s a simple questionnaire that you fill out, but it’s in
German, so either a little Google Translate will be required OR you can check out my step-by-step English
instructions by clicking here.

LEARN MORE

Now, so you can backtrack later, write down that salary number so you don’t forget how much you can
ask for in the interview stage.

WHERE TO FIND ENGLISH JOBS

There are tons of helpful websites and online forums to find English-speaking jobs in Germany that we discuss in
the Welcome Program + tips for perfecting your cover letter and resume for the German market.
TIP: Type in "English" in the search bar with your job title to find more English positions.

Check off each one as you’ve scanned their sites: 

  Jobrapido 
  Stellenanzeige
  Stepstone
  Indeed
 9: GET ELECTRICITY CONTRACT
The important thing to know about electricity in Germany is that if you don’t choose a provider on your own, you
will automatically be signed up for the Grundversorgung (Basic Supply) tariff from the local electricity company. 

This is usually one of the most expensive tariffs on the market. So, on one hand, it saves you the hassle of
setting up electricity on your own, but on the other hand, you’re paying a lot more than you need to be paying.

COMPARE PRICES

You can compare electricity prices using either of these two websites. They’re both in German, but it’s worth
trying out as you’ll be saving a lot more money this way.

COMPARE PRICES COMPARE PRICES

PICK A PROVIDER

After you’ve compared your options, it’s time to make your final decision. Prices shouldn’t differ too drastically,
but in regards to customer service for English speakers, here are a few expat favourites:

LEARN MORE LEARN MORE LEARN MORE

SETUP PROCESS

Purchase the electricity package (this can be done directly through the comparison websites) 
Submit your information (zip code, city, # of people in the household, approx. electricity usage, etc.)
Wait until the contract confirmation comes through via email 
You’re done!
 10: CONNECT YOUR INTERNET
You’ll want to get set up with an internet provider as fast as possible (you can also buy internet & TV packages) since the process can
take around 3-6 weeks. First things first, you’ll want to figure out if your apartment/house has:

DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) OR

Cable 

DSL runs through the telephone line, whereas cable internet runs through the TV connection. With DSL you have more options.

TIP: You can already start this process even if you aren’t in Germany yet. If you have an address in
Germany, you can already register for an internet package.

COMPARE PRICES

Just like electricity, you can compare internet packages using either of these two websites. By doing this, you can save yourself a
ton of money.

COMPARE PRICES COMPARE PRICES

PICK A PROVIDER

After you’ve compared your options, it’s time for the final decision. Depending on where in Germany you are located you may only
have one or two different providers to choose from. The best rated internet providers for English speaking expats include:

LEARN MORE LEARN MORE

SETUP PROCESS

Purchase the internet package (this can be done directly through the comparison websites too) 
Submit your information (zip code, city, address, etc.)
Wait until the contract confirmation comes through via email 
Receive the router via mail
Book an appointment for the technician to come and connect your internet line
 11: PLAN YOUR TRANSPORT
Germany is a great country to be living when it comes to transportation. They have a huge network of train lines, ample cheap bus
options and great websites to find good deals.The first thing you will need to figure out is if you will be:

  Buying a public transit pass AND/OR

  Buying/leasing a vehicle (or using a car sharing program)

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

In regards to intercity transportation, each city/region will have their own network of buses and trams. That means you’re going to
need to: 

Figure out which network you need to register a transit pass with (Google Search)

If you are planning on travelling around Germany for work or leisure, then there are a number of different options.

Flixbus has taken over the market with their unbeatable prices, that’s the only bus line I’m
going to recommend. This is the cheapest way to get around Germany (and Europe)!
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO

The national train company Deutsche Bahn is the best option when you’re looking for
great train connections and supreme service (though they do have an act for being late). 
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO

Buying out older trains, FlixTrain recently launched and killed the market with their
unbeatable prices. Their train network isn’t nearly as extensive as Deutsche Bahn, but they
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO are constantly expanding. You can get train tickets for as little as 5 Euros.

If you don’t mind catching a ride with a stranger, you also have the option to hitch a ride on
Blablacar. Prices differ among drivers, but it’s always worth checking if there are some good
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO
deals before booking a train or bus (it might also be faster by car, but not always).

TIP: You can compare your prices for public transport all around Europe (in English) on omio!

BUYING A CAR

There are a ton of great websites you can use when buying a car in Germany (we also go into detail in the Welcome Program), one of
our favorites is wirkaufendeinauto.de. You can also compare prices and perks on TARIFCHECK - you'll thank me later.

If you would like to wait to purchase a car, you can compare rental car options online (click here). Rental cars are quite affordable in
Germany!
 12: LEARN GERMAN
Take it from my experience, the best thing you can do is start to learn the language before arriving in Germany.
Depending on where you choose to live, you may or may not be able to get by when speaking only English.

In Berlin, for example, learning German is not as important. If you’re moving to a smaller city, it might be crucial
for you to learn the German language.

TIP: Once you’ve arrived in Germany, make a quick Google search on German language schools in the area, it’s
also a great way to make some new friends.

Here are some great online language schools/programs/apps you can consider:

LEARN MORE LEARN MORE

Lingoda is definitely my #1 (I took Lingoda). It is very similar
to an intensive course in the sense that you get all the info
you need and you can receive certifications for each level. All
courses are offered online via Zoom and you can pay per
class and pick the best times and days that work for you.
Each lesson is 60-minutes long.
BONUS: Keep an eye out for Lingoda's Sprint program &
where you can actually learn the language for 3 months FREE.
Babbel is an excellent option if you have limited time to
learn the language, but would still like an interactive online
learning platform. Babbel allows you to learn even if it’s at
a 10-minute per day pace and is also run via their app. So
instead of carving out 60 minutes a day, you can learn in
just 10-15 minutes and take bite-size pieces of German
each and every day. Their monthly memberships start at 7
Euros/month (but your first 7 days are free).

LEARN MORE LEARN MORE

SmarterGerman is the closest you'll get to an intensive
language setting online as you actually purchase the entire A1-
B1 package at once. So, if you're serious about learning the
language and find every excuse in the book not to, this course
will help give you the push you need. Click the link above for
10% off your entire purchase too if you'd like!
The Ling App is a fun way to learn German as it's entirely
based on playing games and matching words/images. It is very
similar to Duolingo - it's FREE and you're notified when it's
time to play some more each day, but I find that Ling has a
much better way of incorporating learning the German
grammar. You can upgrade to their 'PRO' version if you're
serious about learning German properly.
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Disclaimer: Some of the links shared with you in this document are affiliate links. If you decide to purchase something from these links,
I may make a small commission. This is of no additional charge to you. All services and products recommended in this checklist I have personal experience
with and come highly recommended by expats from around Germany.

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