Germany is one of the main immigration destinations in the world. However, things that make it so attractive can at the same time make a life of a potential immigrant very difficult.
You must have a good reason to move. That includes studies, work, family reunification or marriage, own business in the country or national roots. Of course, the country provides asylum to refugees.
Germany has a high standard of living, and skilled labor is well paid. The laws are strictly observed in the country, so that citizens could enjoy numerous freedoms.
Local residents are calm about representatives of other ethnic groups and religions. This is not surprising, because more than a quarter of modern Germans have foreign roots.
The authorities of the country consider the relocation of skilled migrants to be one of the priorities, so they try to create favorable conditions for them. However, not everyone is welcomed. But more on that later.
Both locals and foreigners enjoy such social benefits as high-quality medicine and education. Schools and universities in Germany are free of charge, and German universities are considered among the best in the world.
Germany only allows second citizenship in exceptional cases, so you will need to choose which of the passports is more important to you. Those who earn a lot have to expect high income taxes. The German bureaucracy is the reverse side of order. You will need to collect a lot of documents, and an error can be expensive. Violators of numerous rules have to pay high fines.
The relocation scheme is similar for most cases. The first step is to understand on what basis you will do this and whether your chances are good. After that, you will need to collect the documents and get a national D visa. You can move to the country on the basis of it and apply for a residence permit, necessarily on the same basis. After a few years of residence in the country, you can apply for permanent residence, and sometimes immediately for citizenship.
One of the main requirements is knowledge of German. For some migration options, the entry level A1 is sufficient, for others you will need to know it well.
The main package includes:
All documents must be translated into German and notarized.
Getting a degree in Germany is one of the best options for moving. It will be much easier for a specialist with a German diploma and experience of living in Germany to find a job than for a foreigner who is trying to do it from abroad. And after graduation their parents or other relatives can move to the country.
German education is highly valued in the world, and studying at the university is free. The student only needs to pay a semester fee (up to €300 per half-year), which finances preferential travel, access to the library, additional courses, etc. The only exception is the universities of Baden-Württemberg, where one semester costs about €1,500.
There are no entrance exams in German universities, but there are a number of general requirements for applicants:
An intermediate stage may be a year of study at a university in their home country or in another country, but many students come to Germany in Studienkolleg. These are special educational institutions attached to universities, which during the year "pull up" foreigners to study in German universities. Studying there is also free (again, except for Baden-Württemberg), but the student will have to pay for their life in Germany in full, so applicants are checked for the availability of funds for living in the country. In addition, they have quite serious entrance exams.
During their studies, students can work, but with restrictions. In general, employment should not exceed 20 hours per week with a maximum salary of €450 per month. You can work more on the territory of the university in a specialty close to the training profile (assistant at the department).
Besides the general package you will also need:
In 2020, a new migration law took effect in Germany, which significantly simplified the movement of specialists with higher and special education to the country. Unlike many other EU countries, such a noticeable obstacle as the mandatory pre-publication of a vacancy in the general database has disappeared. This created an advantage in getting a job for residents of the European Union, and now foreigners compete with them on an equal footing.
However, another important requirement has not gone away: the language knowledge. You must have a certificate with a level not lower than B1, for doctors the lower threshold is B2. As well as a diploma confirming the qualification. But, if you have these documents, you can move to the country, even without having a contract on hand. However, you will need to confirm the availability of means of subsistence for the months that you will be looking for work.
A foreign diploma or other document attesting to the acquired profession must be compared with the German one. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has created a special database, which includes most of the educational institutions of the world with a note on the comparability of diplomas. If your specialty or university is not included in the database or there is no match for the diploma, you will need to evaluate the document of education. This is done at the Office for Foreign Education (ZAB).
However, it's not enough for a number of positions. There are so-called "regulated professions" in the country, which include doctors, engineers, lawyers, teachers and architects. Representatives of these specialties will need to additionally study, undergo practical training, and pass state exams. Learn more about this on a special resource.
The most comfortable option for immigration for professionals is the Blue Card. To obtain it, the applicant must meet the following conditions:
Learn more about the features of the Blue Card in Germany.
To move on a professional basis, you will need:
Those who are going to open their own business or conduct a private practice can get a residence permit in Germany. It is not necessary to make an impressive investment or specifically create jobs. The main thing is to present a convincing business plan, from which it will be clear that you are actually going to develop a business in the country that is useful for the economy as a whole or for a particular land. Although they usually talk about IT and innovation, it can be a company of any field of activity.
Wealthy foreigners can move to Germany without starting a business, buying a house or even passing a German proficiency exam. It is enough to rent a house or apartment, and the most important thing is to show a sufficient level of income. Formally, the amount is not specified in the law, but according to the experience of lawyers, the capital in various assets (company shares, securities, real estate, etc.) should be at least €1 million, and the monthly passive income must start from €5,000.
It is assumed that the person moving under this program will take a rest. However, if their relatives have a desire to work for hire or start their own business, they can do it only with a special permit.
You can move to Germany on a fiancé visa, if your permanent partner lives in this country. At the same time, you will not be required to have a good knowledge of the language (A1 level is enough), nor to confirm your finances. However, you need to prepare for the fact that the country will check the reality of your relationship. For 3-4 years after the move, the authorities may be interested in whether your marriage exists in reality.
In Germany, as in most EU countries, same-sex marriage is legal, so the partner's gender will not be an obstacle to obtaining a permit.
If the marriage is concluded on the territory of your country, the reason for the move will be family reunification.
The closest relatives of a German citizen or a person who has a permanent status there have the right to enter upon family reunification: the official spouses and minor children or parents (in relation to the minor children) of the citizens of Germany. Those wishing to move elderly parents or other relatives will have to prove that they need medical care or permanent care, as well as make financial commitments.
Ethnic Jews or their descendants residing in the former USSR (with the exception of the Baltic States) have the right to immigrate to Germany. It is necessary that at least one of the parents or grandparents be a Jew, with grandfathers everything is more difficult.
There are several requirements for candidates: they must not be adherents of other religions other than Judaism, do not have a residence permit in Israel, the United States or other countries outside the CIS, no criminal record and no significant positions in the former USSR.
There is another important point: they should have a favorable forecast of integration. This is a system for assessing the chances of immigrants to integrate into German society and provide for themselves. Young people (ideally under 30) with higher education and work experience have good chances (and thus opportunities to succeed in their new homeland). Having children, knowing German and having relatives in Germany also increases the chances.
Read more on that here.
Ethnic Germans from the territory of the Soviet Union and a number of Eastern European countries in the post-war years with their direct descendants, have the right to be repatriated to Germany. Accordingly, to prove that you belong to the German people, you will need to find the documents of your ancestors, demonstrate your metrics with the indication of German nationality and knowledge of the language at least level B1.
An important point is that after collecting the documents, you will need to submit a preliminary application to the Federal Administrative Office (Bundesverwaltungsamt, BVA). If the answer is positive, you can count on permanent residence. Learn more about the Spätaussiedler program.
Germany grants asylum to refugees, but under certain conditions. First, it is necessary to arrive in the country legally and directly from the homeland, and not through third countries. The second is to provide convincing evidence that you or your immediate family members were actually harassed in your home country.
We are talking about harassment on the basis of race, nationality, religion, political views, belonging to minorities, and so on. Also, those who have fled from war, mass starvation and other disasters can get asylum. If a refugee enters the country illegally, they still have a chance to get asylum, but the approach will be much stricter.
A German passport gives you additional rights, compared to a residence permit or permanent residence, but to get it you will have to give up your first citizenship, so not everyone takes this step.
The main requirements for obtaining it are the permanent residence in the country on the basis of legal status. The minimum term varies depending on the reason for the move and ranges from 3 to 8 years. The second mandatory point is the knowledge of German at the level of at least B1. At a higher level, it is possible to get a passport faster.
It is also necessary that the candidate is integrated into German life (has a job, recognizes common values, etc.). For the last point, you will need to pass the citizenship test and answer 33 not too difficult questions about the state structure, culture, and history of the country. You can check the questionary here.