# UK to Germany....think I have got it all correct in my head



## Cuttlefish

Hi all, I'm hoping to relocate to Germany in the next 3-6 months. My company now operates a virtual office so there is no barrier and we have a German affiliate who will act as my employer and will help sort things like medical insurance.

My wife is German (we've been married for 10 years+) so I am thinking that the Family Reunification Visa is the right option; we have things like an Apostille already on the marriage certificate (we got married in the US)

We're considering Frankfurt as a good central location in Germany (not as exciting as Berlin, not as expensive as Munich).

I'm looking for any resources or advice from people who have been through this process on things like:


Anything else on Visas that I need to know - have seen conflicting information on whether I need to apply now or when I get to Germany
Understanding how much of my salary will go on tax, health insurance, other mandatory contributions (I know that it will be cheaper than London, just trying to work out how much...)
Advice on how to find temporary and then permanent accommodation
Any thoughts on where to live in Frankfurt
Other things that I've missed!

Cheers for any advice or input that anyone has.
Tony


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## *Sunshine*

The answer to most of your questions depends on your specific circumstances.

For example, if you apply for a permit as the spouse of a German citizen, you technically need basic German language skills. On the other hand, if you have a recognised degree and earn enough, you could apply for a Blue Card, which doesn't require proof of language skills.

Whether or not you should apply in London also depends on how soon you'd want to start work after you arrive in Germany. BTW, are you a British citizen? 

Location really depends on your requirements regarding how often you need to fly/drive to London, your budget, and your personal preferences.


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## Cuttlefish

*Sunshine* said:


> The answer to most of your questions depends on your specific circumstances.


Thanks so much for the response _Sunshine_

I am indeed a British Citizen - my German is pretty good so I wouldn't be worried about basic German skills - I just need to try to understand if there's a clear advantage of going the Family Member route or the Blue Card route. I am going to try to talk direct to BAMF about it I think, but was just seeing if someone else had any experience with either of these options.

You are, of course, right about the location decision - very subjective stuff.

Thanks again.

Tony


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## *Sunshine*

Cuttlefish said:


> my German is pretty good so I wouldn't be worried about basic German skills - I just need to try to understand if there's a clear advantage of going the Family Member route or the Blue Card route. I am going to try to talk direct to BAMF about it I think, but was just seeing if someone else had any experience with either of these options.


Don't waste your time with the BAMF, the hotline info is not always accurate. 

If you want some free advice, just apply for a family reunification permit as the spouse of a German citizen. If you want to continue working seamlessly with your current employer, you can even apply for a visa at the German Embassy in London. The Embassy will probably try to convince you that you should just apply once you get to Germany (less work for them), however, if you receive a ' D Visum ' before you arrive it will include a work permit.

If you pass a B1 German language test at Goethe or another ALTE certified institution, you will also be exempted from the integration course. 

You can use this calculator to determine how much you'll pay in social security contributions:









Brutto-Netto-Rechner: Was von Lohn und Gehalt übrig bleibt


Wie viel Netto bleibt vom Brutto? Wie viel Steuern und Sozialversicherungsbeiträge werden von Ihrem Gehalt abgezogen? Finden Sie es heraus mit dem Brutto-Netto-Rechner.




www.spiegel.de


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## Cuttlefish

@*Sunshine* I've followed your advice and made an application for the spouse visa - thank you again. I had my appointment at the German embassy in London this week and I didn't need the certificate as my German was deemed of a high enough standard by the immigration officer there. Actually (and this is for anyone who is considering an application from the UK to Germany) the process so far has been great - the team at the embassy were all very friendly by email and phone as well as in person: a far cry from what some people might expect.

My only issue now is to decide where to live. We have an office in Munich which is what I have referenced in the application so will probably go there first, as otherwise we would need to try to change the application office within Germany. Now trying to work out all the things I have to do to officially leave the UK as well as start in Germany.


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## *Sunshine*

Cuttlefish said:


> @*Sunshine* I've followed your advice and made an application for the spouse visa - thank you again. I had my appointment at the German embassy in London this week and I didn't need the certificate as my German was deemed of a high enough standard by the immigration officer there. Actually (and this is for anyone who is considering an application from the UK to Germany) the process so far has been great - the team at the embassy were all very friendly by email and phone as well as in person: a far cry from what some people might expect.
> 
> My only issue now is to decide where to live. We have an office in Munich which is what I have referenced in the application so will probably go there first, as otherwise we would need to try to change the application office within Germany. Now trying to work out all the things I have to do to officially leave the UK as well as start in Germany.


Thanks for the update. I'm happy to hear that the visa process has gone smoothly. Most people only post negative experiences and do not bother with positive ones. 

Munich is not a bad place to start in Germany since there a few companies offering furnished temporary housing. Has your wife previously lived in Germany? Is she familiar with the different regions? Does she have family in Germany?

If you provide a little info on factors that are important to you, we could probably make a few suggestions where to live.


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## Cuttlefish

*Sunshine* said:


> Thanks for the update. I'm happy to hear that the visa process has gone smoothly. Most people only post negative experiences and do not bother with positive ones.
> 
> Munich is not a bad place to start in Germany since there a few companies offering furnished temporary housing. Has your wife previously lived in Germany? Is she familiar with the different regions? Does she have family in Germany?
> 
> If you provide a little info on factors that are important to you, we could probably make a few suggestions where to live.


We've switched to Frankfurt. Partly as I know we we won't be in Munich long term and partly for some logistical reasons. I will start a new post about locations (and another about bank accounts!)


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