# US Citizen moving to Germany to be with GF (INFO needed)



## Sully4

So after doing research for hours on end, I came across this forum and decided to ask all of you if you have information that could help me. I am 23 yr old US citizen looking to move to Germany to be with my GF. She starts her education for her job in August and will have her own place. I've recently visited for 4 weeks (all of april) and I love it and could see myself moving there. Right now, I've been working at best buy for just about 4 years and looking for a second job so I can save more money and move between september and october. I've been researching on how to get a permanent residence visa while I live with my GF in Leipzig. I only have a HS Degree and went to College but did not finish. If anyone could help me with any possible information that could help me, that would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.


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## Bevdeforges

A couple key questions: (1) How well do you speak German? and (2) Do you have or can you get any kind of "qualification" for work?

The Germans are very big on "qualifications" - be they apprenticeships or other forms of career training. If you want to get a job in Germany, you're going to need some form of job training with a certificate or diploma. The joke used to be that, to qualify for just about any type of job in Germany, you need to complete a three-year training program. And you're going to need to speak enough German to get by, if only to understand your boss.

The German consulate websites for the US have the visa requirements - and they aren't as tough as many other countries in Europe - but the wild card is that the local Ausländeramt may have some requirements of their own before they'll issue you a residence permit. Perhaps your GF could do a little research on her end for you - what the local Ausländeramt will require (like a job) and/or if you might be able to enroll in a job training program over in Germany when you arrive.
Cheers,
Bev


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## Sully4

Thank you for your reply. My German is okay/basic. Since January, i've been learning it on Rosetta Stone and plan on doing so until I move. I also planned to take a language course once I got to Germany because I will teach me sentence structures in German and etc. As for certifications go, I have only graduated High School and have a High School Diploma. I did go to college but stop going after 1 year and a half due to personal reasons. I've been working at Best Buy for 4 years now so that's the only real solid thing I have. I planned on getting a Best Buy letter head stating when I worked there and what jobs I performed along with referrals from old managers and supervisors stating how well I worked and what I did. I hope it is enough for me to work. My GF and I did discuss the possibility of marriage but I did see that would be a last option if all else fails. We did want to wait but sometimes you have to do what you have to do.


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