# Moving to Germany; Need Logistical Ideas/Suggestions



## cowboyarcher (Feb 27, 2016)

Hi All, 

I've posted a couple of other isolated questions here regarding our planned move. To provide more clarity and perhaps gain more ideas and understanding, I thought I'd post a more thorough description of our plan. 

Our aim is to relocate our family (myself, my wife and our toddler) to Köln in September of 2016 in order to serve as unpaid volunteers (tent-makers, if that term is familiar) in a small English-speaking church. The capacity of our role will be varied, but should include helping with administrative tasks, teaching/leading groups and anything else that would facilitate the other ministries of the church. We will be strictly lay people at this time, working elsewhere and helping in our free time. 

We intend this period to be somewhat exploratory, to see how God might lead and provide for us. We are open to the possibility that we may simply hit a wall and have to return fairly quickly. 

So, as unpaid volunteers, we will need to find a way to support ourselves. God has provided us 6 months funding, but we'd like to remain for 12 months or more. This is flexible and subject to the following two issues to be sorted out: visas and additional funding. 

We have several ideas regarding solving these issues. 

I'll describe our background, education and ideas below: 

- We are all three US-born citizens 
- Native English speakers
- "Survival" German Skills (trains and food)

- I have a BS in Agriculture and an MA in Church Ministry
- My wife as a BA in both English and Graphic Design and the same MA in Church Ministry 

- We have volunteered in our local church, performing administrative and teaching/leading tasks for several years. 
- My wife has done Graphic Design intermittently on the side for several years. Otherwise, neither of us have worked in our fields of study. 
- My work background is mostly that of a simple laborer. 

Ideas:

- We intend to enter on the 90 tourist visa and apply for the extension up to 6 months, or perhaps apply for a job seekers or freelance visa. 

- I own a portion of a small nylon gear manufacturing company based in the US and will be performing some of the administrative tasks remotely. This should provide some funding to supplement out savings. 

- I have a couple of business ideas related to the online retail and a small consumer product that will require manufacturing. We have considered starting these businesses in Germany. 

- My wife is well qualified to apply for a Freelance visa in the Graphic Design field. She also has some ideas regarding an online retail possibility related to this. 

- ESL seems to be a common need worldwide. I would pursue a CELTA certification to enable this. I'm convinced this is a great possibility, but finding a sponsor might prove difficult. 

- We know of other jobs for native English speakers, but again, gaining sponsorship could be tough. Tutoring in schools, call centers and pubs all come to mind. 

We are confident in God's leading in our going this fall and that He will provide the clarity and direction in His timing. We do believe it wise to seek out possibilities at the same time. 

So, if you made it through all the above, do you see any paths that seem more promising than others? 

Thanks for all your time and help everyone, God bless you! 

Adam 









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## Nononymous (Jul 12, 2011)

I would ask God to have a word on your behalf with the Ausländerbehörde and the Arbeitsamt. It's probably your best shot.

Honestly, give up on the idea of finding work in Germany, there's really nothing you can do that an adequate supply of English speakers with EU citizenship (or spousal status) couldn't do - teaching English, working in a pub, what have you. Your wife's chances of obtaining a freelance visa would not be high, particularly with minimal German, and especially if that income was needed to support dependents. 

I would really, really give up on the idea of starting a business in Germany. Mountains of red tape, you have neither the language skills nor the experience of navigating that bureaucracy, let alone the possibility of getting a visa.

What I would recommend is what was posted earlier. If you don't want to take the risk of being sent home after 90 days, apply for a 6 or 12 month visa at the consulate. Say that you want to volunteer to work with a church. Provide letters of introduction from said church. Prove that you have sufficient savings to support yourself for this time, and adequate health insurance. You can either conceal the fact that you'll be working remotely part of time, or you can tell them that you'll be earning some "passive" income from an online business for which you'll do occasional administrative tasks - that might be acceptable.

If you were to stay past 6 months then technically you'd owe German taxes on that US-derived income, but if you were leaving after a year it would be easiest to just ignore that.


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## Nononymous (Jul 12, 2011)

Also, it occurs to me, members of the church in Köln, some of whom are presumably English-speakers living long-term in Germany, may have insights into the possibility or impossibility of your plan.


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