# France or Germany?



## Amie23 (Dec 20, 2018)

Hello, I am new here. I was born and raised (and currently still live) in the center of the US: St. Louis, MO.

I have never planned on staying in the US. Oh sure, I enjoyed visiting other states, but I always wanted to go back to the place of my ancestors: Western Europe. In particular, I've always been thrilled with the ideas of Germany and France.

I took French classes starting in 2007, and that was cut short in 2012. I took German classes starting in 2010, and that ended in 2013. I continue to practice my languages occasionally on Duolingo. I have access to Rosetta Stone (German) and an off brand Rosetta Stone (French) to relearn what I have lost. 

I realize these are two drastically different environments. However, I'm eyeing them to move for myself. 

I need help figuring out which would be better. While I would prefer France (specifically Ardennes, in Champagne-Ardenne), Germany is a close second and has some factors I can't overlook.

If I go to France, I go alone (well, with pets). If I go to Germany, I will live with my best friend (since 2013) who was born and raised and still lives in Germany. 

We made grand plans for ourselves, even discussing marrying each other (though we're not actually romantically involved really?) and having a farm. She doesn't want to learn French and move to France, as she has enough trouble with English. I understand that; I'm not common in that I love to learn languages.

But it gets more complicated. 

I'm disabled and will soon be receiving benefits from the US government. My disorders are so that I will never be able to hold a job like I always planned. (I can't even go to university, which has been a major goal of mine since I was young)

So now, it may seem odd that I want to move from my home country. But I have read I can keep my benefits if I live overseas. 

I do not know, though, if I have a farm with my best friend, will I still keep my benefits or do I enter a whole new, confusing, and complicated process?
Also, I've read I might not need to give up my US citizenship but only through a loophole in Germany? 

In France, I think I'd just get a small apartment, or if I could find others, split a house or something. I don't think I could run a farm on my own. And I am not aware of needing to renounce US citizenship to be in France. 

I think that covers everything?

I am very confused but I keep thinking on these topics because I truly want out of my current situation, and I'm an adventurous spirit. 
I've tried doing research, and to date, I've done more about Germany because that's where my best friend is. 

Any advice is welcome!


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

What a coincidence - I was born in St. Louis, too. Though I left when I was only about 3 years old, so born, but not raised there.

There are a number of considerations in what you are thinking about doing. As far as I know, any benefits you're receiving due to your handicap are payable overseas so long as they are your US Social Security benefits. If you're getting anything from the state or other local agencies, probably not. (But check that.)

Now, you don't mention how old you are, but one big issue in immigrating just about anywhere is that you need to have a "reason" of some sort to make the move if you expect to get the proper sort of visa. Having a job, with an employer to "sponsor" your application, is generally the smoothest path to take.

After that, being the spouse of a local national or an EU national is probably the other relatively "smooth" path. For Germany, you'd have to meet the requirements for a spouse visa for Germany, given that your friend is a German national. For France, if you were "joining" your friend in their move to France, the requirements are a bit easier due to EU regulations related to non-EU family members of an EU national exercising their EU rights of mobility.

Other than that, you'd need to try to qualify as as student, or possibly as a retiree, though that's dependent on your having a livable pension so you can support yourself, and possibly private health insurance (at least for your first year or so in the country).

You may want to post a few more specific questions in the France and Germany sections here on the forum. I think both countries have a residency period of 5 years or so before you can take nationality, though as you say, only Germany generally requires you to give up your original nationality (and for an American, that costs $2350 and takes a few months to process). France has some requirements regarding language ability and assimilation that can be a little trickier than they seem at first.


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## Amie23 (Dec 20, 2018)

I don't mind mentioning my age, I just didn't think about it. I'll be 24 years old in March. 

I also forgot to mention, and then couldn't figure out how to edit (turns out, I wasn't logged in) to include that I'm trying to earn money writing. I write books mostly, but I have been technically "employed" by Textbroker, an article writing company for a year or two. I don't work there much, only ever earning maybe 15 USD per month that I actually log in....
My personal books aren't published yet, but I'm working on it.

I don't know if writing would offer me a way to get into France. I'll be honest, I really prefer the idea of France. But I've always had a warm spot in my heart for Germany too and with my best friend, it would be easier in some ways. 

The only way I could be a student is if I take one or maaaaaybeee two classes at a time. From my understanding, one must be a full-time student to study in another country.
If I were able to go to school, I'd be doing 8 years to earn a doctorate in Astrobiology. Unfortunately, my doctors don't believe I'll ever be stable enough to study all that I'd need to for that, or for much of anything else, either.

I appreciate all your help! I will definitely post in the individual areas for France and Germany too!

Thank you!


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## Redworm (Feb 7, 2019)

Amie23 said:


> I don't mind mentioning my age, I just didn't think about it. I'll be 24 years old in March.
> 
> I also forgot to mention, and then couldn't figure out how to edit (turns out, I wasn't logged in) to include that I'm trying to earn money writing. I write books mostly, but I have been technically "employed" by Textbroker, an article writing company for a year or two. I don't work there much, only ever earning maybe 15 USD per month that I actually log in....
> My personal books aren't published yet, but I'm working on it.
> ...


I believe I have a good solution that will enable you to move to France through a company under the employee status. There are a lot of IT companies like Zapier offering customer service positions as remote jobs and as far as their US clients go, I reckon they would be ecstatic to have an actual American citizen to help them. Since they also have offices in Europe, you could kindly tell them about your plans and ask them if they can help you with the necessary documents. This way, you'd have a steady income from a work that you can do at home next to your pets and Ardennes was a disputed territory between France and Germany in the WW1 anyway, so it wouldn't be far removed from Germany either.


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