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Becoming an Expat

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Sweisner46

I’m exploring the requirements for moving to Germany. I am of German descent. My great-grandparents were all from Germany and Austria. My family names are Weisner, Leukert and Schlemmer. I am 70+ years old and want to remove myself from the US. The values that I have held close to my heart no longer exists for over 1/2 of this country. I want to be some place where I could live comfortably on my retirement income, connect with other expats and be centrally located to enjoy frequent European travel.

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The Working Holiday Visa for GermanyWork visas for GermanyStudent VisaResident VisaA new digital portal to apply for a German visa.
beppi

Your presumed German ancestry (and your wish to leave your country) will not help, unless you are entitled to German citizenship - which you should check. (In that case, you could settle here with no further requirements, but of course German language skills would help in finding a happy life.)

Since there is no visa type for foreign retirees coming to Germany, you would need one for another reason. What would that be, other than "living comfortably on your retirement income"?

(Please also note that joining the German health insurance system, which is compulsory, can be prohibitively expensive at your age.)

TominStuttgart

Sorry but being of German decent or having a German name is irrelevant unless you were born to German citizen parents. Even grandparents don’t count. This won’t get you citizenship or a pathway to immigrate. Most non-Schengen people immigrate through having highly demanded job skills, studying, doing research or marrying a German.  Not forbidden to retire to Germany per se but unlike many other countries there are no real advantages for people to do so. More Germans go elsewhere; often warmer countries like Spain to retire than come to Germany.


One would have to at least prove a good guaranteed income to live without any social assistance. And health care is NOT free, despite what one reads on social media. Everyone is required to be covered. But you are too old to get into a public option. Private coverage at your age will not be cheap, although possibly cheaper and better than in the US. Not sure if a well off retiree needs to pass a German test of any kind, (many immigrants need at least an A1 level) but to get along comfortably without constantly being in need of assistance, one should learn the language say to A2 or B1. B1 is needed for any long term residency permit or naturalization.


Not to discourage the idea; I find Germany great. But the pathway to immigrate is not simple and while one can survive in Germany as a tourist without knowing  the local language, one will not thrive or likely be happy long-term without it.

nefertiti146

Hellow! Thank you very mucho for your answer, it helps me too much. Kind regards

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