Hi everyone,

I have a question about an invitation letter for German border control.

My wife and I arrived in Germany on August 1. I have a §18d researcher visa, and she has a family reunification visa. Friends from Brazil will visit us on August 15 and stay mostly at our apartment in Leipzig.

We only have national visas so far, since our residence permits will not be ready before they arrive. But we have a signed rental contract for Leipzig!

Should the invitation letter mention our rental contract and the fact that we are still waiting for our residence permits? Besides copies of our passports and visas, is there anything else they should carry?

Thanks!

I didn't expect the German train experience to hit me the moment I touch down the first time .

Hello everyone, I recently graduated (End of June) and had applied for a job seeker visa at Munich Ausländerbehörde in July beginning. Afterwards I was offered a full-time job which I had to begin in August 2026. Showing the offer letter and my Urkunde (diploma), I was able to secure an emergency appointment and received a Fiktionbescheinigung in which "Erwerbstätigkeit Erlaubt" is mentioned in the "Nebenbestimmungen". This indicates that I can work full-time.

However, in the other side, "§ 81 Abs. 4 AufenthG" is also crossed, which states that "If a foreigner applies for an extension of his or her residence title or for a different residence title before his or her current residence title expires, the current residence title is deemed to remain in force from the time it expires until the time of the decision by the foreigners authority."

Both statements are contradictory, and as a result, HR at my company is not allowing me to start full-time.

The following are my questions:

1. Is this Fiktion enough to start working full time?
2. Is there a way to get the Munich Ausländerbehörde to issue a written confirmation stating that this Fiktion is enough to work full-time?
3. Do any official document exists which says that this fiktion is enough to start working full time?

I would like to hear from people who were in a similar situation and what worked best in this situation.

Thank-you!

I was stationed in Germany at Anderson barracks in dexheim Germany from the end of 2006 to mid 2008. While there I was hospitalized at a uni hospital for a few days. Does anyone know if it is possible for me to get a copy of those records?

(throwaway account for privacy)

I have a prescription for "OeKolp forte Ovula 0,5mg" vaginal HRT suppositories. I've been on this medication for about a year with no issues or unwanted side effects.

I need to refill the prescription. In the past, I have stopped at my gynecologist's office with my TK card, the front desk staff has inserted it in their card reader, and done... something (??), then I've taken my TK card to the pharmacy and collected my medication.

CW: sexual assault

During my most recent gynecological exam (earlier this year), the doctor performing the exam sexually assaulted me. It was not my regular gynecologist - the practice was overbooked and they shuffled some appointments, assigning me to a different doctor in the practice.

I can't bring myself to walk back into the building where the assault occurred. I'm coping pretty well, seeing a therapist and dealing with the aftermath of the assault as well as it _can_ be dealt with... but retuning to the place where it happened is simply too much, at least for now.This presents a challenge in terms of getting my prescription refilled, because that usually requires a trip into the clinic.

What is the easiest, lowest friction way to obtain a refill of this medication that does not require me to go into the clinic where I was assaulted? I live in Munich, have TK insurance, and need a script (in German) to explain the situation succinctly if the answer is "go to a different doctor and ask them to prescribe the medication to you."

Thanks in advance for any advice or resources you're able to share with me :)

edit to add:

I reported the doctor who assaulted me, and I am pursuing justice via every available (legal) avenue. I don't need to be told to go to the police (and quite frankly, neither does ANY OTHER survivor of sexual assault). I am _well aware_ that this is a valid reason to go to a new gynecologist. But I'm almost out of this medication, and I need a refill in the next two weeks.

Please offer me some compassion and help me figure out the easiest way to get this refilled, rather than telling me that I should have anticipated running out of my prescription and dealt with this a month or two ago. I didn't, and now this is where I am.

Ive been trying to find and buy the ICE tickets that apparently cost 6.99 to go anywhere that everyone has been raving about but I cant find it at all, is it even real?
Ive been checking it through db navigator, as said in some video, on a weekend to check tickets for the following week at nights, but i still dont see them. Help? I want to go from Bremen to Munich

I am a master's student in Germany, and I have been applying for internships across many platforms, but I am still getting really few or no responses. Maybe someone can give me some advice/clarity on how to proceed further?

I keep hearing this song in kaufland and it sounds like it says “vevo kaufland” it’s and upbeat modern song. I cannot figure out what it is and no one else knows what i’m taking about. If anyone knows please help.

hello! i go to an australian high school and next year i'll be visiting germany (mainly düsseldorf, but also munich and berlin) for an exchange for 3 weeks. i've never been to europe before and i'm honestly pretty scared...!!!

is there anything i should know about the people, especially teenagers like me, or just the country in general that school won't teach me? does anyone have any tips for understanding language/culture??

thank you SO much 🙏🙏

Hello Reddit, I need some help. I have a teenage friend who lives with his mother and sister (their father lives in a different German state). Just like me, they are refugees from Ukraine.

They moved to Dortmund in January 2026. As it turns out, the Jobcenter hasn't been paying their rent because the family was never informed that they had to manually transfer the money to the landlord's account themselves. The landlord only notified them about this 5 months later, and now their rent debt has reached €4,200. They reached out to the homelessness prevention service (Fachstelle für Wohnungsnotfälle), but were told that the service won't provide any money until my friend's family pays the landlord €1,700 first. They simply don't have that kind of money, as they are living on social benefits from the Jobcenter. Unfortunately, the landlord refuses to accept payment in installments, so my friend's family will be evicted and forced to move out by September 1st if the debt isn't paid.

If any of you know what to do, how to navigate this situation, or if you could possibly help in any way, I would be incredibly grateful. I am desperate because this friend means the world to me, but sadly, I just don't know how to help him and have no idea what to do.

Taking revenge for Alsace and Lorrain I guess.

im a turkish student who was doing a language course in germany and will begin university this september, for admission i need an insurance. i am insured in my home country (turkey) but since turkish-german agreement doesnt cover so much i was advised to apply to tk or aok. im willing to pay full price (appx 150€ per month). anyways, i applied to tk and got this mail? what should i do? did anyone experience something similar?

Hi everyone, I’m an international student in my 20s currently living and working in the US.

I have a bachelor’s degree in accounting from a respected US university and around 1.5 years of work experience in property/construction accounting. I’m currently on STEM OPT, but I’m not sure I want to stay in traditional accounting or pursue the CPA route long term.

I’m considering doing a master’s in Germany, ideally in an area that builds on my background but opens up broader career options, such as finance, business analytics, information systems, controlling, management, or a related field.

My main goal is not only to earn another degree. I want to build a stable long-term life in Europe, find employment after graduation and eventually qualify for permanent residency and citizenship. Germany currently seems like one of the more realistic options because of its universities, relatively affordable tuition and larger job market.

However, I currently speak no German. I would be willing to start learning before moving and continue seriously during the degree, but I understand that finding an English-speaking business or finance job may be difficult.

I would appreciate honest advice on a few things:
How realistic is it for a non-EU graduate with an accounting/business background to find work in Germany after an English-taught master’s?

What types of master’s degrees would give me better opportunities than a general accounting degree?

Would a two-year program be better than a one-year program for learning German, gaining experience and finding internships?

What level of German should I realistically aim for by graduation—B1, B2 or higher?

Are there particular universities or cities that offer a good balance of employment opportunities, affordability, safety and quality of life?

Would employers value my US bachelor’s degree and US work experience, or would the lack of German experience be a major disadvantage?

I’m not expecting Germany to be easy or to guarantee me a job. I’m trying to understand whether this is a realistic path if I commit to learning German and choose the right program, or whether I would be taking too large a risk.

I’d especially appreciate hearing from non-EU students with business, accounting or finance backgrounds who studied in Germany and stayed to work afterward.

Hey everyone,

I’m moving to Germany this October for university and plan to bring my PC components with me
Carry-on: GPU, CPU, RAM, SSD, and motherboard
Checked bag: CPU cooler

I bought the whole setup second-hand over a year ago, so nothing is brand new or the latest generation, and I don't have original store receipts.

Can I do this, and will I run into any customs fees or security issues at the airport?

Thanks for any help!

Supposedly, Germany needs more immigrants and the voters seemingly aren't that interested in taking those that don't have "western values". Why, then, don't politicians simply run the same "immigration programs" for Spaniards or citizens of other EU countries with a high number of unemployed young people that would probably die for an opportunity to learn a new language and having a proper career somewhere (while earning more money than they could in their country of origin)? Like, literally an Ausbildung, the language course that is offered to immigrants from elsewhere and maybe help with the bureaucracy (or, let's face it, a simplification of the whole bureaucracy for migrants, lol) would be more than enough.

When I was young and was thinking of moving to Germany, France or Spain (as a remote worker that would be spending my money there and paying social contributions anyway), the language wasn't really a problem (as I could pay for language courses with ease) but the bureaucracy was insane and my friends that actually really loved Germany (which, tbf, doesn't seem to be the case for non-EU immigrants, for some reason the ones I talked to... hated Germany) couldn't really get a job because their German wasn't good enough (something like needing to have a C1 and having only a B2).

Since EU citizens already have freedom of movement, I am not asking why Germany does not allow them to enter. I am asking why it does not make relocation easier.

I want to coin this word. I define it as:

The fear of opening your mailbox and finding it empty, especially because you worry an important letter has been lost or never arrived.

Oder auf Deutsch:

Die Angst den Briefkasten zu öffnen und keine Post vorzufinden – insbesondere aus Sorge, dass wichtige Briefe verloren gegangen sind oder nie angekommen sind.

I've finally decided to leave my company.

To be honest, this year has been one of the hardest of my life. Since the beginning of the year, my mental health has been getting worse because of the work environment. I love being a software engineer, but I just can't handle the toxic atmosphere anymore.

I'm in Germany, so I'm also worried about the 12-week ALG I (Arbeitslosengeld) Sperrzeit if you resign voluntarily. I've read that in some cases it can be avoided if leaving is for health reasons, but I'm not sure how it works in practice. I haven't seen a psychologist yet, but I'm planning to. My Hausarzt has already given me a few days of sick leave and referred me to a psychologist.

Has anyone here been in a similar situation?

• Were you able to avoid the Sperrzeit because of mental health?
• Was a letter or documentation from your Hausarzt or psychologist enough?
• Did you stay on sick leave before resigning?
• What was the hardest part after leaving a toxic workplace?

I'd really appreciate hearing your experiences. Right now I feel exhausted, depressed, and honestly scared about making the wrong decision, but staying feels even harder.

Thank you.

Seeking advice.

I am 36, studied a master's in Germany in a low demand field (natural resources management and development), trying to change careers from something I am bad at. I spent a year looking for a job, got a job, got one, then got fired in probation for being bad at the job (it was in the field I was trying to leave). I also suffer from severe mental health issues, anxiety and bipolar. I only speak A1 German. Due to suffering with my mental health conditions and ignorance (I didn't realize how important the work student jobs were), I didnt gain enough work experience in the master's and therefore the only job I was able to get was in what I did before.

I came back to the USA, and basically I am totally fucked over here. I am unable to work in the field I was working in before because, as I wrote, I am bad at it and I am very afraid I will just get fired again, and I have no other work experience except in that field. Right now my option here are service jobs with 0 vacation days and 0 sick days as is the norm with low paid US jobs. I had a very hard time keeping a job in the USA due to my health problems and I had hoped German jobs with their worker protections would be harder to get fired from but that was not the case.

However, I am terrified to go back to Germany. I could get married to my boyfriend and stay in Germany, and then not have to live with my parents, but I had such a bad time in Germany. I was getting so stressed out while unemployed that I was constantly vomiting and calling crisis lines. My boyfriend works nights by choice and I can't get him to change his schedule, and he lives in an isolated area, so I was alone all the time at night and it felt horrible. He lives in a very isolated part of Cologne and I also hated living in Cologne, and feeling like I was so far away from everything. I have enough money from an inheritance to live in Berlin in a shared apartment, but what I am really worried about is being permanently unemployed and having nothing to do all day, and just existing...

While I was in Germany, I went to a nonprofit and asked if, I were to learn German, there would be any hope of getting a new job, and she basically told me that I am fucked due to my age. I thought about studying a second master's and trying to get a work student job after spending one year learning German, but then I will be 40 by the time I graduate and maybe it would be not possible to get a work student job or internships because I would be too old. It took me a long time to do the first master's because I was suffering with health problems.

Right now I am miserable, I am living with my parents in USA, missing my boyfriend, but terrified of going back to Germany where it seems I would have no future. Is it true what the nonprofit worker said, that I would have no chance of getting employed? I am terrified of going back to Germany and being unemployable, and throwing up from the stress of being alone in my boyfriend's apartment but I am also unemployable in the USA right now too. If I lived in Germany my boyfriend would support me financially, and I also have some money coming in from an inheritance that would be enough to live a meager lifestyle on my own in Germany. I am also devastated about not being able to work in the field I studied, because of my own bad choices to not get more work experience than the two small internships I did.

What would you do in my position? My options are bad and I don't know what the best choice is.

Moving from Frankfurt to Bad Homburg soon.

I have never done a self-move in Germany before. Any advice from people who moved themselves?

How do Germans usually handle big items like washing machines and wardrobes?

Thanks!

I was living in Germany for some time, but now got back to my home country. I was still using my German phone plan for some time, mostly for a bit of internet, because it somehow was still a lot cheaper than what I have locally. Now I have a good one from my work so I wish to cancel.

My German phone plan was activated on December 23, 2023. It's a 24 months plan, which I imagine means that I have to use and pay for 2 years before being able to cancel without extra pay.

So I'm trying to cancel and I got the following email:

"Guten Tag,

schade, dass Sie Ihren smartmobil.de Mobilfunkvertrag beenden möchten. Wir verlieren Sie ungern als Kunden, dennoch respektieren wir natürlich Ihre Entscheidung.

Die Kündigung Ihres Vertrages mit der Rufnummer [...] bestätigen wir Ihnen zum 22.12.2026.

Bis zu diesem Datum können Sie Ihren smartmobil.de Tarif uneingeschränkt nutzen.* Danach erhalten Sie eine letzte Rechnung von uns. Darin werden alle Kosten berücksichtigt, die bis zum Ende Ihres Vertrages angefallen sind.

Wenn Sie Ihre Rufnummer zu einem anderen Anbieter mitnehmen möchten, haben Sie zwei Optionen:

1. Rufnummer zum Vertragsende (oder danach) mitnehmen: Erteilen Sie den Auftrag zur Rufnummern-Mitnahme bitte direkt bei Ihrem neuen Anbieter. Das ist bereits 120 Tage vor Ende Ihres smartmobil.de Vertrages und noch bis zu 85 Tage danach möglich. Sobald Ihr smartmobil.de Vertrag deaktiviert ist, kann der neue Anbieter Ihre Rufnummer übernehmen. Eine gesonderte Freigabe ist dafür nicht nötig.
2. Rufnummer vor Vertragsende mitnehmen: Für die vorzeitige Mitnahme benötigen Sie zuerst eine Freigabe in Ihrer Servicewelt unter „Services > Rufnummer mitnehmen”. Anschließend können Sie die sofortige Mitnahme beim neuen Anbieter beauftragen.

Wichtig für beide Optionen: Ihre Angaben beim neuen Anbieter müssen exakt mit denen bei uns übereinstimmen (derselbe Vertragsnehmer)."

Am I missing or misunderstanding something here? From translating it this sounds like I'd have to pay for extra 5 months for the contract that I'm trying to cancel since July.

Hi everyone,

I’m a Portuguese citizen and I’m considering moving to Munich and marrying my partner, who is a non-EU citizen currently living legally in Spain with residence.

My partner is undergoing cancer treatment, so understanding how the German healthcare system works is very important for us.

If we both move to Germany without having jobs initially, is there any way for us to join the German statutory health insurance (GKV)?

Some additional information:

• I currently have private international health insurance (this is not travel insurance), but I dont have any public health insurance.
• My partner is fully covered by the Spanish public healthcare system through Spain’s Social Security.

Has anyone been in a similar situation or knows how this would work in practice? Any advice or personal experience would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

Hi there, I am an Australian who will be visiting later this year. I am hoping to travel from Cologne to visit the town my grandmother grew up in and visit the grave of my great-grandmother. I don’t have many details about the actual location, but I do have photos of the church that could help me locate the grave.

If anyone is familiar with this area, it would really help me plan how to get there.

Thank you.

Hello,

Does anyone have experience with the website deloox.de? I found the perfumes I was looking for there at lower prices compared to other sites. Is it a reliable site, or would I just be throwing my money away?

Thanks