Welcome to

Germany
Information for Immigrants
www.bamf.de
1
About this Brochure
Are you planning to move to Germany? Or did you arrive recently,
intending to stay here permanently? Taking a step like this involves a
lot of changes. This brochure has been designed to help you nd your
way in Germany. It contains basic information to help you settle in
more easily and quickly in your new home and integrate into life here.
On the following pages you will nd:
Important information for your life in Germany
Useful telephone numbers, recommended reading and contact
addresses
Tips to make your everyday life easier
There are probably many questions you want to ask: How can I
nd work? Where can I improve my German? What documents
are important? Where can my children go to school? The informa-
tion on the following pages will help you nd the answers to these
questions and many more. You will also nd some advice about
who you can contact for more specic advice, such as the staff of
the migration advice ofces in the area where you live. Solutions
to many problems can also often be found simply by asking your
neighbours, colleagues and friends.
Welcome to Germany online, too
Extra information about the topics dealt with in this brochure can
be found in a selection of languages on the website of the Federal
Ofce for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) at:
www.bamf.de/willkommen-in-deutschland.
Information for ethnic German resettlers
If you are coming to Germany as an ethnic German resettler (Sptaus-
siedler), there is a special brochure with particular information
relevant to your situation. It is called Willkommen in Deutschland
Zusatzinformationen fr Sptaussiedler (Welcome to Germany Ad-
ditional information for ethnic German resettlers). It can be ordered
from the government publication ofce Publikationsversand der
Bundesregierung (see the back cover of this brochure for the address).
About this Brochure
3 2
Do you have questions about
rights of residence in Germany?
Read more on page 24.
Do
rig
Re
You need comprehensive
advice? There is more about
this on page 18.
Do you need information
about shopping and consu mer
protection? There is more
about this on page 104.
Are you looking for
accommodation?
Read more on page 48.
Youre looking for work?
There is more about
this on page 34.
You want to get to know
more people in the area
where you live? There is more
about this on page 110.
Yo
ad
th
Do you want to learn
German? There is more
about this on page 12.
Do y
abo
prot
abo
What types of insurance
are important for you?
Read more on page 92.
Guide to this Brochure
You need to know where your
children can go to school?
Read more on page 68.
What t
are imp
Read m
Are you in need of help
because you are ill? There is
more about this on page 80.
Do you need a visa
in order to enter Germany?
Read more on page 8.
Do you need advice because
you are expecting a child?
There is more about
this on page 56.
Guide to this Brochure
4
5
I. Entering Germany 8
1. Entry regulations 8
2. Information about subsequent immigration of spouses 10
II. Learning German 12
1. Integration courses: Language and more 12
2. German for professional purposes 16
3. German for children and young people 17
III. Information and Advice 18

1. Migration advice for adult immigrants 18
2. Youth migration services Advice for young people
with a migrant background 21
3. Information service of the Federal Ofce for Migration and Refugees 22
4. Using the internet to nd information 22
IV. Residence and Naturalisation 24
1. Contacts regarding your right of residence 24
2. Information regarding right of residence 26
3. Naturalisation 29
V. Work and Career 34
1. Recognition of foreign qualications and documents 35
2. Careers advice, job and training placement services 37
3. Professional further education 41
4. Setting up a business and self-employment 42
5. Employment law: Working hours, holiday allowance and illness 44
6. Income and taxes 46
Contents
Contents
6
VI. Housing 48
1. Looking for accommodation 48
2. What happens after I have moved? 50
3. Support from the state 51
4. Rent and tenancy law 52

VII. Children and Family 56
1. Pregnancy and maternity protection 56
2. Parental leave and parental allowance 59
3. Child allowance and supplementary child allowance 62
4. Types of childcare 65
5. Disputes, crises and violence in the family 66
VIII. School, Training and Studying 68
1. The school system and types of school in Germany 68
2. Vocational training 74
3. Studying in Germany 76
4. Adult education 78
IX. Health and Preventive Health Care 80
1. Help in the case of illness and accidents 80
2. Preventive medical check-ups and vaccinations 83
3. AIDS counselling 86
4. Drug and addiction counselling 88
5. Participation of people with disabilities 90

7
X. Banks and Insurance 92
1. Money and methods of payment 92
2. Statutory social insurance 94
3. Property and personal insurance 102
XI. Shopping and Consumer Protection 104
1. Shopping and paying 104
2. Warranty and guarantee 106
3. Right of withdrawal 107
XII. Associations and Organisations 110
1. Associations and clubs 110
2. Migrant organisations 112
XIII. Life in Germany 114
1. The political and legal system 114
2. Political involvement and political parties 117
3. Integration councils and advisory boards 118
4. Religion 119
Index 122
In Case of Emergency 126
Contents
88
I. Entering Germany
1. Entry regulations
Citizens of an EU Member State can enter Germany without a
visa. Other foreign nationals normally require a visa.
Application procedure
You have to apply for a visa in person before travelling to Ger-
many. The application should be made in your home country at
the German diplomatic mission responsible for the area where
you live. Before you travel to the diplomatic mission, it is best to
nd out what documents you need to bring and if there are any
special requirements you need to full. This information about
the visa application procedure is available on the website of the
embassy or consulate responsible, or by calling them. You can
nd an overview of all the different types of German missions
abroad with their contact addresses and telephone numbers on
the Federal Foreign Ofce website: www.diplo.de. This website
also provides general information about entering Germany and
the regulations that apply to visas. The fee for a visa is generally
60 euro per person.
On average, the diplomatic missions need between two and
ten working days to process an application for a short-stay visa
(up to three months stay). During holiday seasons this can take
longer. If you need a visa for a longer stay, please be prepared
for your application to take several months. Please also note
that there are large numbers of visitors to many German
A visa is not required for semi-annual visits of up to three months for nationals
of those countries for which the European Union has abolished the visa require-
ment. You can nd out if this applies to your country of citizenship by visiting the
Foreign Ofce website www.diplo.de or enquiring at one of Germanys diplo-
matic missions abroad.
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99
Entering Germany
missions abroad, which means that an appointment often
needs to be arranged in advance and that you may have to wait
a long time there.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
If you would like to work in Germany you generally need to apply for a visa,
unless you are a national of an EU Member State, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway
or Switzerland.
10
Internet:
Foreign Ofce: www.diplo.de,
menu item Entry and Residence
German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD): www.daad.de
E-mail:
Foreign Ofce Help Desk: [email protected]
Telephone:
Foreign Ofce Help Desk:
+49 30 1817-2000 (Monday to Friday, 9 am3 pm)
Where to get more information
2. Information about subsequent immigration
of spouses
If a foreign spouse wants to come and permanently stay with
their partner who lives in Germany, but the foreign spouse is
not a citizen of an EU Member State, they will need to provide
evidence that their command of the German language is suf-
cient to have simple conversations before they enter Germany.
This obligation to prove basic language skills when applying
for a visa exists regardless of whether their spouse in Germany
is a German citizen or not. Having a command of the German
language will make it easier for them to participate in German
society from the outset.
You can nd out more about what is meant by basic knowledge in the leaf-
let Evidence of basic knowledge of the German language in the event of the
subsequent immigration of spouses from abroad available to order or down-
load from the website of the Federal Ofce for Migration and Refugees at
www.bamf.de/publikationen.
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11
Exceptions
There are some exceptions to this requirement, including cases
where:
The spouse resident in Germany is employed as a researcher
or highly-skilled worker and the marriage took place before
they entered Germany.
The spouse seeking to enter Germany is incapable of demon-
strating basic knowledge of the German language due to a
physical, psychological or mental illness or disability.
Locally:
Foreigners Authority
Migration advice for adult immigrants
Youth migration services
Internet:
Federal Ofce for Migration and Refugees:
www.bamf.de/ehegattennachzug
Information about proving basic German language skills for spouses
planning subsequent entry: Goethe Institute: www.goethe.de,
menu item: Learning German/Immigration of spouses
E-mail:
Information service of the Federal Ofce for Migration and Refu-
gees: [email protected]
Telephone:
Information service of the Federal Ofce for Migration and
Refugees: +49 911 943-6390 (Monday to Friday, 9 am12 noon)
Brochures:
Federal Ofce for Migration and Refugees (on the website
www.bamf.de/publikationen):
Evidence of basic knowledge of the German language in
the event of the subsequent immigration of spouses from
abroad (available in many languages)
Where to get more information
Entering Germany
12
II. Learning German
There are many ways to learn German: Schools, universities,
cultural centres, clubs and associations, adult education col-
leges and private language schools all offer German language
courses. Do not think that the most expensive course has to be
the best. Instead, compare them carefully. How many lesson
hours are on offer? How many students are in each class? What
are the contents of the course? What training and qualica-
tions do the teachers have?
1. Integration courses: Language and more
The integration course (Integrationskurs) is one way that the
German state helps you to learn German. You can attend one of
these courses if you do not speak German well enough to make
yourself understood in everyday life. Under certain circum-
stances you actually have to attend an integration course. Inte-
gration courses are subsidised by the government and consist of
a language course together with an orientation course. General-
ly the integration course lasts 660 lesson hours (each lesson hour
is 45 minutes). There are full-time and part-time courses avail-
able. You can go online to nd out if you full the conditions to
attend an integration course: www.bamf.de/integrationskurs.
Language course
The language course has 600 lesson hours, sometimes 900. You
learn how to talk in German about important aspects of every-
day life, including:
If you wish to live in Germany, you should try to learn German as quickly as pos-
sible. It is important to do so to meet new people, to make yourself understood in
everyday life, and to nd work. If you learn German in a language course then you
know that you are learning to speak properly right from the beginning.
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13
Shopping and housing
Health
Work and career
Educating and raising children
Leisure time and social interaction
Media and travel
You will also learn how to write letters and e-mails in German,
to ll out forms, to make telephone calls and to apply for jobs.
Orientation course
The last module of the integration course is called an orientation
course and lasts for 60 lesson hours. You will learn about and
discuss the following topics:
The German legal system, history and culture
Rights and obligations in Germany
The region where you live
Important values in German society, such as freedom of
worship, tolerance and equal rights
Culture in the country where you come from
Learning German
14
Special integration courses
People learn best when they are in groups with others who
have similar needs and wishes. This is also true for integration
courses. So special integration courses are also available in ad-
dition to the general version:
Literacy courses for people who need some help with rea-
ding and writing
Womens integration courses where only women attend and
which offer a special focus on their needs
Parents integration courses which have a particular focus
on issues relating to education and bringing up children
Youth integration courses which help prepare young people
for an apprenticeship or higher education
Catch-up courses for people who have missed out on parts of
their education
The integration course is also sometimes offered as a 430-hour
intensive course for people who can learn quickly.
Integration course certicate
You have to take two tests, one at the end of the language
course and one after the orientation course. If you pass both
tests then you receive the Integration Course Certicate
(Zertikat Integrationskurs). This certies that you have gained
an adequate knowledge of German and important basic knowl-
edge about German society. If you have the Integration Course
Certicate, this entitles you to apply for German citizenship
after seven years of regular residence in Germany (normally the
requirement is eight years). And the certicate can also be of
great help when you are applying for a job.
15
Locally:
Migration advice for adult immigrants
Youth migration services
Ofce for integration or intercultural ofce at your local municipal
authority
Cultural centres
Language schools and universities
Employment agency and job centres
Internet:
Federal Ofce for Migration and Refugees:
www.bamf.de/integrationskurs
E-mail:
Brgerservice des Bundesamtes fr Migration und Flchtlinge:
[email protected]
Telephone:
Information service of the Federal Ofce for Migration and
Refugees: +49 911 943-6390 (Monday to Friday, 9 am12 noon)
Brochures:
Federal Ofce for Migration and Refugees, available on the
website www.bamf.de/publikationen:
Learn German!
(German, Arabic, Czech, English, French, Italian,
Kurdish-Kurmanji, Persian, Polish, Russian, Spanish,
Turkish and Vietnamese)
Learn German Improve your chances
(Brochure about the youth integration course; German,
English, Russian and Turkish)
Learn German For the future of your family
(Brochure about the parents integration course; German,
English, Russian and Turkish)
Where to get more information
Learning German
16
2. German for professional purposes
It is important to have a good command of the German lan-
guage if you want to nd work and be successful in your choice
of profession. So there are special courses where you can learn
to speak the German you need in working life. You will learn
the words, grammar and phrases that you need to understand
and to be understood when talking to your colleagues, custom-
ers and your bosses and superiors. In addition, you will also
learn to understand more complicated texts and instructions
like those you nd at work. You also learn about writing busi-
ness e-mails and letters.
The Federal Ofce for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) offers
free German for professional purposes (Deutsch fr den
Beruf) courses for people with a migrant background. These
are part of the ESF-BAMF programme and combine German
language tuition, vocational qualications and the chance to
learn about a particular profession by completing a work place-
ment (Praktikum).
The courses subsidised by the Federal Ofce for Migration and
Refugees are not the only courses on offer with the name Ger-
man for professional purposes. For other courses you often
have to pay a fee. So it is advisable to look at them and compare
them very carefully, since the course contents are often very
different. Choose the course that is most suited to your needs.
Locally:
Migration advice for adult immigrants
Youth migration services
Language schools and universities
Employment agency, job centre or relevant local authority
institution
Employers
Where to get more information
17
Internet:
Federal Ofce for Migration and Refugees:
www.bamf.de/esf-bamf
E-mail:
Information service of the Federal Ofce for Migration and
Refugees: [email protected]
ESF administration ofce (Dept: German for professional purposes):
[email protected]
Telephone:
Information service of the Federal Ofce for Migration and
Refugees: +49 911 943-6390 (Monday to Friday, 9 am12 noon)
ESF administration ofce: +49 221 92426-400
(Monday to Thursday, 9 am3 pm and Friday, 9 am2 pm)
Brochures:
Federal Ofce for Migration and Refugees, available at the
website www.bamf.de/publikationen:
German for Professional Purposes
(German, Arabic, English, French, Russian and Turkish)
3. German for children and young people
Children and young people have a variety of opportunities to
learn German in their kindergarten or school. You can nd out
more in Chapter VIII of this brochure School, Training and
Studying or by enquiring directly at your childs kindergarten
or school.
Learning German
18
III. Information and Advice
In your rst weeks and months in Germany, a lot will seem some-
what strange. Things that were obvious and easy in the country
you came from might happen in a completely different way
here. Obtain as much information as possible and make use of
the advisory services. There are many organisations in Germany
which will gladly help you when you need advice. This chapter
lists some of these.
1. Migration advice for adult immigrants
The employees at the migration advice service for adult immi-
grants (Migrationsberatung fr erwachsene Zuwanderer MBE)
will be pleased to help you nd a solution to your problems
quickly and without too much bureaucracy. They will support you
from your rst day in Germany and know how to help you when
you have questions, for example, about the following issues:
Learning German (e.g.: Where can I learn German?
Do I have to pay for the course myself?)
19
School and career (e.g.: Will my school-leaving quali-
cations or my training be recognised?
How and where can I nd work?)
Housing (e.g.: How do I nd accommodation?
How much does accommodation cost?)
Health (e.g.: Do I need health insurance?
Which doctor can I go to?)
Marriage, family and raising children (e.g.: Who will help
me during pregnancy?
How can I nd advice about marital problems?)
Solving problems together
The advisors normally understand your language and are fa-
miliar with your culture and the problems and challenges you
might face settling into life in Germany. After a private conver-
sation with them, they will help you to develop a plan to quickly
settle in to daily life in Germany. Your own skills and knowl-
edge are your most important resources here and form the fo-
cus of the advisory session. They will also tell you about support
programmes available and how you can use these, including
chances to learn German. Our advisors also check whether you
are eligible to attend state-funded integration and orientation
courses or other programmes to assist integration.
Where can I nd immigration advice?
There are migration advice ofces in many German cities. The
following organisations offer free immigration advice:
Arbeiterwohlfahrt (AWO Workers Welfare Association)
Caritas Germany
Diakonie (Social Welfare Organisation of the Protestant
Church in Germany)
Parittischer Wohlfahrtsverband (Association of Welfare
Organisations)
Information and Advice
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Migration advice for adult immigrants is free of charge at all times.
20
Deutsches Rotes Kreuz (German Red Cross)
Zentralwohlfahrtsstelle der Juden in Deutschland (Central
Jewish Welfare Ofce in Germany)
Bund der Vertriebenen (Association of Displaced Immigrants)
Locally:
Migration advice for adult immigrants
Foreigners Authority
Temporary hostels for immigrants
Urban, municipal and district authorities
Friends, family and neighbours
Employers
Clubs and associations
Internet:
Federal Ofce for Migration and Refugees:
www.bamf.de/migrationsberatungsstellen: You can use the
WebGIS search engine to nd advice centres in your local area.
E-mail:
Information service of the Federal Ofce for Migration and
Refugees: [email protected]
Telephone:
Information service of the Federal Ofce for Migration and
Refugees: +49 911 943-6390 (Monday to Friday, 9 am12 noon)
Brochures:
Federal Ofce for Migration and Refugees (on the website
www.bamf.de/publikationen):
Benet from professional advice!
(German, Arabic, Czech, English, French, Italian, Persian,
Polish, Russian, Spanish, Turkish and Vietnamese)
Where to get more information
21
Information and Advice
2. Youth migration services Advice for young
people with a migrant background
The initial phase of living in a foreign country is exciting yet
also challenging. This is especially true for young people, who
quickly want to nd new friends and prove themselves at school
or at work. The youth migration services (Jugendmigrationsdi-
enste JMD) help young people to meet the challenges of inte-
grating into life in Germany. They advise and help immigrant
young people and young adults up to the age of 27 who are no
longer required to attend school.
Special services and personal advice
The programmes offered by the youth migration services
range from personal help with an integration support plan
and advice for individual cases through to work with parents
and group activities or courses. They provide you with infor-
mation and assistance regarding issues such as:
Parenting, childhood and youth
School and education
Career planning
Using computers and programmes to learn German
There are youth migration services throughout Germany at
over 420 locations. They are provided by organisations in-
volved in youth social work:
Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Evangelische Jugendsozialarbeit
(Federal Association of Evangelical Youth Social Work)
Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Katholische Jugendsozialarbeit
(Federal Association of Catholic Youth Social Work)
Arbeiterwohlfahrt (AWO Workers Welfare Association)
Internationaler Bund (youth, social work and training associ-
ation, incl. Parittischer Wohlfahrtsverband and the German
Red Cross).
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
The advice provided by the youth migration services is free of charge at all times
for you and your children.
22
Locally:
Youth migration services
Foreigners Authority
Temporary hostels for immigrants
Urban, municipal and district authorities
Friends, family and neighbours
Employers
Clubs and associations
Internet:
Use the following website to nd an advisory service near you:
www.jugendmigrationsdienste.de
Where to get more information
3. Information service of the Federal Ofce for
Migration and Refugees
If you have questions which go beyond the scope of the advisory
services listed above, please contact the information service of
the Federal Ofce for Migration and Refugees. The information
service staff will provide you with more information, particu-
larly regarding the Immigration Act and related issues such as
integration courses, right of residence or naturalisation.
You can contact the information service by telephone on
+49 911 943-6390 (Monday to Friday, 9 am12 noon) or by e-mail
at [email protected].
4. Using the internet to nd information
The internet can be very useful when it comes to nding out
information. Many public authorities, town/city councils and
public ofces now have informative websites. You can also
nd more information, addresses and useful tips relating to
the everyday issues covered in this brochure by browsing the
23
Information and Advice
Welcome to Germany content provided by the Federal Ofce
for Migration and Refugees. The address is
www.bamf.de/willkommen-in-deutschland.
Please remember: Not all online offers are correct or trustwor-
thy. Some websites contain false information. Check who is
responsible for a website by looking for the Impressum link (on
English pages of German websites you often see Imprint or Legal
notice). Websites published in Germany are legally required
to have an Impressum, so if you are suspicious about a website
and it does not provide this information, then it is better not to
trust the site. The websites provided by government ministries,
authorities and ofces are particularly trustworthy.
Another way to nd out important addresses and telephone numbers is to look
in the Yellow Pages (Gelbe Seiten). This is a telephone directory with all the en-
tries sorted according to topic or category and published in different directories
for each city or region. Public ofces, the housing ofce for example, are often
listed under the heading Behrden (government authorities). The Yellow Pages
(Gelbe Seiten) is now available online, too: www.gelbeseiten.de
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IMPORTANT INFORMATION
More and more people are regularly using the internet. In order to protect your-
self from online fraud you should be very careful when using the internet, espe-
cially if you are asked to enter your bank details or other private information. And
make sure you are also well informed before you purchase anything online.
You can nd a good overview of the risks you face when using the internet in
the brochure Verbraucherschutz kompakt guter Rat in Alltagsfragen
(Compact guide to consumer protection good advice for everyday issues)
from the Press and Information Ofce of the Federal Government, available at
www.bundesregierung.de, menu item Service/Publikationen/Broschren.
The staff at consumer advice centres and the staff providing migration advice for
adult immigrants and youth migration services will also be pleased to help you.
24 24
IV. Residence and
Naturalisation
1. Contacts regarding your right of residence
If you would like to make Germany your home or have moved to
Germany already, the rules covering the right of residence are
particularly important to know. The basic conditions govern-
ing your right of residence in Germany depend on whether you
are immigrating as: an ethnic German resettler; a citizen of a
Member State of the European Union (EU) or of the European
Economic Area (EEA comprises the EU Member States plus Ice-
land, Liechtenstein and Norway) or Switzerland; or a national
of a country outside of the European Union.
Contacts for citizens from the European Union,
the European Economic Area or Switzerland
If you are a citizen of the EU or EEA and you would like to live
permanently in Germany, you may take advantage of the laws
ensuring freedom of movement (Freizgigkeitsrecht). These
also apply to family members, even if they themselves hold
a different nationality. Upon entering Germany, you have to
register your residence legally at the residents registration of-
ce (Einwohnermeldeamt), just as every German citizen does.
The local foreigners ofce (Auslnderbehrde/Auslnderamt)
will ofcially grant you a document conrming your right of
residence. It will grant a residence card (Aufenthaltskarte) to
your family members if they hold a different nationality to you.
Swiss nationals also enjoy freedom of movement in Germany on
account of the Freedom of Movement Agreement between the
European Union and Switzerland. A residence permit will be
issued to you by the local foreigners ofce to certify your right
of residence.

25 25
Contacts for people from countries outside of the European
Union, the European Economic Area or Switzerland
Citizens from states that do not belong to the EU, the EEA or
Switzerland should contact their towns or local areas foreign-
ers ofce for all issues concerning their right of residence. This
ofce is responsible for all matters pertaining to legal resi-
Residence and Naturalisation
All citizens of the EU registered in Germany who have been living in Germany for
at least three months and have had their 18th birthday may vote in local authority
elections.
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26
dence, including permission to pursue an economic activity. It
grants residence and settlement permits as well as the EC long-
term residence permit. The town, local or district administra-
tion in your area will help you further if you do not know which
local foreigners ofce is responsible for you.
Contacts for ethnic German resettlers
If you are an ethnic German resettler or a family member of an
ethnic German resettler, you can contact the town council or
local or district authority in your area about issues of national-
ity. The employees there can also help with all other ofcial is-
sues. You can nd more information in the brochure Willkom-
men in Deutschland Zusatzinformationen fr Sptaussiedler
(Welcome to Germany Additional information for ethnic
German resettlers).
2. Information regarding right of residence
If you are not a national of a Member State of the EU, the Euro-
pean Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland and you would like to
remain permanently in Germany, you will need a permit to do
so: this is called a residence title (Aufenthaltstitel). The rst type
of title is a visa (Visum), which allows entry and subsequent
temporary stay. Then there are three more types of residence
title for longer-term residence in Germany:
Residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis)
Settlement permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis)
EC long-term residence permit (Erlaubnis zum Dauer-
aufenthalt-EG)
Residence permit
The residence permit is temporary: it is valid for a limited pe-
riod of time. It is granted to persons who:
would like to complete a course of education or industrial
training in Germany
would like to work in Germany
27
are entitled to remain in Germany for humanitarian or poli-
tical reasons or under international law
are migrating to Germany for family reasons
are foreign nationals and former Germans who would like to
return to Germany
have a long-term residence permit in another Member State
of the European Union.
A residence permit can be extended. When considering an
application for extension, it will be taken into consideration
whether the foreign national has properly attended an integra-
tion course.
Settlement permit
The settlement permit is permanent: its validity does not have
a time limit. It allows you to work in Germany. In general, to
obtain a settlement permit you must have had a residence per-
mit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis) for ve years and also full further
conditions. For example, anyone wishing to apply for a settle-
ment permit has to provide for his/her own livelihood and that
of his/her dependent family members, have adequate German
language skills and must not have a criminal record. In certain
circumstances, a settlement permit can be granted without
meeting the relevant conditions regarding time of stay. An
example here is the case of highly qualied immigrants.
EC long-term residence permit
The EC long-term residence permit is also a permanent resi-
dence title that entitles the holder to pursue an economic activ-
Residence and Naturalisation
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Foreign nationals from a third country (Drittstaat this covers all states not in
the EU, EEA or Switzerland) are only allowed to work in Germany if this is expressly
permitted in their residence permit. Citizens of the EU, EEA or Switzerland enjoy
the freedom of movement for workers. More information about this is available
from the responsible foreigners ofce in the area where you live.
28
Locally:
Urban, municipal and district authorities: Foreigners ofce;
passport ofce
Migration advice for adult immigrants
Youth migration services
Internet:
Federal Ministry of the Interior: www.bmi.bund.de, menu item
English/Topics/Migration and Integration/Nationality
Where to get more information
ity. The conditions of its issue are very similar to those of the
settlement permit. However, the EC long-term residence permit
also entitles the holder to mobility within the European Union
by granting a right to a temporary residence title in the other
Member States. It is not permitted to grant both these perma-
nent residence titles to one person.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
The proof of adequate German language skills required for a settlement permit
and an EC long-term residence permit can be obtained by attending an integra-
tion course and passing the exam. You can nd more information about integration
courses in this brochure in Chapter II Learning German.
Please do not hesitate to ask for information if you have any questions about
your residence title. You will nd someone who can help you in every migration
advice ofce.
TIP
29
3. Naturalisation
If you are living in Germany permanently, you can be natural-
ised (Einbrgerung gain German citizenship) if you full cer-
tain conditions. To do so, you must rst submit an application.
Foreign nationals who have had their 16th birthday can submit
this application themselves; parents must make the application
on behalf of children and young people under the age of 16.
The Federal Lnder are responsible for processing applications
to become a German citizen. You can obtain application forms
from the naturalisation authorities responsible. You can nd
out which authority is responsible for your naturalisation proc-
ess at your municipal or district authority, the local foreigners
ofce, the youth migration services or the migration advice
service for adult immigrants.
Costs
Naturalisation costs EUR 255 per person. For minors who are
to be naturalised together with their parents, there is a fee of
EUR 51. Minors who are to be naturalised without their parents
have to pay EUR 255. If you are on a low income or have several
children who will be naturalised (independently or together
E-mail:
Federal Ministry of the Interior: Contact form on the website
www.bmi.bund.de, menu item Kontakt/Brgerservice
Telephone:
Information service of the Federal Ministry of the Interior:
+49 30 18681-0 (Monday to Friday, 7 am8 pm)
Residence and Naturalisation
Before submitting your application, it will help to have an advice session with a
member of the authoritys staff. This will help clarify any questions you may have.
TIP
30
with you), the fee can be reduced, or payment in instalments
can be agreed.
Conditions
Arrangements for children
Children born in Germany have an automatic right to German
citizenship if their mother, their father or both parents are
German. Children of foreign nationals take German nationality
when born in Germany if, at the time of their birth, Germany
has been the ordinary and legitimate place of residence of at
least one parent for eight years and if that parent has a perma-
nent right of residence. Children then have to decide between
their 18th and 23rd birthdays if they wish to retain their Ger-
man nationality or the nationality of their parents.
CHECKLIST
You have a right to naturalisation if you full the following conditions:
You have a permanent right of residence at the time of being naturalised.
You have passed the naturalisation test (knowledge of the legal and social
order, and living conditions in Germany).
Your ordinary and legitimate place of residence has been in Germany for eight
years.
You have independent means of securing your livelihood (including for family
members entitled to maintenance) without resorting to welfare payments
and unemployment benet II (Hartz IV).
You have adequate German language skills.
You do not have any convictions on account of a criminal offence.
You are committed to the free democratic constitutional order of the Basic
Law of the Federal Republic of Germany.
You have lost or renounced your former nationality.
If one or more of these conditions are not fullled, you generally do not have the
right to naturalisation. However, the naturalisation authority can agree to grant
naturalisation if there is a public interest in your naturalisation and at least some
of the main minimum requirements listed above are fullled.
31
Naturalisation test
If you are applying for German citizenship, you must take a
test to prove that you have sufcient knowledge about life in
Germany. The naturalisation test has 33 questions. You have
60 minutes to answer these questions. For each question, four
possible answers are given and you have to choose the correct
one. If you answer at least 17 questions correctly, then you pass
the test. 30 questions relate to the subject areas of Living in
a democracy, History and responsibility and People and
society. Three questions will be asked about the Federal Land
where you live.
You can nd a sample test and all of the possible naturalisation
test questions on the website of the Federal Ofce for Migration
and Refugees www.bamf.de/einbuergerung.
Residence and Naturalisation
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
You do not have to take the test if you have a German school-leaving qualication
or if you cannot full the requirements because of a physical, psychological or
mental illness, a disability or your age.
The online preparation test from the Federal Ofce for Migration and Refugees
is free. However, there are also private courses advertised online to help you pre-
pare for the naturalisation test. They often hide the information about costs in
small print at the side or end of the page. So please read the course providers
General Terms and Conditions (Allgemeine Geschftsbedingungen AGB) very
carefully!
TIP
32
Locally:
Urban, municipal and district authorities: Foreigners ofce;
passport ofce
Migration advice for adult immigrants
Youth migration services
Internet:
Federal Government Commissioner for Migration, Refugees and
Integration: www.einbuergerung.de
Federal Ofce for Migration and Refugees:
www.bamf.de/einbuergerung
E-mail:
Information service of the Federal Ofce for Migration and
Refugees: [email protected]
Telephone:
Information service of the Federal Ofce for Migration and
Refugees: +49 911 943-6390 (Monday to Friday, 9 am12 noon)
Brochures:
Publications from the Federal Government Commissioner for
Migration, Refugees and Integration (available from
www.integrationsbeauftragte.de, menu item Publications):
Wege zur Einbrgerung. Wie werde ich Deutsche
wie werde ich Deutscher?
(Paths to Naturalisation. How do I become a German?)
Where to get more information
33
Residence and Naturalisation
34
V. Work and Career
In this chapter you will nd information about working in
Germany and pursuing a career. Important topics covered
include: the recognition of foreign qualications; looking for
work; vocational training; self-employment; employment law;
income and taxes.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Whether or not you have the opportunity to pursue an economic activity in Ger-
many depends on the country you come from. Nationals of EU Member States
(except Bulgaria and Romania) as well as people from Iceland, Liechtenstein,
Norway and Switzerland do not need to obtain a permit in order to pursue an
economic activity in Germany. If you come from Bulgaria, Romania or a country
outside of the EU, you can nd out about the conditions for seeking employment
in Germany on the website of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs:
www.bmas.de.
35
Work and Career
1. Recognition of foreign qualications and
documents
The Recognition Act (Anerkennungsgesetz) ensures that
your professional qualications from another country are
referred to the responsible authority here to nd the German
equivalent for the relevant profession. This means that you
have a legal right to have your foreign professional quali-
cations reviewed and recognised as being equivalent to a
German vocational qualication where appropriate. This
does not depend on your nationality, just on the quality of
the professional qualication.
Many trades in Germany are classied as non-regulated
professions, which means you can start work as soon as you
nd a job, without a formal recognition of your professional
qualication. Nonetheless, you benet from the recognition
process because it helps to make your foreign qualication
understandable for a potential employer. This is the case
even if it is determined that it has no formal German equiva-
lent. However, for the regulated professions (reglementi-
erte Berufe) you do need formal recognition of your foreign
training and qualications. These professions are mainly
those found in the health care sector (e.g. doctor, nurse) and
social or education professions.
The following website will tell you whether you need
formal recognition to work in your qualied profession:
www.anerkennung-in-deutschland.de. There you will
also nd out which ofces are responsible for your profes-
sion and where you can nd more detailed advice. You can
also ask any questions you have in either English or German
by calling the hotline of the Federal Ofce for Migration and
Refugees: +49 30 1815-1111.
The recognition process takes place in the Federal Land
where you live or want to work. However, you can send in your
application from anywhere, even abroad. For the recogni-
tion process you will usually need notarised (authenticated)
copies and translations of your certicates. The translation
can be done in Germany or abroad, but the translator has to
36
be publicly authorised (often known as a certied or sworn
translator). A database of such translators and interpreters in
Germany is available online at www.justizdolmetscher.de.
You can also have photocopies of your documents authenti-
cated at resident registration ofces (Einwohnermeldeamt) or
church institutions.
Locally:
Advice service from Netzwerk IQ
Migration advice for adult immigrants
Youth migration services
Internet:
www.anerkennung-in-deutschland.de
www.bmbf.de
www.bamf.de
www.bmas.de (www.bmas.de/DE/Themen/Arbeitsmarkt/
Auslaenderbeschaeftigung/auslaenderbeschaeftigung.html)
www.anabin.de
www.netzwerk-iq.de
For non-regulated higher education qualications:
www.kmk.org/zab/zeugnisbewertungen.html
Federal Employment Agency: www.arbeitsagentur.de
Database of interpreters & translators: www.justiz-dolmetscher.de
Telephone:
Hotline of the Federal Ofce for Migration and Refugees:
+49 30 1815-1111
Where to get more information
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Do not forget to ask the responsible ofce which documents you need and what
form you have to provide them in (e.g. Do they need to see the original, an authen-
ticated translation, or a notarised copy?).
37
2. Careers advice, job and training placement
services
It is not always easy to nd a suitable job or training place. So
this section is designed to provide some useful information
about careers advice and looking for work or training.
To nd a suitable profession in Germany you must be proactive.
The Vocational Information Centres (BIZ) in the Employment
Agencies offer a lot of information about the different profes-
sions available in Germany, the tasks involved and the neces-
sary qualications. Additionally, employees at the Employment
Agency will advise you and help you to nd a suitable job, train-
ing placement or apprenticeship.
These agencies are located throughout Germany. Find out
which one is responsible for you in your region. The website of
the Federal Employment Agency can help you nd this:
www.arbeitsagentur.de, menu item Kontakt/Anschriften der
Agenturen vor Ort.
Looking for work in the newspapers and online
Many job adverts can be found in daily newspapers. The job
vacancies are often published on Wednesday and Saturday.
Work and Career
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
In Germany, training for many professions (particularly in the areas of trade and
commerce) is provided under the dual system. This means that training takes
place both in a company (work experience) and in a vocational training school
(theory).
38
Job vacancies can also often be found online. There are various
online job portals that will help you to nd a job according to
your qualications and/or in a specic region. You can register
with some websites to be automatically informed by e-mail
whenever there is a new advertisement for the type of job you
are looking for.
In addition you can nd out about job vacancies in companies
in your region by consulting the companies own websites.
You will nd the job advertisements listed under Jobs or
Karriere.
Another way to look for a job is to put an advertisement in a
newspaper in the Situations Wanted column (Stellengesuche)
or create a prole of yourself on a job portal on the internet.
In this way, you can present your skills and qualications and
describe the type of work you are looking for.
The following newspapers include a large nation-wide vacancies section:
Sddeutsche Zeitung
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
Frankfurter Rundschau
Die Zeit
CHECKLIST
Approach potential employers directly and speak to them personally.
TIP
39
Work and Career
Job applications
To be successful in your job search you must submit a convinc-
ing application which describes your relevant qualications
and experience. Employers usually expect a written applica-
tion with a covering letter, a CV or rsum (in Germany these
usually include a photo and signature) and all the necessary
documentation that is required to assess your qualications
for the job. You should submit certicates and other impor-
tant documentation with a German translation. You can often
submit applications online. Enquire about how the employer
would like to receive your application.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Caution: There are sometimes dubious advertisements on the internet or in daily
newspapers (e.g. for working from home). You should therefore make detailed
enquiries about the kind of work involved before signing any contract.
An application should include the following:
Covering letter
CV or rsum with photo and signature (CV can be written as a table or as text)
Certicates, references, certicates of employment/testimonials (translated
into German)
CHECKLIST
The Employment Agency offers training courses about how to make job appli-
cations. You will learn what an application should look like and what it should
contain.
TIP
40
Locally:
Employment Agency
Migration advice for adult immigrants
Youth migration services
Internet:
Federal Employment Agency: www.arbeitsagentur.de and
www.planet-beruf.de
Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs: www.bmas.de
Information about training and education: www.ausbildung.net
Information about working in Germany: www.ba-auslandsver-
mittlung.de, menu item Germany (click on ag)
Online portal for job vacancies from the Employment Agency:
www.jobboerse.arbeitsagentur.de
Online job portals: www.stepstone.de, www.jobrapido.de,
www.monster.de
Information on job applications: www.bewerbungsdschungel.de
Telephone:
Information hotline of the Employment Agency: + 49 180 1 555111
(cost from landline 3.9 cent/minute; max. cost from mobile net-
work: 42 cent/minute)
Brochures:
Federal Employment Agency (available from
www.arbeitsagentur.de):
Jobvermittlung der Agentur fr Arbeit
(Job placement service at the Employment Agency)
Jobpro: Tipps zur erfolgreichen Jobsuche
(Tips about how to nd a job)
durchstarten: 2009 edition on temporary work
Neue Perspektiven fr Arbeitnehmer/-innen: Zeitarbeit
(New outlooks for employees: Temporary work)
planet-beruf.de, Mein Start in die Ausbildung
(My entry into training workbook for school pupils)
planet-beruf.de, Berufswahl begleiten or Meslek
seiminde destek (Helping with the choice of career
magazine for parents and guardians)
Where to get more information
41
Work and Career
3. Professional further education
Professional training and further education are very important
in Germany. In many professions, after the initial training it is
necessary to take further courses and to acquire new quali-
cations. There are many qualication and further education
programmes available:
Courses and seminars
Retraining programmes
Study courses (distance learning, virtual learning)
eLearning
The Federal Employment Agency is an important contact for
issues concerning your professional further education. The In-
tegration with Qualication network (Netzwerk IQ) also offers
a lot of information and advice about professional integration
and further training. And employers themselves also often of-
fer further training. If you would like to attend further training
courses, you should speak to your employer. Immigrants with
academic qualications have the opportunity to attend special
further training courses through the programme for academ-
ics run by the Otto Benecke Foundation.
Locally:
Employment Agency
Training and continuing education institutions
Migration advice for adult immigrants
Internet:
Federal Employment Agency:
kursnet-nden.arbeitsagentur.de/kurs/index.jsp
www.bildungsserver.de
Netzwerk IQ: www.netzwerk-iq.de
(recognition, diversity management, German for professional
purposes, starting a business, qualications)
Where to get more information
42
4. Setting up a business and self-employment
Self-employed business people play an important role in Ger-
man society. Germany needs people with creative ideas who
can develop new products, processes and services. However,
one problem for anyone setting up a business is the nancial
risk. So good preparation and adequate nancial protection are
required. If you would like to set up a business, you can apply for
public funding to help.
Qualication and further training: You can nd out further
information at www.proqua.de
Otto Benecke Foundation: www.obs-ev.de
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Whether or not a foreign national is allowed to set up in self-employment is gov-
erned by the Residence Act and the Freedom of Movement Act (EU). In particu-
lar, if you are from a country outside the EU, you should make detailed enquiries
about the laws that apply to you.
43
Work and Career
Locally:
Employment Agency
Chambers of industry and commerce, trade chambers
Migration advice for adult immigrants
Internet:
The online portal for start-ups from the Federal Ministry of Eco-
nomics and Technology (also includes specic information for
business founders with a migrant background):
www.existenzgruender.de
The BMWi infoletter for start-ups GrnderZeiten:
www.existenzgruender.de/publikationen/gruender_zeiten/
index.php
Netzwerk IQ: www.netzwerk-iq.de see topic Starting a
business (Existenzgrndung)
Telephone:
Hotlines of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology:
Hotline for support programmes: + 49 3018 615-8000
(Monday to Friday, 9 am4 pm)
Hotline for SMEs and start-up businesses: + 49 180 5 615-001
(Monday to Thursday, 8 am8 pm and Friday, 8 am12 noon;
cost from landline 14 cent/minute; max. cost from mobile
network: 42 cent/minute)
Brochures:
Brochures from the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technol-
ogy (available at www.existenzgruender.de under menu item
Publikationen):
Starthilfe Der erfolgreiche Weg in die Selbstndigkeit
(Start-up aid Successfully entering self-employment)
Business founder grant EXIST Grnderstipendium
Where to get more information
44
5. Employment law: Working hours, holiday
allowance and illness
A full-time position in Germany means that you work for about
40 hours in a week. It is also possible to work part-time. There
is a statutory maximum working week set at an average of
48 hours (the absolute maximum is 60 hours in a week, which
has to be offset within 6 months to bring the average down to
48 hours per week). Normally you work from Monday to Friday.
It is legal to ask workers to work on all working days in the week
(Monday to Saturday) and to ask them to work at night and/or in
a shift system. In many sectors, for example in the healthcare,
transport or restaurant sectors, working on Sundays and public
holidays is also allowed.
If an employee works ve days per week, they have a legal right
to at least 20 days holiday allowance per year. If young employ-
ees work a ve-day week, they have a longer holiday entitle-
ment: under 16 at least 25 days; under 17 at least 23 days and
under 18 at least 21 days.
Illness
If you become ill, your employer continues to pay your full
salary for six weeks. If you are ill for longer than six weeks and
have statutory health insurance (gesetzliche Krankenkasse),
the health insurance fund will then pay you 70 per cent of your
salary. The private health insurance funds each have different
rules and regulations. Please ask them directly.
It is important that you tell your employer immediately when
you become ill. If you are ill for longer than three days, you have
to give your employer a sick note signed by your doctor on the
fourth day of your illness at the latest. However, an employer is
also entitled to demand that their employees send in a sick note
earlier than this.
45
Work and Career
Protection against dismissal
Companies in Germany with more than ten employees have to
obey the Protection against Dismissal Act which protects em-
ployees against unfair termination of their employment status.
There are also special regulations covering members of the
works council in a company, staff who are pregnant or mothers
up to four months after the birth of their child, workers taking
parental leave, and severely disabled employees.
The longer you work for one company, the longer the statutory
period of notice which your employer has to give you when
they terminate your employment. These periods of notice are
also governed by any collective wage agreement valid in your
company.
Internet:
Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs:
www.bmas.de
Information portal on working life and disability:
www.talentplus.de
Brochures:
Publications from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs
(available from www.bmas.bund.de, menu item Publikationen):
Das Arbeitszeitgesetz (Working Time Act)
Kndigungsschutz (Protection against dismissal)
Arbeitsrecht (Employment law)
Teilzeit Alles, was Recht ist (Part-time Everything legal)
Where to get more information
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
You do not have to tell your employer what illness you have. This information is
covered by medical condentiality rules and is therefore not included on the sick
note that you receive from your doctor.
46
6. Income and taxes
In Germany you have to pay taxes on your income. The way
you do this depends on whether you are an employee or self-
employed.
As an employee, you receive your net income transferred to
your bank account by your employer. They have already de-
ducted pension insurance, health insurance, unemployment
insurance and long-term care insurance from your wages and
made these payments for you directly. Payroll tax, the solidarity
surcharge and church tax (where applicable) will also already
have been paid to the tax ofce. If you are self-employed you
are responsible for paying your taxes yourself.
Locally:
Local tax payers association (Lohnsteuerhilfeverein)
Tax ofce
Internet:
Deductions calculator and payroll tax tables:
www.abgabenrechner.de
Some explanations of terms used in German tax law are in the
glossary on the following website:
www.bundesnanzministerium.de, menu item Glossar
Telephone:
Information hotline of the Federal Ministry of Finance:
+49 30 18682-3300
Where to get more information
47
Work and Career
48
VI. Housing
1. Looking for accommodation
If you are looking for a at or a house, it is worth having a look
at advertisements in the newspaper. Find out in advance from
neighbours, friends or from the newspaper itself which day the
property adverts are published. They are often in the weekend
editions.
When you have found something suitable in the newspaper,
you have to contact the landlord or the vendor. The adverts give
either a telephone number or an e-mail address. Sometimes
code numbers or code letters are listed these are known as
box numbers (Chiffre). If a box number is given, you must re-
ply in writing by sending a letter to the newspaper. Your letter
is then automatically forwarded to the landlord or the vendor.
Do not forget to write the relevant box number on the envelope
and refer to it in your letter.
Help from the housing ofce
The housing ofce (Wohnungsamt) in your town or community
can help you with nding accommodation. The ofce often
arranges accommodation directly. If this is not the case, the
housing ofce staff can help you further by supplying useful
addresses and information.
Commissioning an estate agent
You can also use the services of estate agents. They nd accom-
modation and houses in exchange for a fee. You can nd con-
tact addresses for agents in trade directories or local telephone
directories.
49
Looking for accommodation on the internet
You can also look for ats and houses on the internet. Many news-
papers also publish the adverts from their print edition on their
website. In addition, there are websites that specialise in acting as
an agency for ats and houses.
Housing
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
If you enlist the help of an estate agent, you may incur a fee for their help renting
or buying accommodation. For rented accommodation, this fee will be a maxi-
mum of two months basic rent (plus VAT). For a purchase, it is generally between
3 and 6 per cent of the purchase price (plus VAT).
50
2. What happens after I have moved?
Re-registering your address
As soon as you have found new accommodation and therefore
have a new address, you have to inform the registration ofce
(Meldebehrde/Einwohnermeldeamt) responsible.
Notication of change of address
When you have moved you should notify the Post Ofce of
your change of address. Your letters and parcels will then be
forwarded automatically to your new address for an agreed
period. However, a fee is charged for this Nachsendeauftrag
service. You should also use the period during which your mail
is being redirected to inform your bank, insurance company,
ofcial authorities and other important contacts of your new
address.
Locally:
Urban, municipal and district authorities: Housing ofce
Daily newspapers
Advertising newspapers
Estate agents (fee payable for successful brokerage)
Internet:
Websites of daily newspapers
Property agency sites on the internet
Where to get more information
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
If you re-register too late after your move, you may have to pay a ne. In addition,
late re-registration can, in certain circumstances, have negative repercussions
for your residence status. Some authorities specify a deadline of one week.
51
Re-registering your telephone
If you have a landline you should consider re-registering or
discontinuing the service in good time before you move.

3. Support from the state
Social housing
This type of accommodation is available in most towns and
municipalities and is particularly good value because it is
funded by the state. To rent such accommodation you need
a certicate of eligibility for social housing (Wohnberechti-
gungsschein). If your income is below a certain threshold you
can apply for this certicate of eligibility from your urban or
municipal authority. Usually the housing ofce (Wohnung-
samt) is responsible for this.
Housing benet
As a tenant, you may be entitled to housing benet (Wohngeld).
The amount of any entitlement depends on how many people
are in your household, the level of your overall income and the
amount of rent that you have to pay.
Housing
You can nd out if you are entitled to housing benet (and how much) by using a
housing benet calculator. Some of the Federal Lnder offer an online housing
benet calculator at www.wohngeldrechner.nrw.de.
TIP
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
A certicate of eligibility for social housing is only valid for a specic length of
time. Therefore you must apply for an extension in good time.
52
If you are the owner of your own at or house and need nan-
cial assistance, you may be entitled to mortgage and home
upkeep support (Lastenzuschuss). The amount of any entitle-
ment depends on how many people are in your household, the
level of your overall monthly income and the amount of hous-
ing-related costs that you have to pay. Further information and
the necessary forms can be obtained from the housing benet
ofces in your town or local authority.
4. Rent and tenancy law
The tenancy agreement is an important document. It regulates
all the details of the tenancy and is binding for both you and
the landlord/landlady to the extent that the regulations are
permitted under law. You should therefore always read the
tenancy agreement very carefully before signing it. A tenancy
agreement can legally be agreed verbally, but to ensure legal
certainty it is denitely recommended to make the agreement
in writing.
Locally:
Urban, municipal and district authorities: Housing ofce
Internet:
Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development:
www.bmvbs.de/wohngeld
E-mail:
Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development:
[email protected]
Telephone:
Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development:
+49 30 18300-3060 (Monday to Friday, 9 am12 noon)
Where to get more information
53
In addition to the tenancy agreement, you often have to sign
a handover certicate (bergabeprotokoll) when you move
into new accommodation. This records the condition that the
accommodation was in when you moved in and you conrm
this when you sign it. So read through the handover certicate
very carefully because your landlord could later claim that
you are responsible for defects that are not explicitly noted in
this certicate.
The landlord can demand a deposit as security for the accom-
modation. He can use this deposit to pay for repairs if you
leave the accommodation in a bad condition when you move
out, or use it to settle your rent arrears if you have not fully
paid the rent. The deposit may be as high as the equivalent of
three months basic rent not including ancillary costs (known
in German as cold rent or Kaltmiete).
Housing
Before agreeing and signing a tenancy agreement, you should make sure you
know all the relevant details, for example:
How much the rent is
How much the ancillary costs are (Nebenkosten)
(Particularly important are the heating costs; ask your landlord if the building
has an Energy Performance Certicate Energieausweis)
How much the deposit is
If there are any brokerage fees (e.g. from the estate agent)
If the rent is a stepped rent (Staffelmiete)
(This is a rent that is automatically increased on a regular basis)
The length of the tenancy (for a xed term or unlimited period)
If there are any obligations on the tenant to redecorate the accommodation
Ensure that all agreements are specied in a written tenancy agreement. Verbal
agreements are often disputed later.
TIP
CHECKLIST
54
Locally:
Urban, municipal and district authorities: Housing ofce
Tenants associations (membership fee applies)
Internet:
Federal Ministry of Justice: www.bmj.de/Mietrecht
Deutscher Mieterbund (German Tenants Association):
www.mieterbund.de
E-mail:
Federal Ministry of Justice: [email protected]
Where to get more information
Ancillary costs and waste disposal
In addition to the rent for the accommodation you also gener-
ally have to pay for service charges (Betriebskosten), which are
often known as ancillary costs (Nebenkosten). These are calcu-
lated once a year. They include, for example, costs for heating
and water, as well as sewage and waste collection charges.
Generally you pay a specied sum in advance every month
for ancillary costs and then the actual costs are settled at the
end of the year. You should check this settlement of the service
charges very carefully.
In Germany, waste is collected and disposed of after having
been separated into different categories. There are usually
separate bins for paper and cardboard, organic waste (such as
fruit and vegetable waste) and all other waste. In addition there
are collection points or containers for other types of waste, for
example, for glass and for special waste (such as varnish and
paint).
Being a good neighbour!
Statutory provisions in Germany stipulate that there should be
no noise that could disturb neighbours between 10 p.m. and
6 a.m. (Nachtruhe). In addition, there are house rules (Haus-
55
Locally:
Urban, municipal and district authorities
Property manager
Landlord
Tenants associations (membership fee applies)
Consumer advisory services
Internet:
Deutscher Mieterbund (German Tenants Association):
www.mieterbund.de
Mieterschutzbund (Tenants Protection Association):
www.mieterschutzbund.de
Where to get more information
Housing
ordnung). This is a voluntary arrangement, which you agree
to by signing the tenancy agreement. The house rules specify
the rules for all residents of the apartment building. You will
receive a copy of the house rules from the property manager
(Hausverwaltung) or your landlord.
As a tenant of a house or a at you have specic obligations. For
example, you must pay the agreed rent on time. But you also
have rights, for example, if major repair work is needed. If you
have questions about tenancy law, the different tenants asso-
ciations (Mieterbund and Mieterverein) are good contacts. They
have ofces in many towns which you can contact for advice.
However, they sometimes charge a fee for their services.
56 56
VII. Children and Family
The family is a very important aspect of life for many people
in Germany. It makes its mark on our lives in many ways. Most
people in Germany consider bringing up children to be the
responsibility of both mothers and fathers. Many mothers go out
to work and an increasing number of fathers take the decision to
stay at home and look after their child for a while after the birth.
1. Pregnancy and maternity protection
Pregnancy advice
Specic advice and counselling is available for women who are
going to become a mother and for couples preparing to be-
come parents. If you are expecting a child, pregnancy advisory
services can help you with issues surrounding pregnancy and
birth. They can support you before and during pregnancy with
medical, social and legal advice.
They can provide information about the following topics (and
more):
Questions connected to pregnancy
Financial and social support measures during and after
pregnancy
Employment law (e.g. Maternity Protection Act, parental
leave)
Terminating a pregnancy (abortion)
Childcare options
Welfare and family associations, churches, social services ofces, health authori-
ties and doctors all offer pregnancy advice and counselling. They also offer coun-
selling for pregnant women in conict situations. Most counselling services are
free of charge and can also be used anonymously. There are also services avail-
able over the internet or telephone, in addition to face-to-face counselling.
TIP
57 57
Children and Family
Pregnancy and the post-natal period
During the pregnancy and just after the birth you are entitled
to care from a midwife (Hebamme) or a doctor. As soon as you
know that you are pregnant, you should visit a gynaecologist
every four weeks and every two weeks after the 32nd week of
pregnancy. The costs of pregnancy care are met by your health
insurance fund (Krankenkasse).
Employed expectant mothers enjoy a particular form of pro-
tection known as maternity protection or legal protection for
working mothers (Mutterschutz). Pregnant women must not
work longer than 8.5 hours per day or undertake heavy physical
work. The period of maternity protection is stipulated by law,
beginning six weeks before the birth and ending eight weeks
after the birth. During this period, pregnant women are not
allowed to work. Their job has to be kept open for them and they
can return to it at the end of their maternity leave. You can nd
out more about this from your employer or one of the advisory
ofces listed here.
58
Locally:
Gynaecologists (Frauenrztin/Frauenarzt)
Pregnancy counselling/counselling for pregnant women in
conict situations
Local health authority
Employers
Internet:
Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and
Youth: www.bmfsfj.de
Online service portal of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Se-
nior Citizens, Women and Youth: www.familien-wegweiser.de
Search engine to nd gynaecologists: www.frauenaerzte.de
Federal Centre for Health Education: www.familienplanung.de
Bavaria Centre for Family and Social Affairs/Bavaria Youth Welfare
Ofce: www.elternimnetz.de
Telephone:
Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and
Youth: +49 180 1 907050 (cost from landline 3.9 cent/minute;
max. cost from mobile network: 42 cent/minute)
Brochures:
Publications from the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior
Citizens, Women and Youth (available from www.bmfsfj.de):
Mutterschutzgesetz Leitfaden zum Mutterschutz (Ma-
ternity Protection Act Guidelines on Maternity Protection)
Schwangerschaftsberatung 218 (Pregnancy advice in con-
text of 218 of Penal Code)
Federal Foundation Mother and Child
(German, Bulgarian, Danish, English, French, Greek, Hungari-
an, Italian, Polish, Russian, Serbian and Turkish)
Where to get more information
59
Children and Family
2. Parental leave and parental allowance
Parental leave
In Germany, the state supports you in raising your children.
As an employee you are entitled to parental leave (Elternzeit)
until your childs third birthday. Parental leave offers you the
opportunity of looking after your child whilst allowing you to
maintain contact with your working life. You can work for up to
30 hours per week during your parental leave, but you are not
obliged to work during this period. Your job remains open to
you and your contract cannot be terminated by your employer.
Parental leave can be taken by the mother and father individu-
ally or jointly. Grandparents may be entitled to parental leave
so they can take care of the newborn. This applies if the parent
is still a minor or is in the nal or penultimate year of a training
course that was commenced when they were still a minor.
You have to submit the application for parental leave to your
employer no later than seven weeks before parental leave is
due to begin. When the parental leave period expires, your
employer must offer you a job of equal standing.
Parental allowance
The parental allowance (Elterngeld) is a state benet for par-
ents who would like to look after their child themselves after
the birth and therefore are not in full-time work or not working
at all. This applies even if the parent was not working before the
birth.
The following criteria are important:
You live with the child together in one household.
You are the main person who looks after and brings up the child.
You do not work for more than 30 hours a week during this period.
CHECKLIST
60
Here is some essential information about the parental
allowance:
It amounts to around two-thirds of your income to date. The
minimum amount is EUR 300 and the maximum EUR 1,800.
It is paid for twelve months.
If the mother and father share the parental leave entitlement
and lose income, they receive a maximum of 14 months
parental allowance together. In this case, one parent can
claim a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 12 months paren-
tal allowance.
Single parents are entitled to the full 14 months parental al-
lowance if they receive it as a compensation for lost earnings.
If you do not have a job before the birth you are still entitled
to receive parental allowance.
Nationals of EU Member States, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway
and Switzerland are entitled to parental allowance in the same
way as German nationals if they live or work in Germany. For
other foreign nationals the entitlement depends on the resi-
dence title. People with a settlement permit (Niederlassungser-
laubnis) are entitled to receive parental allowance. Those who
have a residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis) are only entitled
to parental allowance if they are also entitled to work in Germa-
ny or have already legally worked here. Please seek advice about
the precise regulations.
You must apply for the parental allowance in writing. The
Federal Lnder have set up parental allowance ofces for this
purpose.
CHECKLIST
To receive parental allowance you must full the following conditions:
You look after and raise your child after the birth yourself.
You live with your child in one household.
You do not work for more than 30 hours a week.
You are resident in Germany.
61
Children and Family
Locally:
Urban, municipal and district authorities
Family counselling ofces
Parental allowance ofces
Internet:
You can nd information about parental leave and parental allow-
ance, an overview of the parental allowance ofces in the Federal
Lnder and a list of frequently asked questions on the website of
the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women
and Youth www.bmfsfj.de under the menu item Familie.
Online family issues service portal of the Federal Ministry for
Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth:
www.familien-wegweiser.de
Telephone:
Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and
Youth: +49 180 1 907050 (cost from landline 3.9 cent/minute;
max. cost from mobile network: 42 cent/minute)
Brochures:
Publications from the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior
Citizens, Women and Youth (available from www.bmfsfj.de):
Elterngeld und Elternzeit
(Parental allowance and parental leave)
Where to get more information
You can calculate the amount of the parental allowance that you will receive using
the parental allowance calculator. You can nd it on the website of the Federal
Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth www.bmfsfj.de
under the menu item Familie.
TIP
62
3. Child allowance and supplementary
child allowance
Child allowance
Parents are entitled to child allowance (Kindergeld) payable until
their childs 18th birthday if the child lives in Germany, an EU
Member State or in a country where the European Economic Area
agreement applies. If the child takes up a place on a vocational
training course or is studying, this entitlement continues until
the childs 25th birthday at the latest. You will receive a monthly
payment of EUR 184 per child for the rst two children, EUR
190 for the third child and EUR 215 for every subsequent child.
To receive child allowance you rst have to apply at the Family
Benets Ofce at the Employment Agency. In addition, families
are also granted special income tax allowances to take account
of dependent children. You can obtain the application form for
child allowance from the Family Benets Ofce. It is also available
online from www.familienkasse.de.
Supplementary child allowance
The German state supports families with a low income by
means of the supplementary child allowance (Kinder-
zuschlag) which is granted subject to the following conditions:
Your unmarried children are aged under 25 and live with
you in the same household.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Nationals of EU Member States, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland
are entitled to child allowance in the same way as German nationals if they live or
work in Germany. In the case of other foreign nationals: people with a settlement
permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis) are entitled to receive child allowance. Those
who have a residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis) are only entitled to child
allowance if they are also entitled to work in Germany or have already legally
worked here. Please seek advice about the precise regulations.
63
Children and Family
You can calculate how much supplementary child allowance you could receive
using a supplementary child allowance calculator available online. It has been
made available by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women
and Youth on its website: www.bmfsfj.de.
TIP
Your income and assets are sufcient for the parents to live
on but not enough to support the children as well.
You are not entitled to social welfare benets (Sozialhilfe) or
unemployment benet II.
The level of the supplementary child allowance depends on the
parents income and assets. It can be a maximum of EUR 140 per
child per month. You can obtain the application form for child
supplement from the Family Benets Ofce. It is also available
online from www.familienkasse.de.
In addition, as of January 1, 2011 there are additional payments
available to parents who receive supplementary child allow-
ance or housing benet. These are designed to support their
childrens education and participation and include:
One-day excursions with the school or child daycare centre
Class trips with the school or child daycare centre that last
more than one day
EUR 100 each year for school supplies
Grant towards travel costs for school pupils
Learning support measures where appropriate
Midday meal at school, in the child daycare centre or after-
school facility
Payments to help participation in your communitys social
and cultural life
The municipalities are responsible for making these education
and participatory payments. This means you should apply to
your urban, municipal or district authority.
64
Locally:
Family counselling ofces
Family Benets Ofce
Migration advice for adult immigrants
Youth migration services
Internet:
Family Benets Ofce:
www.familienkasse.de or www.kinderzuschlag.de
Online service portal of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs,
Senior Citizens, Women and Youth: www.familien-wegweiser.de
Telephone:
Family Benets Ofce (Monday to Friday, 8 am6 pm)
For questions about child allowance and supplementary child
allowance: +49 180 1 546337*
Recorded messages about payment schedule for child allow-
ance and supplementary child allowance: +49 180 1 9245864*
* For these calls there is a cost from landlines of 3.9 cent/minute
and a maximum cost from mobile networks of 42 cent/minute.
Brochures:
Publications from the Family Benets Ofce (available from
www.familienkasse.de):
Merkblatt Kindergeld (Child allowance information sheet)
Merkblatt Kinderzuschlag (Supplementary child allowance
information sheet)
Where to get more information
4. Types of childcare
It is important for children to attend a child daycare centre
because this can help ensure that their development and
their command of the German language reach the highest
level possible. The staff at the centres also help parents to
65
support their children at home in the best way. There are
many options for childcare in Germany, in particular:
Up to 3 years old:
Toddler groups
Childminders
Playgroups
Crches
Kindergartens for mixed age groups
From 3 years to school age:
Kindergartens
Other types of pre-school institution, child daycare centre
Childminders
School age:
Full-day schools
After-school facilities
Supervised homework clubs
Children and Family
You have to register your children in advance if you want them to participate in
these groups: sometimes places are in short supply due to high levels of demand.
The best thing to do is to enquire as soon as possible about vacancies.
TIP
Locally:
Urban, municipal and district authorities: Youth welfare ofces
Family counselling
Migration advice for adult immigrants
Child day-care facilities
Internet:
Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and
Youth: www.bmfsfj.de, menu item Kinder und Jugend
Where to get more information
66
5. Disputes, crises and violence in the family
Crises and disputes can occur in any family. But if the level of dis-
putes gets out of hand and especially if arguments end in violence,
you should seek professional help. All advisory centres are free of
charge and the employees there will help you quickly and ef-
ciently even if you do not want to give your name. All children in
Germany have the right to be brought up non-violently. This means
that all children, above all babies and young children, need us to
be alert. If you fear that a child is being neglected or mistreated,
please contact the police, the youth welfare ofce or a parenting
advice centre.
Information about childcare: www.fruehe-chancen.de
Many more links: www.familien-wegweiser.de
Brochures:
Publications from the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior
Citizens, Women and Youth (available from www.bmfsfj.de):
Kinder in Tageseinrichtungen und Tagespege
(Children in daycare and with childminders)
Ausbau und Qualitt der Kinderbetreuung Gleiche
Bildungschancen fr alle Kinder von Anfang an
(Expansion and quality of childcare Equal chances for all
children right from the start)
Die neuen Familienleistungen machen vieles leichter. Kin-
derbetreuungskosten (The new services for families make a
lot of things much easier. Meeting the costs of childcare)
Familienwegweiser Staatliche Hilfen im berblick
(Family guide An overview of state assistance)
Locally:
Parenting, family and marriage guidance ofces
Youth welfare ofces
Where to get more information
67
Children and Family
Internet:
German Child Protection League (Deutscher Kinderschutzbund):
www.dksb.de
Information on advice ofces for children, young people and
parents in your area and advice in your language is available here:
www.bke.de
Bavaria Centre for Family and Social Affairs/Bavaria Youth Welfare
Ofce: www.elternimnetz.de
Telephone
Parent Hotline (free) from German Child Protection League
(Deutscher Kinderschutzbund): +49 800 1110550 (Monday and
Wednesday, 911 am; Tuesday and Thursday, 57 pm)
Crisis Hotline (national, 24hrs, free):
+49 800 1110111 or +49 800 1110222
Childrens Crisis Helpline (free) Nummer gegen Kummer
(Numbers to help with Worries):
for children and young people: +49 800 1110333
for parents: +49 800 1110550
Brochures:
Publications from the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior
Citizens, Women and Youth (available from www.bmfsfj.de):
Familienwegweiser Staatliche Hilfen im berblick (Fam-
ily Guide An Overview of State Assistance)
Kinder- und Jugendhilfe (Child and Youth Services)
DAJEB-Beratungsfhrer Die Beratungsstellen in Deut-
schland (DAJEB Guide to Advice Ofces in Germany)
Husliche Gewalt Kinder leiden mit (Domestic violence
Children suffer too) (German, Arabic, Russian and Turkish)
Kindeswohlgefhrdung: Erkennen und Helfen (Endanger-
ment of a childs welfare: How to recognise it and how to help)
68
VIII. School, Training and
Studying
1. The school system and types of school
in Germany
Compulsory school attendance
All children who live in Germany have to go to school. Com-
pulsory schooling generally begins in the autumn of the
calendar year in which the child has his or her sixth birthday.
Generally, compulsory schooling then lasts until the end of
the school year in which a young person has his or her 18th
birthday. The rules on compulsory schooling differ in each of
the Federal Lnder. There are also possibilities for a child to
start school at other times during the school year.
Attendance at state-run schools is free. There are also private
schools in Germany, which generally charge school fees.
69
School, Training and Studying
Types of school
In Germany it is the Federal Lnder that are responsible for
schooling. The school system differs from one Land to another,
particularly with regard to the names given to the different
kinds of secondary school. However, the education received by
children and young people is similar throughout Germany.
Primary school
All children begin by attending primary school (Grundschule)
for four years (or six years in the case of Berlin and Branden-
burg). The place of residence determines which school they
attend: children generally go to a primary school near their
home. In some Federal Lnder parents can choose their childs
primary school themselves.
In the nal year of primary school a decision is made concern-
ing which secondary school (weiterfhrende Schule Sekunda-
rstufe I) the child will attend next. The primary school teachers
make a school recommendation (bergangsempfehlung) and
also meet the parents to provide advice. In most Federal Lnder
parents can decide which secondary school their child will
attend after primary school. Crucial factors involved in the
recommendation are the childs grades in primary school and
the teachers assessment of the child.
Secondary schools (secondary level I and II)
In some Federal Lnder a child can attend a trial lesson to try
out a particular secondary school. An overview of the indi-
vidual regulations is available on the website of the Standing
Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs
(www.kmk.org).
The earliest date on which your child may or is obliged to attend school depends
on the law in the Federal Land in which you live. Find out about the rules that ap-
ply in your Land by contacting the school authority in your local area or town or by
contacting the migration advisory service.
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70
The secondary education system (levels I and II) in Germany dif-
ferentiates between different types of school and school-leav-
ing option. So parents and children should talk to the teachers
and carefully consider which educational path would be the
most appropriate for each child. The education authorities also
offer information about this.
The different types of secondary school are listed here (the Eng-
lish terms listed are only approximate equivalents):
Hauptschule (general school up to year 9 or 10)
Realschule (intermediate school up to year 10)
Schools with several curricula (which offer both Hauptschule
and Realschule leaving qualications)
Gymnasium (academic secondary school
up to year 12 or 13)
Gesamtschule (comprehensive school with and without
the nal years of higher secondary school known as gymna-
siale Oberstufe.) This school covers all the different school-
leaving options.
In several Federal Lnder there are other types of school in
which Hauptschule and Realschule curricula are amalgamated
(since they are all forms of general or lower secondary school,
no English equivalent terms are listed here):
Mittelschule (Saxony, Bavaria)
Sekundarschule (Saxony-Anhalt, Bremen, Berlin)
Regelschule (Thuringia)
Oberschule (Brandenburg, Lower Saxony)
Erweiterte Realschule (Saarland)
Realschule plus and Verbundene or Zusammengefasste
(combined) Haupt- und Realschule (Rhineland-Palatinate)
Integrierte Haupt- und Realschule or Stadtteilschule
(Hamburg)
Regionalschule (Rhineland-Palatinate, Mecklenburg-Wes-
tern Pomerania, Schleswig-Holstein)
Werkrealschule (Baden-Wrttemberg)
School attendance is also compulsory for children and young
people with disabilities or special educational needs. The
school authority will use an ofcial procedure to determine
whether a child has special educational needs. Either the
71
childs parents or the school must apply for this procedure to be
carried out. If the procedure determines a need, then the child
may continue to attend a general school (with support) or they
may be transferred to a school for children with special educa-
tional needs (Frderschule). There are various types of special
school, which in different Federal Lnder are referred to as
Sonderschule, Frderzentrum or Schule fr Behinderte.
After passing the school-leaving qualication at a Hauptschule
or Realschule, young people can then attend a school at second-
ary level II and obtain their Abitur or Fachabitur school-leaving
certicates (see below) or they can go on to attend vocational
training at a vocational school (Berufsschule). In general, a
school-leaving certicate (Abschluss) from a Realschule opens
up more areas of work than one from a Hauptschule. Schooling
at a Gymnasium or a school offering the gymnasiale Oberstufe
ends after year 12 or 13. The school-leaving certicate is known
as the Abitur or Abi, and the ofcial title is Allgemeine Hoch-
schulreife. This qualies the young person to attend univer-
sity or another form of higher education. There is the general
Abitur and also the subject-restricted version (Fachabitur). In
some Federal Lnder, the Abitur can also be taken at vocational
schools if the pupils already have the Realschule school-leaving
qualication.
During their time at school, pupils do have the possibility to
change from one type of school to another if their school per-
formance is good enough.
School, Training and Studying
Find out which types of secondary school there are in the Federal Land where you
live. Make sure you understand which school-leaving certicates they offer and
which types of education your children can then attend with these certicates.
The ministries for schools, education or cultural affairs in each Federal Land all
have websites describing the different educational pathways available. The school
administration and the schools themselves also offer advice. Most schools will ar-
range an open day (usually held at the beginning of the year) to give parents and
children a chance to have a look at the options available.
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72
Individual schools can be very different. Find out from the education authority, the
internet or from other parents about the schools in your area. The following ques-
tions might help you select a school for your child:
Which school-leaving qualications does the school offer?
What additional classes does the school offer (e.g. foreign languages)?
Are there additional programmes on offer for the children (e.g. study groups,
sports lessons, cultural music programmes or drama/theatre programmes)?
Are there extra support programmes (e.g. language support, help with home-
work)?
What help do children with special learning needs receive?
What do the classrooms look like?
Does the school offer a whole-day programme or after-school care?
Is a hot midday meal provided at school?
Are there parent-teacher meetings or other programmes for parents?
Special support programmes
For children and young people who grow up with a native lan-
guage other than German, there are special language support
programmes in the kindergarten or school. Some of these are in
German and some in the childrens mother tongue. In all Fed-
eral Lnder there is a language test for young children before
they start school (often in the kindergarten). This determines
if the child has a particular special language learning need.
Each Federal Land then has a different range of special support
programmes on offer.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Class trips, excursions, school festivals, school concerts and swimming lessons
are all part of the learning package and everyday school life in Germany. Your
child should take part in these events as they are a valuable way of learning and
because such joint activities can boost childrens motivation to learn and their
enjoyment of school, as well as improving how well they speak.
CHECKLIST
73
School, Training and Studying
Good German language skills are important for your childrens educational suc-
cess. Therefore, you should take advantage of the language support programmes
available locally. In some Federal Lnder it is compulsory for children to attend Ger-
man programmes if they do not speak the language well enough. In many Federal
Lnder it is also possible to choose some languages spoken in migrants countries
of origin (e.g. Turkish, Italian, Russian, Spanish) as a foreign language studied in
school. This depends on the type of school. Information about programmes to im-
prove your childs German skills or to study their mother tongue is available directly
from their kindergarten or school. Or you can ask the local migration advisory serv-
ice and youth migration services.
If you want to provide the best support for your child it is important for you to be
well-informed about the education system in Germany and the range of services
available in your area. You should also know what happens in your childs everyday
school life and you should keep track of your childs progress. So schools arrange
parents evenings and other events to give you an opportunity to talk to your childs
teachers and discuss any problems. All German schools also have parent represen-
tation bodies (Elternvertretung). Contact the representative body at your school
so that you can exchange your ideas and views with other parents. Each Federal
Land also has a parent representation body (Landeselternvertretung), which is an-
other source of advice.
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TIP
Children and young people who come to Germany after they
have already started school in another country need particular
support. There are often support and language-learning classes
for them in which they are taught by specially qualied teach-
ers before subsequently transferring to mainstream classes.
The education authority can inform you about the programmes
available.
74
Locally:
School authorities/Education authority
School/School directors
Parents representation bodies and parent networks
Migration advice for adult immigrants
Youth migration services
Migrant organisations
Internet:
Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural
Affairs of the Lnder in the Federal Republic of Germany:
www.kmk.org
German Education Server: www.bildungsserver.de
Federal Ministry of Education and Research: www.bmbf.de
Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and
Youth: www.bmfsfj.de
Federal Council of Parents: www.bundeselternrat.de
Where to get more information
2. Vocational training
Good training is the most important factor when starting out in
a career. If you are trying to nd work in Germany it is impor-
tant to have completed a vocational training course or a course
of studies in higher education.
A vocational training course generally lasts two or three years
and is usually organised within Germanys dual system. Here,
dual means that the course combines two aspects: practical
on-the-job training in a company and theoretical elements
provided in a school. Some training courses, such as in the care
sector, are only offered in schools. The minimum entrance
requirement for applicants to a vocational training course is
generally a school-leaving certicate from a Hauptschule.
75
Choice of career
In Germany there are approximately 400 different regulated profes-
sions with designated training courses. The Employment Agency
offers young people assistance with their choice of an occupation.
Just ask the staff at the Vocational Information Centre (Berufsinfor-
mationszentrum) of your local Employment Agency.
Before the start of a vocational training course, the trainee and
the company providing the training both sign a written train-
ing contract. This contract sets out the content and aims of the
training. Young people who require nancial support during
their training can apply for a vocational training grant from
the Employment Agency.
School, Training and Studying
The ability to speak other languages is important for many jobs. Find out together with
your child if there are specic areas of work in which your mother tongue would be an
advantage.
TIP
Locally:
Careers counselling service at the Employment Agency
Migration advice for adult immigrants
Youth migration services
Internet:
Federal Employment Agency:
www.arbeitsagentur.de ,
topic Working and Job-Seeking, menu item Counselling
Service
www.planet-beruf.de
www.berufenet.arbeitsagentur.de
Where to get more information
76
3. Studying in Germany
There are several different types of higher education institution
in Germany:
Universities
Technical universities
Music and art colleges
Teacher training colleges
Universities of Applied Science (Fachhochschule)
Colleges of public administration
Requirements to study in higher education
Candidates must have gained the school-leaving qualication
that entitles them to study at the type of institution of their
choice (Hochschulreife/Fachhochschulreife, also known as
Abitur). If an applicant went to school abroad and has foreign
qualications, either the international ofce at the higher
education institution or the uni-assist certication ofce are
responsible for deciding whether the application conditions
have been fullled. The institutions themselves decide on the
extent to which course credits that have been gained during
higher education studies in another country can be counted
towards a qualication in Germany.
Through its Garantiefonds-Hochschulbereich higher educa-
tion support programme, the Otto Benecke Foundation sup-
ports young migrants who want to gain their higher education
entrance qualications and prepare for a course of study at an
institution of higher education. The fund targets young people
who are living as refugees, Jewish immigrants or ethnic German
Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training:
www.bibb.de, menu item Berufe
Telephone:
Information hotline of the Employment Agency: + 49 180 1 555111
(cost from landline 3.9 cent/minute; max. cost from mobile net-
work: 42 cent/minute)
77
School, Training and Studying
Locally:
Universities/Ofce for education assistance at the student wel-
fare service (Studentenwerk)
Youth migration services
Migration advice for adult immigrants
Internet:
Federal Employment Agency: www.arbeitsagentur.de, topic
Brgerinnen und Brger, menu item Studium
Online portal abi of the Federal Employment Agency:
www.abi.de
German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD): www.daad.de
Where to get more information
Students who full certain conditions are entitled to receive state education
assistance, known in Germany by its acronym BAfG. Part of this has to be paid
back after the training or course of education has nished.
TIP
resettlers in Germany and their dependents. You can obtain
information and addresses at www.jmd-portal.de, menu item
Bildungsberatung.
Tuition fees
In some Federal Lnder, students have to pay tuition fees (Stu-
diengebhr) of approximately EUR 500 per semester to study at
German state institutions of higher education. This is different
to the semester contribution (Semesterbeitrag), which each stu-
dent also has to pay. Private institutions usually charge consid-
erably higher fees. There are grants available to nance all or
part of a course, for example, those awarded by the government
support scheme for talented students (Begabtenfrderung) or
by some foundations.

78
Youth migration services: www.jmd-portal.de
Otto Benecke Foundation: www.obs-ev.de
uni-assist: www.uni-assist.de
Information about recognition of foreign educational
qualications: www.anabin.de
Federal Ministry of Education and Research: www.bafg.de
Overview of scholarships: www.stipendienlotse.de
Organizations for the promotion of young talent:
www.begabtenfoerderungswerke.de
Telephone:
Free BAfG hotline of the Federal Ministry of Education and
Research: +49 800 2236341 (Monday to Friday, 8 am8 pm)
Otto Benecke Foundation: +49 228 81630
4. Adult education
There are many options in Germany that allow you to continue
to learn even after you have left school or university. Adult
education classes offer you the chance to acquire general qua-
lications or school-leaving certicates. There are day-time
and evening courses and you can even do your lessons from
home (for example, as part of a distance-learning course from
a Telekolleg or Fernuniversitt).
The Federal Employment Agency is an important contact for
issues concerning your professional further education. You
can also nd further education and training institutions in the
telephone book and in the Yellow Pages (Gelbe Seiten

). There
are also adult education colleges (Volkshochschule or VHS)
which offer courses in almost every town in Germany.

They include, for example:
Further education courses
Language courses
Placement service for internships (Praktikum)
Special integration courses for young adults
79
Locally:
Employment Agency
Adult education colleges (Volkshochschule)
Training and continuing education institutions
Migration advice for adult immigrants
Internet:
Federal Employment Agency: www.arbeitsagentur.de, topic
Brgerinnen und Brger, menu item Finanzielle Hilfen
KURSNET the online portal for professional continuing and
further education: www.kursnet.arbeitsagentur.de
Directory of adult education colleges: www.vhs.de
German Education Server: www.bildungsserver.de
Where to get more information
School, Training and Studying
80
1. Help in the case of illness and accidents
If you are ill you should visit a general practitioner/primary
physician (Allgemeinarzt) in your area. He or she will help you
and refer you to a specialist doctor (Facharzt) if necessary.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
In Germany, the costs for medical treatment, a stay in hospital or medicines are
generally paid by your health insurance fund, so it is important to have statu-
tory or private health insurance (Krankenversicherung). You have to pay a small
portion of the costs yourself (Eigenanteil).
IX. Health and Preventive
Health Care
81
Health and Preventive Health Care
Most people in Germany are insured by a statutory health
insurance fund (gesetzliche Krankenkasse). This is compulsory
for employees earning up to a specic level of income. If you
earn more than this you can choose whether you would like to
be part of a statutory health insurance fund or pay into a pri-
vate health insurance fund (private Krankenkasse). For detailed
information, see Chapter X Banks and Insurance.
If you are insured by a statutory health insurance fund and visit
a doctors practice, you have to pay a medical consultation fee
(Praxisgebhr) of EUR 10 once every three months. After you
pay this once, all other visits to doctors during this three-month
period are free of charge. If the doctor prescribes medicines
for you, these are available from a pharmacy (Apotheke). Here
there is only a small proportion of the cost which you pay your-
self (a maximum of EUR 10), because your health insurance will
pay the rest. Medicines for children and young people up to 18
years of age are free of charge if they are prescribed by a doctor.
The system for payment is different if you are insured with a
private health insurance company. You have to pay for visits to
the doctor and medicines yourself and then you send the bills
to your health insurance fund, which will reimburse the costs.
Help in your language
If you do not speak much German and would like to visit a
doctor who speaks your language, contact the Association
of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (Kassenrztliche
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
In the event of accidents, emergencies or if you fall ill outside of consulting hours,
you can call the emergency doctor service or, in cases of extreme emergency,
you can contact the emergency services.
The most important national emergency telephone numbers are:
Emergency services: 112
Toxic substance (poisons) emergency hotline: 1 92 40
Pharmacies also operate a night and emergency service. You can nd up-to-date
information about this in your local newspaper.
82
Vereinigung) in the Federal Land in which you live. They will
help you nd the right doctor. You can nd their addresses
and telephone numbers on the website www.kbv.de, menu
item Service/Arztsuche.
Medical condentiality
Without your permission, doctors are not allowed to pass on
information about you to others (for example, ofcial authori-
ties, your employer or family members). Sometimes this also
applies to information about the health of your children. For
example, your 16-year-old daughters gynaecologist cannot
give you information about her medical examination results
without your daughters permission.
Locally:
General practitioner/primary physician (Allgemeinarzt), also
known as family doctor (Hausarzt)
Paediatrician/childrens doctor (Kinderarzt)
Health insurance funds
Internet:
Federal Ministry of Health:
www.bundesgesundheitsministerium.de
Independent Patient Counselling Germany:
www.unabhaengige-patientenberatung.de
Federal Centre for Health Education: www.bzga.de
Doctor search tool for all Lnder: www.bundesaerztekammer.de,
menu item Patienten/Arztsuche
Search tool for doctors and hospitals in particular locations:
www.aok.de, menu item Gesundheit/Behandlung/
Suche rzte & Co
Overview of statutory health insurance funds: National Associa-
tion of Statutory Health Insurance Funds:
www.gkv-spitzenverband.de menu item Gesetzliche
Krankenversicherung(GKV)/Alle gesetzlichen Krankenkassen
Where to get more information
83
Health and Preventive Health Care
2. Preventive medical check-ups and vaccinations
Many illnesses are easy to treat if they are diagnosed at an early
stage. Early recognition examinations and preventive check-
ups help to do this. Health insurance funds pay for many types
of preventive check-up. Ask your doctor for advice about this.
Vaccinations are one of the most important and effective
preventive measures. Modern vaccines are well-tolerated and
protect patients from serious illnesses. There are some protec-
tive vaccinations that are ofcially recommended but having
vaccinations is a voluntary matter in Germany. The costs are
met by your health insurance fund.
Preventive healthcare and vaccinations for children
Infectious diseases can be particularly dangerous for babies
and children, so the rst vaccinations are recommended for
when babies are just three months old. By the time they are 14
months old, your children should be immunised against the
most dangerous illnesses.
E-mail:
Federal Ministry of Health: [email protected]
Telephone:
Federal Ministry of Health (Monday to Thursday, 8 am6 pm and
Friday, 8 am12 noon):
Health insurance issues: +49 180 5 9966-02*
Preventive healthcare issues: +49 180 5 9966-09*
Advice centre for the deaf and hearing-impaired (textphone/
minicom): +49 180 5 9966-07*; Sign language telephone via
ISDN-videophone: +49 180 5 9966-06*;
Sign language telephone via Video over IP:
[email protected]
* For these calls there is a xed cost from landlines of 14 cent/minute
and a maximum cost from mobile networks of 42 cent/minute.
84
In Germany there are specic recommended vaccinations for babies, children,
young people and adults. These are summarised in a vaccination calendar
(Impfkalender), which is available on the website of the Federal Centre for Health
Education www.bzga.de under the menu item Infomaterialien in German and
several other languages.
TIP
Early detection check-ups for children
In Germany there is a series of standard early detection check-
ups for children, taking place from birth until when they
begin school. They are known as the U1 to U9 check-ups. These
regular check-ups help to ensure an early diagnosis for devel-
opmental disorders and diseases in children, in turn helping
to improve the treatment possibilities. The costs for early de-
tection check-ups are met by the health insurance funds. Each
of the U1-U9 early detection check-ups should take place at a
specic point during your childs development. Undergoing
the check-up is voluntary but it is important to have regular
check-ups to support your childs development. A specic ap-
pointment needs to be made with your paediatrician for each
check-up.
85
Health and Preventive Health Care
Locally:
General practitioner/primary physician (Allgemeinarzt), also
known as family doctor (Hausarzt)
Health insurance funds
Internet:
Federal Ministry of Health:
www.bundesgesundheitsministerium.de
Federal Association for Prevention and Health Promotion:
www.bvpraevention.de
Information on child health:
www.bundesgesundheitsministerium.de, topics from A to Z,
letter K
www.kindergesundheit-info.de menu item Fr Eltern
E-mail:
Federal Ministry of Health: [email protected]
Telephone:
Federal Ministry of Health: + 49 180 5 9966-09*
(Monday to Thursday, 8 am6 pm and Friday, 8 am12 noon)
Brochures:
Federal Ministry of Health: Ratgeber zur gesundheit lichen
Prvention (Guide to Preventive Healthcare).
You can order this brochure:
by telephone: +49 180 5 7780-90*
by fax: +49 180 5 7780-94*
in writing: Publikationsversand der Bundesregierung,
Postfach 48 10 09, 18132 Rostock
or by e-mail: [email protected]
* For these calls there is a xed cost from landlines of 14 cent/
minute and a maximum cost from mobile networks of 42 cent/
minute.
Where to get more information
86
3. AIDS counselling
There is still no known vaccination or cure for HIV or AIDS. So
you have to protect yourself from infection by using condoms.
Find out more information free of charge from the counsel-
ling ofces responsible for this subject. And you can take an
HIV test there too. The counselling and HIV tests are both
available without having to give your name.
Locally:
Local health authority
Health insurance funds
AIDS counselling ofces
Internet:
www.aidshilfe.de
www.gib-aids-keine-chance.de
Federal Ministry of Health:
www.bundesgesundheitsministerium.de
Federal Centre for Health Education: www.bzga.de under the
menu item Themen/Aidsprvention
Directory of AIDS counselling ofces: www.bzga.de under the
menu item Service/Beratungsstellen/AIDS
E-mail:
Federal Centre for Health Education:
[email protected] (in German)
Telephone:
German: Federal Centre for Health Education: +49 180 5 555444
(Monday to Thursday, 10 am10 pm and Friday to Sunday,
10 am6 pm; cost from landline 14 cent/minute; max. cost from
mobile network: 42 cent/minute)
Turkish: Health Centre for Migrants, Cologne: +49 221 95154231
Where to get more information
87
Health and Preventive Health Care
Russian, Spanish, French, English: Contact and coordination
point for health education among migrants, Berlin:
+49 30 29006949
Information materials:
Federal Centre for Health Education (available on the website
www.bzga.de under the menu item Infomaterialien, for exam-
ple HIV Transmission and the AIDS risk available in several
languages)
LOVE LIFE STOP AIDS is an AIDS education lm available in many different
languages and two different versions: one for men and one for women. For youth
or social workers or other people who can organise a showing of the lm, it can
be ordered in writing or online from www.gib-aids-keine-chance.de: LOVE
LIFE STOP AIDS DVD, Order No. 70402000.
TIP
88
4. Drug and addiction counselling
Drugs, alcohol, nicotine, medicines, gambling, food, the in-
ternet and even shopping many things can be addictive. And
every addiction is an illness that should be taken seriously. So
addicts and their families need advice and professional help.
For this they can contact a doctor or a counselling centre.
The sooner an addiction is treated, the better the chances of
recovery. There are many organisations and self-help groups
offering quick and anonymous help.
89
Internet:
Counselling ofces of various organisations: see www.bzga.de,
menu item Service/Beratungsstellen
Online advice from Caritas: www.beratung-caritas.de, menu
item Beratungsbereiche/Online-Beratung, keyword Suchtbe-
ratung
The German Centre for Addiction Issues (DHS): www.dhs.de
Fachverband Sucht (Specialist Association for Addiction):
www.sucht.de
www.drugcom.de, www.kenn-dein-limit.de,
www.rauchfreiinfo.de, www.spielen-mit-verantwortung.de
E-mail:
Federal Centre for Health Education:
[email protected] (in German)
Telephone:
Federal Centre for Health Education: Info hotline about preven-
ting addiction: +49 221 892031 (in German: Monday to Thursday,
10 am10 pm and Friday to Sunday, 10 am6 pm)
Brochures:
Federal Centre for Health Education (available on the website
www.bzga.de under menu item Infomaterialien)
The German Centre for Addiction Issues (DHS) (available at the
website www.dhs.de under menu item Infomaterial)
Where to get more information
Health and Preventive Health Care
90
5. Participation of people with disabilities
The German state supports people with physical, psychological
or mental disabilities so they can participate equally in society.
The severely disabled are also entitled to particular protection
in their working and professional life, for example in the event
of their contract being terminated.
If you are aficted with a disability or severe disability you
can apply for a (severely) disabled persons ID card ([Schwer-]
Behindertenausweis) from the pension ofce. This document
veries the level of your disability and enables you to receive
assistance, such as concessions on public transport.

91
Health and Preventive Health Care
Locally:
Health insurance funds, pension insurance funds
Employment Agency
Urban, municipal and district authorities: social services depart-
ment (Sozialamt) and pension ofce (Versorgungsamt)
Internet:
Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs:
www.bmas.de, menu item Teilhabe behinderter Menschen;
www.einfach-teilhaben.de
Federal Commissioner for the Disabled:
www.behindertenbeauftragter.de
E-mail:
Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs: [email protected]
Telephone:
Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (Monday to Thursday,
8 am8 pm):
Information for disabled people: + 49 180 5 676715*
Service for the deaf and hearing-impaired (textphone/minicom):
+49 180 5 676716*
* For these calls there is a xed cost from landlines of 14 cent/minute
and a maximum cost from mobile networks of 42 cent/minute.
Brochures:
Publications from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs
(available from www.bmas.de, menu item Services/Publications):
CD-ROM: Informationen fr behinderte Menschen (Infor-
mation for disabled people includes a selection of brochures)
Ratgeber fr Menschen mit Behinderung
(Guide for People with Disabilities)
Rehabilitation and Integration of People with Disabilities
(German, English and French)
Das Gesetz zur Gleichstellung behinderter Menschen
(Act on Equal Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities)
Where to get more information
92
X. Banks and Insurance
Ask for professional help as soon as possible if you realise that you are having prob-
lems to pay back a loan. There are debt counsellors in every large town. The staff at
the migration advice service for adult immigrants will also be able to help you.
TIP
1. Money and methods of payment
Many nancial transactions take place in Germany without using
cash. Accounts known as current accounts (Girokonto) are used
for payments that do not involve cash. Money is deposited into
these accounts and transferred out of them. If you have a current
account, you can withdraw cash from your account at the cash-
iers desk in the bank or from an automatic teller machine (ATM),
known in Germany as a Geldautomat. Wages and salaries are also
transferred directly to your current account. So it is particularly
important to have a current account at a bank if you are working.
Ask for further details at the bank of your choice about how to
set up a current account. Make sure you ask about the terms
and conditions and costs involved, as these can vary a lot from
bank to bank. Also ask about the documents you have to submit
when you apply to open an account.
Loans
If you want to make a large purchase and you do not have suf-
cient funds to do so, you can apply for a loan from a bank. The
bank will charge a fee for providing the loan, and you will also
need to pay interest on the money that you borrow. But the in-
terest rates can be very high. So consider your options carefully
before taking out a loan or any form of credit. Remember that
you might have to pay back the credit over many years. Find out
as much information as you can. Check that the offer is from an
institution with a good reputation and always compare it with
several other offers.
93
Banks and Insurance
Bank overdrafts
If you have a current account, your bank will often allow you
to have an overdraft facility, known in Germany as Disposi-
tionskredit or berziehungskredit. This allows you to spend
more money than is available in your account but only up to
an agreed limit. This provides you with exibility for pur-
chases that you need to make at short notice. However, the
interest rates for an overdraft facility are much higher than
the interest rate normally charged on bank loans. Using your
overdraft facility is therefore only a suitable option if you
need small amounts of money for a short period.
94
2. Statutory social insurance
The German social insurance system is a statutory insurance
system that provides effective protection against lifes most
serious risks and their consequences, such as illness, unem-
ployment, old age and long-term care needs. It is intended to
ensure a relatively stable standard of living for everyone and
provide support in times of need. It also provides a pension
when people reach the end of their working life.
The social insurance scheme is a mandatory form of insur-
ance. Half of the contribution for the statutory social insurance
scheme is paid by the employer. The other half is paid by the
employee and is automatically deducted from their salary or
wages. There are two exceptions: employees pay slightly more
than their employers for their health insurance; employers pay
the whole contribution for accident insurance. By paying these
contributions, you build up your entitlement to benets from
the different areas of the statutory social insurance scheme.
Your social insurance contribution generally varies accord-
ing to your income. For contributions to the statutory pension
fund and health insurance there is an assessment ceiling. If
your income is above this, the contributions do not increase
anymore.
Locally:
Consumer advisory services
Local savings banks (Sparkasse) and banks
Internet:
Federation of German Consumer Organisations:
www.verbraucherzentrale.de
Telephone:
Federation of German Consumer Organisations: +49 30 25800-0
Where to get more information
95
Pension insurance scheme
It is generally compulsory for employees to be insured under
the statutory pension fund. The pension insurance ensures that
you are nancially secure in your old age. Until 2012, people
have been able to receive a pension when they become 65
years old. From 2012, the pension age will be raised gradually
to 67 and from 2029 this age limit will apply to all those who
were born in or after 1964. However, there will be exceptions,
including people who have paid into the statutory pension
fund for a particularly long time. The pension insurance fund
also supports you before the statutory pension age in cases of
incapacity. This means, for example, that you receive support if
you have a serious illness or disability which means you can no
longer work or can only work part-time. There is also support if
you are widowed or an orphan.
Banks and Insurance
Internet:
Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs:
www.bmas.bund.de, menu items Our Topics/Social Security
and Our Topics/Pensions
Central German Social Insurance Associations:
www.deutsche-sozialversicherung.de
E-mail:
Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs: [email protected]
Brochures:
Brochures from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs
(available from www.bmas.bund.de, menu item Publications):
Social Security at a Glance
(German, English, French, Italian, Spanish and Turkish)
Sozialhilfe und Grundsicherung
(Social benets and basic social protection)
Where to get more information
96
Locally:
Urban, municipal and district authorities: Insurance ofce
Consumer advisory services
Information and advisory ofces of the Deutsche Rentenver-
sicherung (German Pension Fund)
Internet:
Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs:
www.bmas.bund.de, menu item Our Topics/Pensions
Deutsche Rentenversicherung (German Pension Fund):
www.deutsche-rentenversicherung.de
Guide from the consumer advisory services at
www.verbraucherzentrale.de
E-mail:
Deutsche Rentenversicherung (German Pension Fund):
[email protected]
Telephone:
Free hotline of Deutsche Rentenversicherung (German Pension
Fund): +49 800 10004800 (Monday to Thursday, 7:30 am7:30 pm
and Friday, 7:30 am3:30 pm)
Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs: Service hotline
about pensions: +49 180 5 676710 (cost from landline 14 cent/
minute; max. cost from mobile network: 42 cent/minute)
Where to get more information
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
The statutory pension is lower than your income during your working life. To
maintain your standard of living during old age, you should supplement the
statutory pension insurance with a private scheme.
97
Brochures:
Brochures from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs
(available from www.bmas.bund.de, menu item Publikationen):
Ratgeber zur Rente (Advice on Pensions)
Rentenratgeber fr Frauen (Advice on Pensions for Women)
Erwerbsminderungsrente (Incapacity Pension)
Handbuch Altersvorsorge (Handbook on Retirement Planning)
Zustzliche Altersvorsorge (Additional Retirement Planning)
(German and Turkish)
Checkheft Altersvorsorge (Retirement Planning Checklist)
Banks and Insurance
Health insurance
The statutory health insurance helps you and your family when
you are ill. In addition it pays for many costs of health care
(for example, the dentist), rehabilitation care and the costs of
childbirth. If you cannot work for a prolonged period because
of illness and therefore do not receive your salary from your
employer, the statutory health insurance pays you sick pay
(Krankengeld) as compensation.
The statutory health insurance cover is mandatory for em-
ployees with an income up to a specic level (the general and
special annual income limits). Employees who earn more than
these limits and satisfy some further conditions are allowed
to choose whether they want to be a member of the statutory
health insurance (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung) or a pri-
vate health insurance scheme (private Krankenversicherung).
If your income is above a specic limit you can take out private health insurance.
Self-employed people are also allowed to choose whether they wish to be in-
sured using the statutory health insurance scheme or through a private scheme.
Different private health insurance schemes often offer different benets and the
level of contributions you have to pay varies, too. So research these carefully and
always compare several schemes!
TIP
98
Locally:
Health insurance companies (Krankenkasse) and local authority
insurance ofces (Versicherungsamt)
Consumer advisory services
Internet:
Federal Ministry of Health:
www.bundesgesundheitsministerium.de
Federation of German Consumer Organisations:
www.verbraucherzentrale.de, www.vzbv.de
Overview of statutory health insurance funds:
www.gkv-spitzenverband.de,
menu item Gesetzliche Krankenkassen
E-mail:
Federal Ministry of Health: [email protected]
Telephone:
Federal Ministry of Health: +49 180 5 996602*
(Monday to Thursday, 8 am6 pm and Friday, 8 am12 noon)
Brochures:
Federal Ministry of Health:
Ratgeber zur gesetzlichen Krankenversicherung
(Guide to statutory health insurance), can be ordered
by e-mail: [email protected]
by telephone: +49 180 5 778090*
in writing: Publikationsversand der Bundesregierung,
Postfach 48 100 9, 18132 Rostock
* For these calls there is a xed cost from landlines of 14 cent/minute
and a maximum cost from mobile networks of 42 cent/minute.
Where to get more information
99
Banks and Insurance
Locally:
Statutory or private insurance funds
Consumer advisory services
Internet:
Federal Ministry of Health:
www.bundesgesundheitsministerium.de
Federation of German Consumer Organisations:
www.verbraucherzentrale.de, www.vzbv.de
E-mail:
Federal Ministry of Health: [email protected]
Telephone:
Federal Ministry of Health: +49 180 5 996603
(Monday to Thursday, 8 am6 pm and Friday, 8 am12 noon;
cost from landline 14 cent/minute; max. cost from mobile net-
work: 42 cent/minute)
Where to get more information
Long-term care insurance
Long-term care insurance (Pegeversicherung) will help
you if you cannot look after yourself in old age or because of
a severe illness and are dependent on nursing care. In addi-
tion, long-term care insurance provides nancial support and
advice to those who care for their relatives. If you would like to
claim for benets from the long-term care insurance scheme,
you must submit an application.
If you have statutory health insurance you are automatically a
member of the statutory long-term care insurance scheme. If,
however, you are insured with a private healthcare insurance
scheme, you must take out an additional private long-term
care insurance policy.
100
Accident insurance
The statutory accident insurance helps you and your family
cope with health and nancial problems that are the immedi-
ate consequence of an accident at work or occupational illness.
Accidents at work also include accidents on the way to and from
work or school.
Unemployment insurance
In Germany, anyone who becomes unemployed through no
fault of their own is not left to manage alone. They receive sup-
port from the state which is more than just nancial assistance.
They also have the opportunity to take advantage of the job
placement services from the Federal Employment Agency. And
if necessary there are also measures to assist reintegration into
Locally:
Employers, accident insurance funds
Internet:
Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs: www.bmas.bund.de
DGUV (German Statutory Accident Insurance) Umbrella associa-
tion of the accident insurance institutions for the industrial and
public sectors (Berufsgenossenschaft and Unfallkasse respec-
tively): www.dguv.de
Brochures:
Federal Ministry of Health (available on the website
www.bmg.bund.de under the menu item Pege/Publikationen):
Ratgeber Pege: Alles was Sie zur Pege wissen mssen
(Care guide: Everything you need to know about long-term care)
Pegen Zuhause Ratgeber fr die husliche Pege
(Caring at home Guide to domestic nursing care)
Pegebedrftig. Was nun? (I need care. What do I do now?)
Where to get more information
101
Banks and Insurance
employment. These include training and further training as
well as support payments and benets.
Unemployment benet
If you lose your job, you can apply for unemployment benet
(Arbeitslosengeld) if you have been employed in a position
paying compulsory social insurance for at least twelve months
previously. The Federal Employment Agency will check that you
full the conditions to qualify. You will receive unemployment
benet for a maximum of twelve months. From the age of 50 you
will receive it for a maximum of 15 months, from 55 years old
you receive it for a maximum of 18 months and if you are aged 58
or older you will receive it for a maximum of 24 months.

Long-term unemployed? Unemployment benet II
If you are unemployed for a longer period of time you are also
entitled to support. People who can work but who have not
been able to nd work for a long time are entitled to receive
unemployment benet II (Arbeitslosengeld II). Additionally,
this type of state support is also granted to people who do not
earn enough to support themselves and their dependants
who live together with them. Unemployment benet II is paid
for as long as you are unemployed and have no income. Un-
like unemployment benet I, it is nanced by taxes.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
You must report in person to the Employment Agency no later than three months
before your job ends and notify the Agency that you are looking for work. If you
do not report to the Agency in time, you might be disqualied from receiving un-
employment for a short time (Sperrzeit). If you are unable to adhere to this dead-
line because you only learn at short notice that you are going to lose your job,
you must report to the Agency by no later than the third day following the day on
which you are told that your contract is to be terminated.
102
Locally:
Employment Agency
Local authority job centres
Migration advice for adult immigrants
Internet:
Federal Employment Agency: www.arbeitsagentur.de
Brochures:
Federal Employment Agency (available from
www.arbeitsagentur.de, menu item Verffentlichungen):
Was? Wie viel? Wer? Finanzielle Hilfen der Agentur fr
Arbeit auf einen Blick (What? How much? Who? An overview
of the nancial support offered by the Employment Agency)
Turkish and Russian translations of the most important forms
used by the Federal Employment Agency are available from
www.arbeitsagentur.de under the menu item Brgerinnen
und Brger/Arbeit und Beruf/Arbeits- und Jobsuche/Arbeit in
Deutschland/Migrantenberatung
Where to get more information
Further information about unemployment benet II and the
precise rules can be obtained from the Federal Employment
Agency. The staff at the migration advice service for adult im-
migrants will also be pleased to help you.
3. Property and personal insurance
In addition to the statutory insurance schemes, there are many
types of private insurance available. They include, for example:
Liability insurance
Home contents insurance
Occupational disability insurance
Life assurance
Motor vehicle insurance
103
Banks and Insurance
Every insurance policy you take out costs money. So you
should consider carefully what you really need before agree-
ing to an insurance contract. If you own a car or motorbike
it is mandatory to have motor vehicle insurance (KFZ-Ver-
sicherung). Liability insurance (Haftpichtversicherung) is
also very important. This type of insurance will pay out dam-
ages if you or your under-age children cause unintentional
injury to another person.
Locally:
Consumer advisory services
Insurance companies
Internet:
Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin): www.ban.de
Federation of German Consumer Organisations:
www.verbraucherzentrale.de
Telephone:
Consumer hotline of BaFin (Federal Financial Supervisory Author-
ity): +49 228 29970299 (Monday to Friday, 8 am6 pm)
Federation of German Consumer Organisations: + 49 30 25800-0
Where to get more information
104
XI. Shopping and
Consumer Protection
1. Shopping and paying
You can buy food and other things you need on a daily basis in
grocery shops, shopping centres and specialist shops. How-
ever, please take care because the same or similar goods do not
always cost the same in different shops. And special offers are
generally only valid for a short period. So it is worth nding out
the exact details of offers, and comparing quality and prices.
If you are purchasing larger, more expensive items it can be a
good idea to read test reports about the products. There are lots
of ways of nding out how good an offer really is. The Stiftung
Warentest foundation and the Federal Lnders consumer
organisations provide information and product evaluations in
press reports, specialist magazines and online publications.
Shop opening hours
Shops in Germany do not all have the same opening hours; they
differ from Land to Land. Usually shops are open from 9 a.m. to
8 p.m. from Monday to Saturday.
Paying for purchases
You can pay for purchases with cash all over Germany. And in
many shops you can also pay by other methods (cash-free). To
do this you need an account at a bank or savings bank (Spar-
kasse) that will provide you with an EC-Karte (the most com-
mon debit card) or a credit card which you can use to pay for
purchases. With these cards, the cost of the goods you pay for
is automatically deducted from your current account (see also
Chapter X Banks and Insurance).
105
Shopping and Consumer Protection
Online shopping
Nowadays you can use the internet to purchase many things.
However, not all offers on the internet are genuine. So you
should be very careful when shopping online and participating
in internet auctions. One safe way of shopping on the internet
is choosing options where you only have to pay after you have
received the goods and the invoice (Rechnung). Another secure
method is the direct debit system (Lastschriftverfahren) that
deducts funds directly from your bank account. You have to
give your permission for this beforehand. This method has the
advantage that you can claim your money back via your bank
within six weeks if the goods are not received.

If you are the victim of internet fraud, you should report the incident to the police
as soon as possible and inform the website operator. Do this as soon as possible:
every day counts when it comes to nding the person who defrauded you.
TIP
106
2. Warranty and guarantee
Every seller has to ensure that his goods are not faulty. If a
customer notices faults or defects that existed at the time of
purchase, they have a statutory entitlement to a warranty
(Gewhrleistung). This entitlement exists for two years after
the purchase and also applies to goods purchased at a reduced
price or as part of special offers. Of course, this warranty enti-
tlement does not cover faults that arise if a product wears out
because it has been used. If a fault occurs within the rst six
months after purchase, the burden of proof lies with the seller:
they have to prove that the goods were sold to you without
faults or defects. If more than six months have passed, you as
the customer have to prove that the fault was present at the
time of purchase.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Guarantees (Garantie) and warranties (Gewhrleistung) are not the same thing,
although in common speech many people use the word guarantee to cover
both. A guarantee is the manufacturers promise that their product has par-
ticular features and will function for a particular length of time. Guarantees are
given on a voluntary basis. Manufacturers are not obliged to give a guarantee
for their goods.
Take care with competitions
Always be careful if you are asked to enter any contact details in order to take
part in a competition. Organisers of such competitions often collect these
details in order to send advertising later by post, e-mail or telephone. Many peo-
ple do not want to receive this unwanted advertising and feel disturbed. Store
cards and loyalty cards can also help these organisations collect addresses to
send unwanted advertising.
107
Shopping and Consumer Protection
If you want to return or exchange something because it is faulty, you do not need
the original packaging. No one can demand that you keep boxes or plastic wrap-
pers. You also do not necessarily need the till receipt. The receipt does make it
easier, however, to prove where a product was bought. But this can also be prov-
en by showing a detailed entry on a bank statement or with a statement from a
witness.
TIP
Exchanging goods
Shops are not obliged to exchange purchased goods if the
goods are not faulty. The exchange of goods (Umtausch)
always takes place on a voluntary basis.
3. Right of withdrawal
Sometimes contracts are agreed too quickly, particularly if
the salesperson is standing at your front door or if you are on-
line or on the telephone. For this reason, the law grants you a
right of withdrawal (Widerrufsrecht) from contracts, mean-
ing you can cancel the contract within 14 days without penal-
ty. The contract then becomes invalid. You do not have to give
reasons for your withdrawal. If problems arise when you try to
exercise this right you can contact a consumer advice centre
(Verbraucherzentrale).
This law applies to:
Agreements entered into in the workplace, at a private residence, on the tele-
phone or on public transport
Contracts (sales and others) that are agreed on the internet
Orders from mail-order catalogues
Agreements made by letter, fax or e-mail
Agreements made on promotional trips (often called a Kaffeefahrt) or at open-
air events
CHECKLIST
108
Locally:
Consumer organisations in the 16 Federal Lnder with around 200
consumer advice centres nationwide
Migration advice for adult immigrants
Product tests on TV, on the internet, in newspapers and in particu-
lar in the test magazine from Stiftung Warentest
Internet:
Stiftung Warentest: www.test.de
Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection:
www.bmelv.de
Federation of German Consumer Organisations (umbrella organi-
sation of 16 consumer organisations from the Federal Lnder and
26 associations involved in consumer policy): www.vzbv.de
aid Infodienst (information service about agriculture, food and
nutrition): www.aid.de
German Nutrition Society (DGE): www.dge.de
Brochures:
Information brochure offering general consumer protection
advice Verbraucherschutz kompakt guter Rat in Alltagsfra-
gen (Compact guide to consumer protection good advice for
everyday issues) (available online at www.bundesregierung.de,
menu item Service/Publikationen/Broschren)
Brochures from the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Con-
sumer Protection (available online at www.bmelv.de, menu item
Publications/Consumer Protection and Information Rights)
Where to get more information
As a general rule, never sign anything that you have not under-
stood properly. Before making a purchase, make sure you know
how you can withdraw and what the exceptions are (e.g. in the
case of insurance contracts and hotel reservations). Generally,
you will only have two weeks in which to withdraw and you
have to do this in writing. So do not wait too long before with-
drawing from an agreement that you are unhappy with.
109
Shopping and Consumer Protection
110
XII. Associations and
Organisations
1. Associations and clubs
In Germany there are over 500,000 different clubs and associa-
tions. These are organisations of people with common interests
or goals. Many are simply members and others take on volun-
tary tasks in the association. In German this voluntary work is
called Ehrenamt: helping of your own free will and without
payment. Children and young people also join clubs and as-
sociations. As a member of an association you benet from its
activities and also meet lots of people with similar interests.
The areas covered by the clubs and associations can be very
varied. They include, for example:
Sports associations
Music associations
Social clubs
Youth clubs
111
Associations and Organisations
Locally:
Citizens advisory service
Migration advice for adult immigrants
Internet:
Bundesverband Deutscher Vereine und Verbnde
(Association of German Associations and Clubs): www.bdvv.de
Verbandsforum (portal for associations): www.verbandsforum.de
Where to get more information
Many clubs, associations and self-help groups offer support for families. For ex-
ample, they provide help if you have problems with your children or in cases of
illness, or simply if you need a little help in everyday life. The range of support
options is broad. Find out which organisations are active in your area.
You will feel at home more quickly in your new environment if you are able to meet
people in your area and to get involved in your community and with the people
there. You should therefore take advantage of the programmes offered by associa-
tions in your new area.
TIP
TIP
Parents associations
Animal protection associations
Art clubs
Cookery clubs
Computer clubs
If you would like to join and get involved in an association but do
not know which associations there are in your area, the citizens
advisory service and the websites for your area can help you.
112
2. Migrant organisations
In Germany, there are many organisations where people with
a migrant background come together. Most migrant organisa-
tions operate at a local level as associations, and people work for
these organisations as volunteers. In addition, there are a few
umbrella organisations bringing together associations from
all over Germany. Valuable contributions to integration work
are made by many of these organisations large or small, local
or national. For example, parents associations are important
here. These provide parents with a migrant background with
an opportunity to support their childrens education.
The members of migrant organisations usually have personal
experience of migration, so they can offer particularly good
help to those who have recently arrived in Germany and want
to settle into life here.
The organisations are as varied and diverse as the immigrants
themselves. There are, for example:
Leisure and sports clubs
Cultural associations
Religious associations and religious communities
Workers associations
Political associations
Students associations
Employers associations
Parents associations
Migrant organisations often offer a diverse programme of
services, such as:
Interpreting services
Advice and counselling
Events
Courses and further training
Educational programmes, such as homework clubs for
children
Parental education
Integration projects
113
In addition, migrant organisations represent the interests of
their members. They are becoming increasingly important con-
tacts in the elds of politics, business and government.
Locally:
Ofces of local migrants organisations
Integration Commissioner or immigration ofces in your
municipality
Migration advice for adult immigrants
Internet:
www.bamf.de/migrantenorganisationen
Where to get more information
Associations and Organisations
114
XIII. Life in Germany
1. The political and legal system
The constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany is known
as the Basic Law (Grundgesetz). It is the most important legal
foundation governing life in Germany.
Basic rights
Articles 1 to 19 of the Basic Law assure the constitutional rights
of the individual in their relationship to the state. Particularly
important basic rights are:
Protection of human dignity
Right to life and physical integrity
Equality of all people before the law
Freedom of faith
Freedom of expression
Freedom of assembly
Freedom to choose and practise a profession
Guarantee of property and the right of inheritance
Freedom of the press
Article 20 describes the most important principles according to
which the political system of the Federal Republic of Germany
is structured:
Federal Republic
Democracy
Constitutional state
Welfare state
Federal Republic
The Republic of Germany is a federation consisting of 16 Federal
Lnder (Bundeslnder). These are listed here (some have tradi-
tional English names, which are given in brackets):
Baden-Wrttemberg
Bayern (Bavaria)
Berlin
Brandenburg
115
Life in Germany
Bremen
Hamburg
Hessen (Hesse)
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
(Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania)
Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony)
Nordrhein-Westfalen (North Rhine-Westphalia)
Rheinland-Pfalz (Rhineland-Palatinate)
Saarland
Sachsen (Saxony)
Sachsen-Anhalt (Saxony-Anhalt)
WIESBADEN
STUTTGART
SCHWERIN
SAARBRCKEN
POTSDAM
MUNICH
MAINZ
MAGDEBURG
KIEL
HANNOVER
HAMBURG
ERFURT
DSSELDORF
DRESDEN
BREMEN
BERLIN
aden-
wrttemberg
avaria
Saxony
Hesse
RhineIand-
PaIatinate
Lower Saxony
SchIeswig-
HoIstein MeckIenburg-
western Pomerania
SaarIand
North
Rhine-westphaIia
Thuringia
Hamburg
remen
randenburg
erIin
Saxony-AnhaIt
116
Schleswig-Holstein
Thringen (Thuringia)
Democracy
Germany is a democratic state. This means that all the power
of the state comes from the people. Democracy is exercised
through:
Elections
Votes
Legislative bodies (parliament)
Executive bodies (government and administration)
Judicial bodies (courts)
The Bundestag (lower house of parliament) is made up of the
elected representatives of the people.
Welfare state
Germany is a welfare state. This means that in principle every
citizen should provide for him- or herself by working. However,
the state helps people who for one reason or another are unable
to provide any or enough income for themselves. By doing this
it helps to compensate for disadvantages. The state provides
a range of social security benets and allowances. The most
important include the statutory social security and unemploy-
ment benet II (see Chapter X Banks and Insurance), and also
child benet (see Chapter VII Children and Family).
Internet:
Federal Agency for Civic Education: www.bpb.de
Hier knnen Sie sich informieren
Where to get more information
117
2. Political involvement and political parties
Political parties
Every citizen has the chance to be involved in political life in
Germany and to have an inuence on politics at a local, Land
and federal level. One key way of doing this is to become in-
volved in interest groups, citizens initiatives, trade unions and
political parties.
Parties nominate candidates for local, Land, federal and Euro-
pean elections, including the elections for:
Local (municipal) and town/city councils
Land parliament (Landtag)
Federal parliament (Bundestag)
European Parliament
The political parties in Germany each have different agendas
and political programmes. You can nd out about their points
of view regarding individual issues on the parties websites.
Elections
Elections in Germany are general, direct, free, equal and secret.
This means:
General: All men and women who are German citizens and
at least 18 years old can vote and be elected.
Direct: The people elect members of parliament directly
or by means of a list and not indirectly through electoral
delegates.
Free: No-one may exert pressure on voters to elect a specic
candidate. Voting is not compulsory.
Equal: Each vote carries the same weight.
Secret: The vote of each individual voter is kept conden tial:
no-one else knows how he or she voted. Only the overall
result is published.
If you have German nationality, you may vote in all elections.
If you are a citizen of another EU state and have been living in
Germany for more than three months, you are eligible to vote
Life in Germany
118
in municipal and city council elections and also in European
Parliament elections.
Voting for the Bundestag (the national, or Federal Parliament)
and most Land parliaments works like this: each voter has two
votes, a rst vote and a second vote. The rst votes cast by vot-
ers are for a candidate from their constituency (rst-past-the-
post election). The second vote is cast for a party (proportional
representation). Each party submits a list of candidates. The
second vote is more important because it decides the distribu-
tion of seats in the parliaments. The votes for municipal coun-
cils operate according to laws passed in each Federal Land. So
they can operate differently. But in all cases they follow the
principle mentioned above: general, direct, free, equal and
secret elections.
3. Integration councils and advisory boards
There are councils or advisory boards for integration in
almost all communities to represent the political interests of
immigrants. They might be called: Integrationsrat, Integra-
tionsbeirat (council or advisory board for integration), Mi-
grationsrat, Migrationsbeirat (migration council or advisory
board), or Auslnderbeirat (advisory board for foreign nation-
als). They advise the municipal and town councils on all issues
related to migrants, immigration and integration. In many
local areas they have the right of petition and right to speak in
the local government meetings.
In addition, they also help immigrants themselves with
important issues, such as social, cultural and legal asylum
matters.
The integration advisory boards are generally elected by all
the immigrants in a community.

119
4. Religion
In Germany, the Basic Law (the constitution) guarantees eve-
ryone freedom of worship. The rights to choose your religion
freely and profess a religion together with other people are
both important elements here, as is the right not to belong to
any religion at all. Another main principle of the freedom of
worship is that all religions are treated equally. This is why
Germanys constitution declares that there is no state church.
The state must remain neutral with respect to religion; it may
not favour or disadvantage any religion. The state and religious
communities do, however, cooperate on a partnership basis.
The large majority of people in Germany are Christians:
around 26 million people in Germany belong to the Catho-
lic Church and around 25 million belong to the Protestant
Church. However, Orthodox Christians, Muslims, Jews and
Buddhists are also part of the society in Germany. Muslims,
accounting for around 4 million people, are the third-largest
faith community in the country.
The laws concerning Sundays and public holidays are based
on Christian festivals, for example, Christmas and Easter. In
some Federal Lnder it is also possible to exempt children
from school on the main festivals of other religions.
Life in Germany
Locally:
The ofce of the local integration advisory board
Migration advice for adult immigrants
Youth migration services
Internet:
Federal Immigration and Integration Council:
www.bundesauslaenderbeirat.de
Hier knnen Sie sich informieren
Where to get more information
120
Parents can decide if their child should attend religious
studies classes at school. As a rule, Protestant and Catholic
religious education classes are offered in schools. If there is
sufcient demand, Christian Orthodox and Jewish religious
education classes may also be held. Pilot schemes for Islamic
religious studies classes, held in German, are being carried
out in most of the Federal Lnder in western Germany.
There are plans to expand these pilot schemes to many other
Federal Lnder.
Ask your childs teacher about the regulations and religious education pro-
grammes offered at your childs school.
TIP
Locally:
Migration advice for adult immigrants
Churches and religious communities
Internet:
Protestant Church in Germany: www.ekd.de
Catholic Church in Germany: www.katholisch.de
Orthodox Churches in Germany: www.kokid.de
Central Council of Jews in Germany: www.zentralratdjuden.de
Turkish-Islamic Union of Religious Affairs (DITIB): www.ditib.de
Association of Islamic Cultural Centres (VIKZ): www.vikz.de
Alevi Association Germany (AABF): www.aabk.info
Central Council of Muslims in Germany (ZMD): www.islam.de
German Islam Conference (DIK):
www.deutsche-islam-konferenz.de
Where to get more information
121
Life in Germany
122
Index
Academics, programme for . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Accident insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94, 100
Accommodation looking for . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48, 49
Addiction counselling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88, 89
Adult education colleges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12, 78, 79
Advice and counselling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
AIDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86
Career . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37, 74, 75
Drugs and addiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88, 89
BAMF Information service/Help desk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Migration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1, 18, 19, 28, 29, 69, 73, 93, 102
Parental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
AIDS counselling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86
BAfG (grants for education) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77, 78
Bank account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92, 93
Basic Law/Constitution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30, 114, 119
Business starting up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42, 43
Career advice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21, 37, 40, 74, 75
Child allowance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62, 64, 116
Child allowance supplementary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62, 63, 64
Child daycare centre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64, 65
Childcare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64, 65, 66
Citizenship/Nationality. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10, 24, 26, 28, 30, 31, 35, 117
Consumer protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23, 104, 108
Debt counselling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92
Disability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11, 31, 70, 90, 95
Dismissal, protection against . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
Drugs counselling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88
EC long-term residence permit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26, 27, 28
Elections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25, 116, 117, 118
Emergencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Employment Agency . . . . . . . .37, 39, 41, 62, 75, 76, 79, 100, 101, 102
Employment law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34, 44, 45, 56
Employment placement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37, 40, 100
Entering Germany . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8, 10, 11, 24, 26
123
ESF-BAMF programme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Ethnic German resettlers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1, 24, 26, 76
EU citizens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8, 10, 24, 27, 34, 60, 62
Family benets ofce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62, 63
Federal Employment Agency . . . . . . . . . .36, 37, 40, 41, 75, 77, 78, 79
100, 101, 102
Foreign qualications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35, 76
Freedom of movement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Further training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34, 41, 42, 78, 101
Health authority, local . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56, 58, 86
Health care, preventive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83, 97
Health insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44, 46, 57, 80, 81, 83, 94, 97, 99
Higher education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71, 76, 77
Holiday entitlement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Housing benet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51, 63
Housing ofce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23, 48, 51
Illness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11, 31, 44, 45, 80, 83, 88, 94, 95, 97, 99, 111
Immigration advice centres . . . . . . . 1, 18, 19, 28, 29, 69, 73, 93, 102
Information service/Help desk (BAMF) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92
Accident . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94, 100
Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44, 46, 57, 80, 81, 83, 94, 97, 99
Long-term care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46, 99
Pension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46, 94, 95, 96
Property and personal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Social . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94, 95
Unemployment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46, 100
Integration councils/boards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118, 119
Integration course certicate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Integration course for parents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14, 15
Integration course for women . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Integration courses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12, 13, 14, 15, 19, 22, 27, 28
catch-up course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
for parents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14, 15
for women . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
for young people . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
intensive course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
with literacy course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Index
124
Integration courses for young people . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14, 15
Intensive course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Job applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
Job hunting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 75
Language courses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12, 14
for professional purposes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
for children and young people . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Integration course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12, 13, 14, 15, 19, 22, 27, 28
Language support programmes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72, 73
Literacy course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Loans and overdrafts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92, 93
Long-term care insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46, 99
Maternity protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56, 57, 58
Medical consultation fee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Migrant organisations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74, 112, 113
Moving house . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50, 51
Naturalisation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22, 24, 29, 30, 32
Naturalisation test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Orientation course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12, 13, 14
Parental allowance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59, 60, 61, 62
Parental leave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45, 56, 59, 60, 61
Pension fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46, 94, 95, 96
Pensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94, 95, 96
Pensions and retirement planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Political parties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Pregnancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19, 56, 57
Professional further training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41, 78, 79
Professions, regulated and non-regulated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Promotion of education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77, 78
Re-registering your address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50, 51
Recognition of foreign documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34, 35, 36, 41, 77
Religion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Religious education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119, 120
Rent and tenancy law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51, 52, 53, 54, 55
125
Index
Residence Act . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
Residence permit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26, 27, 60, 62
Right of residence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22, 24, 25, 26, 30
School . . . . . . . 12, 17, 19, 21, 63, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 78, 100, 120
School types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68, 69, 70
School-leaving certicate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71, 74, 76
Self-employment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34, 42
Settlement permit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26, 27, 28, 60, 62
Shopping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13, 104, 105
Sick pay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Social housing eligibility certicate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Social insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94, 95
Spouses, subsequent immigration of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10, 11
Studying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14, 17, 41, 68, 71, 74, 76, 77
Tax ofce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
Taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34, 46, 101
Tenancy agreement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52, 53, 54
Training . . . . . . . . 12, 13, 14, 17, 19, 35, 37, 41, 59, 62, 68, 71, 74, 75, 77
Training, placement service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Unemployment benet (ALG I + II) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31, 101, 102, 116
Unemployment insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46, 100
Visa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8, 9, 26
Vocational information centres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37, 75
Vocational training. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71, 74, 75
Working hours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Youth migration services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21, 23, 29, 73, 77, 78
126
In Case of Emergency
Sometimes time is of the essence. You need help immediately.
So it is important for you to know the following telephone num-
bers. They will help you nd assistance very quickly.
Important telephone numbers at a glance
Emergency doctor/Ambulance (Notarzt): 112
This is the number to call if someone is very seriously ill or
injured.
Fire department (Feuerwehr): 112
Call this number immediately if you discover a re in your
house or another building.
Police (Polizei): 110
Has someone attacked you? Or did you see a crime being com-
mitted? Then call the police straight away! You can trust police
ofcers.
Crisis hotline (Telefonseelsorge):
+49 800 1110111 or +49 800 1110222
Are you in despair? Do you have the feeling that you cant con-
tinue living? The staff at the Crisis Hotline (also known as the
Samaritans in some countries) are there to help you and listen
to you. You do not need to tell them your real name.
All of these emergency numbers are free and you can call them 24 hours a day.
Do not be afraid to ask for help!
TIP
127
Notes
128
Notes
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Editorial Information
Publisher:
Federal Ministry of the Interior
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Editor:
Federal Office for Migration and Refugees
Informationszentrum Integration, Brgerservice Unit
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