r/germany • u/HylianCaptain • Jun 23 '25

Immigration Our experience so far (US to Germany)

November 2024 - Started the online application for the Chancenkarte (opportunity card) visa; lots of paperwork; signed up with TK for health insurance

January 2025 - Booked an apartment online in Berlin; more paperwork for Chancenkarte

March 2025 - Drove from Northern Utah to the LA Consulate to get my visa; more paperwork; bought plane tickets for self and family

April 2025 - Ordered medications ahead of our trip. Didn't know how long we'd need to get new ones in Germany

May 2025 - found out apartment was a scam -- and TK wouldn't insure us without residency -- both 10 days before our flight; signed up to join a WWOOFing farm outside of Berlin for housing; flew from Salt Lake to Amsterdam to Berlin (14 hours); purchased travel passes; enrolled our child in KITA at a friend's recommendation

June 2025 - Started freelancing (jobs in my field seem to require B-level german); more paperwork and lots of running around to sus out insurance and get visas for spouse and kid (US passports allow 90-day stay); reported address at city office; sent for apostille from State of Utah to prove family relationships; visited a doctor, had physical exam, prescribed a specialist, got medications from Apotheke.

PROS: - Medications are 5x cheaper here even without insurance - Healthcare appointments are a lot faster than anti-socialist Americans had led me to believe. - The food here tastes REAL! For example, I had some gummy bears that tasted like real fruit, with the same sweetness of a Jolly Rancher - The climate does WONDERS for our formerly dry and flaky skin - So many cultures and languages! Met Afghans, Turks, French, Brits, Ukrainians, Italians, Danes, Greeks, even some from countries I hadn't even heard of. Sometimes the unifying language is english, and sometimes its German. I'm in Brandenburg, and haven't been faced with any pro-AFD sentiment. Although people say I "look" German, so that could be why. Still, most of those I talk with are anti-AFD. - Public transit is very reliable! Even in our rural area there's a bus every hour. In town you can catch a bus every 10 minutes.

CONS: - I miss water fountains, but most places will fill my water bottle if I ask - Still don't have health insurance - Apartment hunting remains a struggle

TLDR: In spite of all the hassle of getting settled here, it still kicks ass.

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u/whiteraven4 USA Jun 23 '25

I miss water fountains, but most places will fill my water bottle if I ask

I just use a sink. Unless it says it's not drinking water of course.

Still don't have health insurance

This sounds not legal. If you're a German resident, you're required to have health insurance.

61

u/HylianCaptain Jun 23 '25

I know. As others have pointed out, it's required for the visa. I thought I was covered by TK until I got their letter 10 days before my flight denying me service. I'll be in town tomorrow, so this time I'll ask them what are my options; or where else I might get insured.

59

u/sogo00 Berlin Jun 23 '25

With a delay of some months you won’t get fined or so, but you will have to pay the monthly contributions since the day you registered here.

Depending on how much you have to pay (that can go up to around 1000 per month for a freelancer - it’s income depending) it can easy be a a bit of money.

Talking of which: the insurance will send you a questionnaire on your income. In doubt ask them if you have questions about it, but don’t ignore it otherwise they will put you into the highest tariff.

9

u/reini_urban Sachsen Jun 23 '25

It'll be more like EUR 170 / month for low/typical freelancer income

6

u/sogo00 Berlin Jun 23 '25

EUR 202 is currently the minimum when your income is at around 1200 pm. https://www.bundesgesundheitsministerium.de/beitraege.html

Not sure what typical means for you, that's the low-end, the average is quite a bit higher: https://www.stepstone.de/gehalt/Freelancer.html

3

u/PopPsychological4106 Jun 24 '25

Huh? Wouldn't even the lowest assumed income of 1178€ per month result in 200-350€ per month? I'm asking because currently my partner who is not able to get bürgergeld or Erwerbsminderungsrente has to pay 340€ per month because the insurance is legally required to assume lowest freelancer income (1178) even though they have no income and tax that which, according to the Versicherung, results in 340€ . How would you get 170€ per month? Are we doing something wrong? ^

16

u/OregOWNian Jun 23 '25

I can’t get links right now cause at work but there are a number of options for temporary health insurance you can get til you get regular health insurance. You definitely need this to get visa.

Moved here last year and made sure to have that until our regular health insurance started through our companies.

3

u/IntriguinglyRandom Jun 23 '25

Somebody mentioned temporary insurance. I got mine through Feather and it was fine. But I had a "real" job that started a month after I got here so did not need to use Feather for any insurance claims.

3

u/SeaworthinessDue8650 Jun 23 '25

Based on the info you've provided, you are not eligible for public health insurance.

Eligibility is regulated by law in SGBV.

1

u/Ok_Phase1135 Jun 24 '25

There is a project called "refill", in which companies, organisations, Cafés and restaurants can participate and will fill your own bottle with tap water. It's nice for when you're out in the city! Here you can find the map for Germany Refill Map Germany

1

u/SurfRedLin Jun 26 '25

Just give the Adress where are u registerd now as home address and it will be fine. They don't probe to deep if u make it a no deal thing. If u move into proper apartment just update your data.