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I'm moving to Berlin and I have many questions
minirhyder
BerlinRegistered User regular
BerlinRegistered User regular
Hello, I've accepted a job offer in Berlin and will be moving some time in February with my partner. We're American citizens and will be applying for the blue card.
Neither of us speak any German, but the employer will pay for language classes.
I have some questions on how to do this move properly, and also about German work culture and such things.
First, the move.
Second, the different culture/country.
I'll probably have more questions as the move date approaches.
Thanks in advance!
Neither of us speak any German, but the employer will pay for language classes.
I have some questions on how to do this move properly, and also about German work culture and such things.
First, the move.
- I have a desktop PC (ATX mid tower) and two monitors (27" and 22") that I'd like to take with me. What's the best way to move them without them breaking?
- For the non electronics stuff that I'd like to take, is shipping a viable option?
- In general, any tips on making a transcontinental move in terms of getting all my stuff there in one piece?
Second, the different culture/country.
- Any things to look out for in terms work/office culture? This is a startup, headquartered in Berlin, but their biggest market is in the states. Not quite sure what to expect in terms of office life.
- I've heard/read looking for apartments is hard. Any tips here? I'm coming from NYC where it is also quite difficult to find housing, so I'm wondering if anyone has experience with both cities.
- My partner will potentially be looking for freelance/remote jobs based out of the US, while living in Berlin. Are there any considerations to take with this potential employment arrangement?
I'll probably have more questions as the move date approaches.
Thanks in advance!
minirhyder on
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As for the move: I wouldn't take any large electronics, it's definitely easier to sell them and buy them new here. Maybe just take the hard drive. My sister moved back to Berlin (from the US) a couple of years ago, I can ask her for some advice. I'm pretty sure they took very little stuff and they had a kid and two cats at that point. You can rent a container to be literally shipped, which is the cheapest option but takes some time and I seriously doubt it's worth it for anything without sentimental value.
The apartment market sucks and if you don't speak German it will suck even more. Ask your employer if they can help because this is a really big problem. There's no way you are finding an apartment fast without paying out the nose. (I don't know what your salary is). Find some temporary solution while you look for a long-term place.
The work culture can differ a lot between companies but startups are still startups and I would expect them to be like us startups. Probably not as extreme hours. Do they have your work permit figured out? That is a bureaucratic process and not automatic with the job offer.
Working remote from Germany has the time zone problem, otherwise I have no idea. You probably need to look into how taxes work then.
@tynic maybe can offer advice on transcontinental moves and working in Germany as a foreigner. As can @Wassermelone I think? Sorry if I misremember.
Edit: that said, Berlin is a great city and you're gonna have a good time. You can also tag me to just grab a beer or coffee, when you're here.
For moving general stuff, look into international freight - you should set aside some time to shop around and get quotes. Leave as much behind as possible - in most cases it's cheaper to rebuy furniture from Ikea than to ship it. I don't know how much you're planning on moving, but for shifting the equivalent of a 1-bed apartment I wouldn't pay more than 1.5k. If you only take books, clothes and computers, should be much less than 1k, maybe even as low as a few hundred. That said, it can take 2-3 months to get your stuff at the other end.
Other shipping logistics: keep a fully itemised account of what you're taking and where it is, this will help with customs (and the freight companies need this info anyway).
I would look into renting a furnished granny flat for some weeks when you first arrive, while you apartment hunt and /or wait for your belongings. These are commonly available and not crazy expensive, usually people renting out a basement flat or similar.
Don't bother at all with household appliances, the voltages are different and it's not worth the hassle.
Apartments will be much, much cheaper than New York, but you'll have to move fast to secure one. Berlin is probably one of the better places to be a non German speaking foreigner, but if you can get someone from the company to assist you with house hunting and visas/bureaucracy it will make life much easier.
I've not done it myself, but it's the best practice I've read. Might be worth asking in the build thread over in Moes https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/215058/pc-build-thread-getting-to-the-core-of-the-problem#latest for any other advice, including reacquiring parts once you get to Germany.
Shipping a house full of stuff will run you $1000-3000 depending, and you will be waiting at minimum 4-6 weeks. If you can re-furnish your life for less than the shipping, sell it all and buy new when you arrive.
You pay by volume, not by weight, so smallish expensive things can be transported ok. Furniture is not a good idea, obviously.
Customs were terrible, it helped that they had fully itemized lists and numbered boxes. Also everything in a clear plastic bag inside the box, so that the customs didn't need to really unpack, just take out the bag and check with the list. They used a service (upakweship) where they brought it to the harbor themselves and then collected it in Hamburg harbor (3 hours or so from Berlin)
So the move itself for me was all paid for by the company with a very moving budget. So some things we just said 'fuck it' and moved our stuff whole sale over, including a lot of electronics. So my experience may be a bit different if they are not paying for the move or have a tighter budget that they are giving you with which to move. Hamburg also might be a bit different than Berlin.
We had a moving company pack up and move our stuff. We packed up our PC in our computer case's original box with styrofoam and all the fittings and sent it with that. We probably would have done things a bit differently had we known about PCs breaking during shipping, but it actually worked out and it came out of the box working just fine. Check that your monitors and your power supplies are dual voltage. Usually they are now.
If you are taking other electronics, also check that they are dual voltage as its becoming more common for them to be. We took our PS4 over (and here in the UK) and that works completely. Also if you have any electronics that are not dual voltage but are expensive (or more excessively more expensive in Europe), and low wattage it might be worth shipping and getting a voltage converter. We have one up to 500w that we got for around 100 euros. If the electronic is anything that spins at high speeds like kitchen equipment - dont bother, even if it is expensive. The other hidden electrical difference is the frequency which on high speed motors will destroy them.
On random tip that came up when I was asking about advice for this stuff - if you know anyone in the US military in Germany, you could ship to them and then have them ship it on to you once you get there. It is apparently just as cheap to ship to US military as it is to ship to places in the US. I didn't do this or know anything at all further about this or even if this is accurate.
Apartment hunting was an absolute pain. I would definitely ask if the company is going to be helping you with this. If they are not, I would request it. Everyone is absolutely right that you are going to need an extended stay place for a while before you get a place. At least in Hamburg, the culture was long term renting and often don't want to rent to you as an American because they don't know if you will be there as long as they would like. You will have 0 credit or rental history. You will be a giant question mark. You will need the company to vouch for you. Also this was Hamburg so I don't know what the market in Berlin is like, but places go fast. As in be ready to sign immediately and have all your stuff with you. There are also some odd European apartment things like - you will need to buy light bulbs and light fixtures as people take those when moving. Some people take fridges and other appliances. Sometimes an apartment will want you to install a kitchen (???). Tynic is right - furnished would probably be better.
I hope some of this rambling helps. Theres probably more I'm forgetting. It was a pretty overwhelming amount of stuff to do and deal with. And then on top of it all we moved with a dog. Lol.
So my employer has a relocation agency that will be helping me with finding an apartment as well as the visa application process. My employer will also pay for my and my partner's flights over. I don't believe they'll be financing my shipping stuff over.
In terms of stuff I'm taking, I'm not taking any furniture or anything large with me. It's really 2-3 boxes of things like large electronics, some kitchen ware, and some stuff with sentimental value that I probably won't be able to fit into our luggage. Does it make sense to use freight for this? Or would it be easier/cheaper to FedEx or UPS it or something?
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1) Do your ahnmeldung first. This is the first paper you will need to get ANY other document in Germany. This is basically a statement that you exist and can be obtained at your local Rathaus or Burgeramt. Typically you take a number, present your passport and visa and pay a fee (ten euros or so bring cash). You will need whoever is providing you initial housing to sign it before you being it in to be certified. Also be sure to say “kein Kirche” or listen for the word “Kirche”. During ahnmeldung they will ask regarding a church tax. If you declare a religion, a portion of your wages will be taxed forever.
2) With ahnmeldung, you can now declare your tax number or steuernummer. This is 1 if you are unmarried or your wife is not physically in the country with you. When she comes, you will need to change your steuernummer. It will be an abnormal one if she sets up her own business. Can’t help too much with that. Your HR will know better. Please check with your HR after two weeks that your steuernummer is cleared. You can’t get paid without it. Worst case you go to Finanzamt to clear it up.
3) With ahnmeldung done, you can now get a bank account! You need a German bank account to do anything really. Also German businesses still aren’t super big on credit cards. Cash is king and you need to be able to withdraw money or transfer money using “standing orders” or “TANs”. I use Sparkasse and it’s pretty good. I recommend the electronic account that lets you use your phone. It’s super convenient. You will need appointments for pretty much everything. So set up an appointment with the bank of your choice and request an English appointment. Makes things easier. German banks do charge you a nominal fee every three months. I think it’s fairly normal. Also you need that bank account to get paid. You’ll give the IBAN and info to your HR.
4) Bank, taxes, and registration done. Now you need a phone. Easiest and cheapest is to unlock your phone before you go. Make sure it’s EU compatible. Get a prepaid / loaded SIM card. I use Telekom but there are lots of companies. Up to you what you want. The EU is much better about phone / Data freedom so you have the shoppers advantage.
5) Health insurance is mandatory in Germany. If you make under a certain wage, you get national insurance. Over a certain wage, you can get private. All the national are kind of the same. TK and AOK are big ones. I have AOK and it’s pretty good. Bring a photo with you when you register to expedite getting your card. You can show the paper at the doctor but they get annoyed. If you have your insurance card it’s easy peasy.
6) Personal insurance is something the US isn’t big on but Germany is. It seems weird but is very useful. Ask your bank about purchasing. It’s fairly cheap and covers you in an accident (bike hits you, you break shit at a store). It’s highly recommended but not mandatory.
7) Getting paid. Germany can be ... slow about first paycheck. Try to save now to anticipate that. Took me two months to get paid. You can ask for an advance to hold you over though. That should be easy for your company.
8) Housing. Oh dear lord Housing. This is the big problem in Germany. Especially for non-Germans. You are considered a big risk and a ????? for landlords/ladies. Also it’s highly competitive. It is like NYC but different in a lot of ways. If you have temporary housing, latch onto it and use that place for wohnsraumbescheingung (residence permit paperwork) while you look for long term housing. Berlin is no exception to the competition but there are a few companies that exclusively rent out furnished flats for expats. You can google that.
There are three routes to housing:
1) Using a Makler/Maklerin. This is a real estate agent. For a one to two month fee they will find you an apartment. If the housing market is too competitive, they don’t help at all.
2) Online advertisements. Immobelienscout24 is a good one for most cities. Quoka is okay but like Craigslist. There are many sites to pick from.
3) Friends and coworkers recommend you. This is best. Saves a lot of time.
I recommend you set up automated alerts when houses in your area are listed. Ads can get fifty to a hundred inquiries in the first hour. It’s overwhelming for everyone. Be the first to reply increases your chances of getting a showing. Have your coworkers help you write a nice cover letter to spam.
Housing showings are ... interesting. It might be less personal in big cities. My experience is that unlike the US they are weirdly personal. Dress well for them. Bring proof of visa, passport, and pay stubs or proof of income AND your work contract. You may be interviewing against ten other people on the same day or same appointment. You can avoid this by applying for larger apartment complexes. Also given an appointment time take the absolute first one you can no matter how inconvenient. They tend to pick fast and get tired of interviewing. So if you sign up for day two, it might not happen.
One last thing: there is a Kaution. This is a security deposit ranging from one to three months rent. Every apartment has it. Prepare that money in advance. Also rent is kalt and warm. Kalt is JUST the living space. Warm is kalt miete (rent) plus Nebenkosten which might include yearly heat, cleaning common spaces, garbage, et cetera.
9) Read expat forums but not too much. Lots of posts are out of date. They are also populated by the worst well-meaning Germans who solely exist to say incorrect legal things or make cultural statements that apply to their village and not Germany as a whole. They can also be real sassy in an unhelpful way. Most read forum is probably toytown Germany. I’ve had much better luck with r/Germany.
I’m missing a lot of stuff but hope this helps. PM me a thing any time if you need help! Vielen Gluck und willkommen! Also try Currywurst and Weinschorle and beer.
I've never done the whole move thing, but I'd suggest looking for a logistics company. Can't speak to Germany in particular but we do an occasional large international air shipments at work, and the prices always surprise me compared to what people get quoted for home goods.
Like, We air shipped a 350kg 1.3m cube, from Chicago to Jakarta for 1500, and $175 of that was them doing pick-up and insurance on it and its $50k declared value was another $350. Everything else they priced out to us was in $/KG. So presumably until you fall below certain density, it might be reasonable for you to ship your stuff.
In Berlin you are definitely not interviewing against 10 people on the same day, in the better parts of the city, 100 people is more likely.
This thing was in the news last year, where 800 people showed up for an apartment:
But um...I googled "ahnmeldung" and I got a bunch of porn
What am I doing wrong.
I will probably PM you in the coming month(s), so thanks in advance!
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anmeldung
not ahnmeldung oh god i didnt know there was a difference
I managed to get all our stuff here in just our suitcases.
Will keep updating if I have questions/problems/etc.
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Nice. Do you have an apartment yet? Which part of the city did you end up in?
My offer on a beer or coffee or whatever still stands.
We're still settling in, but I will def hit you up soon @Grobian
So our first problem. Our internet stopped working last night. The network name completely disappeared from the list of networks, wired connection doesn't work either. The wifi LED is dark, router does not respond to wifi or WPS button presses. I've reset and rebooted it a few times with no results.
I notified our landlord and she said she'll check on it, but who knows how long this might take.
This is a cable connection with telecolumbus with their ch7485e modem/router.
My wife needs internet access since she works remotely. What are our options here? Is this a common problem? What do, basically.
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Friedrichshain is very nice, I lived there for a long time, it just was too expensive for us when we moved the last time.
If you're in the "Südkiez" then go eat at Sigiriya (Sri Lankan food, sit down restaurant) and/or Nil (more a "hole in the wall", Sudanese fast food)