When Shit Hits the Fan, Move to Berlin | Germany

Living in Europe had crossed my mind plenty of times before, but I always struck it down as soon as it did. Without a Master of Engineering or a Swedish husband, I assumed that the paperwork would make moving to Berlin impossible. But, I have to say, there’s nothing like shit hitting the fan to make a girl chase down her wildest dreams.

Moving to Germany isn’t the same for all passports or professions, but as a [US] American in a creative field, I found the process quite easy. Ready to pack your bags, get your German Freelance Visa, and relocate to the very wurst country on earth? I promise you that you’re in for the time of your life. Here are practicalities you should know when moving to Berlin.

The First Steps of Moving to Berlin

Step 1 | Make Your Appointments (… way ahead of time)

Some nationalities need a visa before travel, while other nationalities can convert their permit in-country. If you’re eligible to apply upon arrival, here are a few things to consider before even moving to Berlin.

Book your Appointments at the Buergeramt and Ausländerbehörde: Within 14 days of arrival, you’re supposed to register your place of residence. Book an appointment at the buergeramt (citizen’s office) as early as you can because these can be booked out for months at a time.

Next, you’ll want to make an appointment for the ausländerbehörde (foreigner’s office) so you can change your status from a tourist visa to a freelancer, student, jobseeker etc. Your appointment at the Ausländerbehörde requires a lot of preparation before you turn up (details below). You’ll want book an appointment at the ausländerbehörde months in advance, but also allow yourself plenty of time to complete your anmeldung, set up your accounts, and find German clients.

Can’t make an appointment within 14 days or 3 months of arrival? The German government is well aware of the scheduling issues. If you can’t find an appointment, your best option is to get to the office early (around 5 am) and wait for one to open up.

You can also check appointment times online at 8 am as that’s when the system refreshes. If these options fail, it’s quite common for people to overstay their tourist visa with proof of appointment. This can make leaving the country difficult, and I’m not sure how legal it is, so this should be your last resort!

Step 2 | Finding a Flat in Berlin

Berlin’s housing market is awfully competitive. Since 2004, rent prices have increased by 115%. Even so, rents are far cheaper than other spots in Western Europe.

A room in a flatshare starts around €400 while private flats cost closer to €700+. Most of the young people live in Kreuzberg, Neukölln, Friedrichshain, but Mitte, Prenzlauer Berg, and Charlottenburg are probably the prettiest parts of town.

Before securing your spot in a flat, spend some time wandering and see which Berlin neighborhood really stands out to you.

What is a Wohngemeinschaften (WG)? The easiest way to find a flat when moving to Berlin is by landing a WG (flatshare) and subletting the room under someone else’s lease. Berlin isn’t much for Craigslist, so instead, you’ll turn to WG-Gesucht and Facebook groups like WG-Zimmer & Whnungen Berlin or Flats in Berlin. Housing scams in Berlin are rampant, so read the descriptions, and be careful with too good to be true offers. If you’re desperate to find a place, apply to 5-10 good enough flats every day until you hear back. Make your subject line catchy and share some memorable details about yourself.

What about Private Flats? Finding a private flat is kind of a chicken and egg situation – you can’t get the required documents without an apartment but you can’t get an apartment without the documents. If you want a private place, be prepared to navigate some paperwork and to go to a lot of showings.

Another option is to find temporary accommodation that includes Anmeldung through a relocation service like Nomaden Berlin. As you might expect, it’s more expensive than finding a flat on your own, but their Pro program ensures painless registration and a ready-to-move place to stay as soon as you arrive in Berlin.

What the hell is Anmeldung? As noted above, Anmeldung is the residence registration required of everyone living in Germany. Within 14 days of arriving in Berlin, you’ll need to register your place of residence.

After you’ve made your appointment, simply bring your passport, your lease, your completed registration, and confirmation of residence. Here’s some guidance on completing your anmeldung in English. Note: Germany charges residents a church tax. If you declare a religion on your anmeldung, you’ll pay an additional 8% tax.

Step 3 | Getting Around

Transportation in Berlin is kind of a dream. With incredible public transport and bike lanes everywhere, owning a car is wholly unnecessary.

Public Transport: Berlin has a U-Bahn, an S-Bahn, and busses that are all part of the same network. If you’re doing most of your travel within Zone AB, you can pick up a monthly pass for €81 (2017). It entitles you to unlimited, all-hours travel.

Berlin doesn’t require you to scan your ticket with each ride like other major cities. Instead, you’ll flash your card to bus drivers or expect sporadic checks by undercover officers on the trains. Fines are up to €60 and quite embarrassing to get. Download the FahrInfo App for bus and train routes.

Biking: Berlin isn’t as highly esteemed as Copenhagen when it comes to bike culture, but with 344 biking routes, it’s still an amazing place to ride. Traffic is relatively relaxed and much of the city can be reached in just 15-20 minutes. 

To buy a bike in Berlin, use Facebook groups like Sell & Buy Your Bike Berlin or scout second-hand bikes at bike markets or weekend flea markets. There’s no need to get fancy when it comes to biking in Berlin — it will probably get stolen anyway.

Step 4 | Getting Connected

If you’re planning to move to Berlin long term (or short term for that matter) you should absolutely get a German SIM card. After you’ve unlocked your phone, you can choose between SIM cards that are pre-paid and on contract. 

The most popular provider is Aldi Talk, but most companies charge similar rates for minutes and data. You can buy a SIM card at grocery stores and phone stores around the city. Download WhatsApp to stay in touch.

Step 5 | Learning German in Berlin

Berlin is an international city so English is widely spoken. I’ll admit you CAN absolutely survive living in Berlin without speaking German. But there are two compelling reasons to learn: you’ll find a better job and you’ll get more from your experience.

After a couple of shameful encounters at the grocery store (like setting off the store alarm over sour cream), I started classes. There are tons of language schools in Berlin, but I chose to study German in Friedrichshain at Speakeasy Berlin. Courses range from €115-€350 and it’s a completely worthwhile investment. 

I came out of the A1.1 course able to speak some basic German and ready for more classes in the winter. Do yourself a favor and at least get a foundation in German so you can pick up more on your own!

Step 6 | Finding the Fun in Berlin

You’d be challenged to find a cooler city to live in than Berlin. It sometimes seems like everyone in Berlin is fascinating, single, attractive, creative, and just a little bit crazy. There are events happening at all hours (truly ALL hours).

Most of the best events in Berlin are pop-up, underground, or sporadically available, so unless you manage to find some extra in-the-know friends, you’ll have to do the research yourself.

Here are a few of my favorite resources for finding fun things to do in Berlin:

Facebook: A Facebook search for “events in Berlin” can yield hundreds of shows, food festivals, and gallery openings. Just tick that you’re “Interested”. When the event comes up, Facebook will shoot you a reminder about what’s on for the weekend. You can also join in expat groups like Berlin Expats or interest groups like Artists in Berlin to read and participate in the conversation.

Resident Advisor: Check out Resident Advisor for upcoming shows if you’re into music

Index Berlin: Index Berlin is your spot for discovering art gallery openings or art shows by neighborhood.

Meetup: Meetup is the preferred choice of the lonely and new in town. There are groups offering anything from dining out, to board games, to salsa classes.

Eventbrite: Eventbrite is a great place to find cool events or workshops happening in Berlin.

Tinder & Bumble: Love them or hate them, dating apps are an awesome way to meet new people when you move to Berlin alone.

GetYourGuide: When you move to a new city, it’s easy to figure you’ll do all the things you’re supposed to do eventually. But if you want to be sure you learn a bit about the city’s history, get a grasp on the street art scene, or taste some of Berlin’s best currywurst, once you arrive by booking a tour on GetYourGuide

Other: The list goes on and on and on, but other places you can check for ideas are Time Out Berlin, Visit Berlin, or plenty of Berlin-based blogs.

Step 7 | Setting Up your Accounts

If you’re planning to apply for a German Freelance Visa, there are a few things you need to take care of months ahead of time. You’ll need a small mountain of paperwork to apply, but first, you’ll want to take care of the simple things. Start by getting a bank account and German health insurance.

Banking in Berlin: Setting up a bank account in Berlin used to be a lot tougher, but N26 has completely flipped the process. Registration can be completed from your phone in 8 minutes and includes video verification.

You’ll receive a MasterCard that can be used at a huge network of partner ATMs. Deposits can be made by creating a voucher through the app and taking cash to partner locations (like grocery stores). Most every bill in Berlin is payable by direct deposit and requires an IBAN; the sooner you set up your account, the better. Learn more about N26 in a post by How I Travel.

Health Insurance in Berlin: Adequate health insurance is a key requirement for your visa application. The definition of adequate, however, varies depending on who actually processes your paperwork. Consider a policy from a German company or with a German underwriter for the best chance of approval.

There are tons of providers and strange caveats, so meet with a consultant or ask a company like Expath before committing to a two-year contract.

Step 8 | Getting a Job in Berlin

The tech and cultural scene in Berlin are booming, and there’s never really been a better time to move here for anyone moving to Berlin without a job.

There are a handful of English speaking jobs which you can find on the appropriately named Facebook group English Speaking Jobs in Berlin, though learning German will greatly improve your chances of getting a job. Before applying for your permit, you’ll need to show letters of intent from two German clients.

So where do you actually find clients? The best way I found is to join a language school or coworking space. Finding a spot like betahaus, Factory, or Ahoy! will give you the chance to meet other businesses, find freelancer events, and maybe make some friends.

While these letters don’t need to be formal contracts, you improve your chances by getting letters that specific and specify a pay rate and going concern. If you’re struggling to find work locally, Upwork and People Per Hour are good freelancer marketplaces to keep you afloat.

Step 9 | Getting your German Freelance Visa

Getting the German Freelance Visa isn’t inherently complicated, but it does require attention to detail (folders, folders, folders!). It also requires loads of paperwork.

Most basically, you’ll need the following: an application form (Antrag auf Erteilung eines Aufenthaltstitels), proof of residence (Anmeldung), your rental contract, health insurance, letters of intent from clients, recent bank statements with sufficient funds, a revenue forecast, a finance plan, a resumé, diplomas and certifications, letters of recommendation, a printed portfolio, a biometric photo, and 50-110€.

There are tons of dirty details on the actual application process I won’t go into here, but check out this article on How to Get the German Freelance Visa written by one of my pals. If you’re applying for another type of visa (ie. language learning, study prep visa) Speakeasy Berlin might be able to help.

Need some help navigating all this? Here are a few of the most useful services for relocation.

Expath | Expath can help you find a flat, register your address, or shape up your visa application. They offer everything from one-off consulting to intensive German classes, and if they don’t have the answers, they’ll find you someone who does. Check out Expath.

Nomaden Berlin | Nomaden Berlin is the most comprehensive relocation service I’ve come across, taking care of everything from appointment booking to short term accommodation. They specialize in full-service relocation, but some of the most unexpectedly useful parts of their offer are an online relocation platform and ongoing administrative support (for the times when you’re panicking over unread mail or finding an English speaking doctor). Their community consistently raves about how helpful and attentive the founders are, and it helps to know someone like that when you’re new in town. Check out Nomaden.

Coworking Spaces | Coworking spaces are the best place in the city to meet new people. There are plenty of expats who can point you in the right direction.

German Schools | German schools are also a good place to turn as (perhaps obviously) they are full of lots of people who are also new in town. Many language schools offer accommodation and specialty visas and can be a generally good resource during your move. 

So, there you have it! Moving to Berlin doesn’t have to be so hard. Are you thinking about moving to Berlin? What questions do you have about the process? And if you’re traveling in Germany…