22 guides, in the order you will need them. Start at stop A if you have not moved yet.
Visas, proof of money and what life will cost.
Stop A: Before you fly
Students from India, China, Vietnam and Mongolia need an APS certificate for German universities. What it checks, what it costs in each country, and when to start.
Stop A: Before you fly
How much to block, which provider to choose, and how to stop your transfer from arriving short, from whichever country you send it.
Stop A: Before you fly
The 2026 salary minimums, who gets the lower threshold, the IT route without a degree, and why the Blue Card is the fastest way to permanent residence.
Stop A: Before you fly
Everything you need for a German student visa in 2026, from admission and the €11,904 proof of funds to working while you study and staying after graduation.
Stop A: Before you fly
Come to Germany for up to a year without a job offer. Who qualifies, how points add up, and the money you must show.
Stop A: Before you fly
Rent, health insurance, food and transport by city, from Leipzig to Munich.
Stop A: Before you fly
Student rates, what employees pay, when private insurance is allowed, and how families are covered.
Stop A: Before you fly
Germany's planned one-stop agency for skilled immigrants, where it stands in October 2026, and what to do today instead.
Stop A: Before you fly
The four main routes for professionals from outside the EU, the 2026 salary figures for each, and how to choose.
A bank account, a room, getting around.
Stop B: Settling in
When you can get a settlement permit, how the Blue Card shortens the wait, and the 2026 rules for German citizenship, including dual citizenship.
Stop B: Settling in
The 14-day rule, the landlord form you need, what to bring, and why the Anmeldung unlocks almost everything else.
Stop B: Settling in
Fees, interest and apps compared, and which account suits you in your first months.
Stop B: Settling in
Rent by neighbourhood, groceries, insurance and a realistic monthly budget.
Stop B: Settling in
What your flatmates expect, a cleaning rota you can copy, and messages for awkward moments.
Stop B: Settling in
The maths for commuters, weekend travellers and families after the 2026 price rise.
Stop B: Settling in
Why every household pays it, how shared flats split it, how to register, and who can be exempt.
Stop B: Settling in
What to do in which order after you land, so that every document is ready when the next office asks for it.
Wages, side jobs and your payslip.
Stop C: Work and money
What the new rates mean for students with side jobs and families paying for help at home.
Stop C: Work and money
What every line on a German payslip means, the 2026 rates, and why most people no longer pay the Soli.
Child benefit, parental pay and raising kids here.
Stop D: Family life
Who can join you in Germany, when your spouse needs German, what changed for skilled workers' families, and how to apply.
Stop D: Family life
Our application in Hesse through ElterngeldDigital, including the workaround when online ID fails.
Stop D: Family life
The €259 child benefit, eligibility on a residence permit, and the fastest way to apply.