Health Insurance Health Insurance for Expats in Germany from Brazil (2026)
Brazil has no social security agreement with Germany, so Unimed or SulAmérica coverage back home counts for nothing at the consulate in São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro.
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Getting Started
Everything you need for your first weeks in Germany, from registering your address to understanding German bureaucracy.
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Moving to Germany is one of the most exciting decisions you'll ever make, but the first few weeks can feel overwhelming. Between registering your address, opening a bank account, and figuring out which insurance you need, there's a lot on your plate.
That's exactly why we created this section. Think of it as your personal checklist for settling into German life. We've been through every step ourselves, and we explain each one in plain English, no bureaucratic jargon.
What You'll Find Here
Our Getting Started guides cover the essential first steps every new arrival needs to complete. From the all-important Anmeldung (city registration) to understanding your visa options and navigating the Auslanderbehoerde (foreigners' office), we break down each process into simple, actionable steps.
Where to Begin
If you've just landed in Germany, start with our First 30 Days guide. It gives you a day-by-day roadmap of what to do and when. Already past your first month? Browse our bureaucracy guides for deeper dives into specific processes like getting your tax ID, setting up health insurance, or understanding your residence permit options.
Every guide
More in Getting Started
Transportation9 min read
Converting Foreign Driving License to German License (2026)
Munich and Berlin Fuhrerscheinstellen are booking 4 to 8 weeks out as of October 2026, so missing the 6-month deadline often comes down to scheduling, not paperwork.
Pension & Retirement8 min read
Social Security Agreement Germany for US Expats (2026)
A missed certificate of coverage request is why Americans end up paying FICA and Rentenversicherung at once, and SSA's international office only processes requests you actually submit.
Learning German9 min read
Learning German for Expats in Germany
A full Integrationskurs runs about 1,375 EUR for self-payers in 2026, but most eligible participants pay nothing through BAMF subsidies. Here's how to pick between VHS, tutors, and free options based on your actual visa deadline.
First Steps10 min read
Your First 30 Days in Germany
Registering your address is the first domino. Learn how to handle Anmeldung, tax IDs, and health insurance in your first 30 days to avoid fines up to 1,000 EUR.
Banking9 min read
Banking in Germany for Expats
N26 opens an account in about 8 minutes with just a passport, while Sparkasse still wants a branch visit and, at most locations, a completed Anmeldung. Bundesbank's September 2026 payment data shows why that gap is widening.
Taxes8 min read
Church Tax in Germany for Expats
Registered Catholic or Protestant on your Anmeldung form and now earning in Germany? The Finanzamt automatically deducts 8 to 9 percent of your income tax through your employer's payroll, no separate filing required.
Loans & Mortgages10 min read
Mortgage for Foreigners in Germany
Non-EU buyers with under two years in Germany are seeing 30 to 40 percent down payment requirements this September, while permanent residents still get standard 10 to 20 percent terms from most lenders.
Visa & Immigration12 min read
Germany Visa Types Explained
The accelerated Fachkräfteverfahren can cut a consulate wait from 12 weeks to roughly 4, but only if your employer files it before you touch the visa portal. Here's which of Germany's seven visa paths actually fits your passport and job offer.
Professional Recognition9 min read
Professional Recognition Costs in Germany
A mechanical engineer's ZAB file can clear in five months for around 350 EUR, while a nurse's adaptation route can stretch past a year and cost over 2,000 EUR in fees and lost wages.
Visa & Immigration8 min read
Visa Appointment Wait Times in Germany (2026)
Berlin's LEA portal is showing 8 to 16 week waits in August 2026, while Hamburg's Welcome Center runs closer to 3 to 6 weeks for the same permit category. A Fiktionsbescheinigung can keep you legal if your slot lands after your permit expires.
Pension & Retirement9 min read
Pension Contributions Refund Germany After Leaving
Non-EU nationals from countries without a German social security agreement can reclaim their 9.3% employee pension share, but only after a 24 month wait and Form V0901.
Shopping & Daily Life12 min read
German Grocery Shopping and Daily Life Tips for Expats in
A Wagenpfand cart coin, a Leergutautomat receipt, and Sunday closures trip up nearly every new arrival at Aldi, Rewe, or Kaufland during their first month in Germany.
Bureaucracy9 min read
Police Certificate (Führungszeugnis) in Germany
A blank German police record costs 13 EUR as of August 2026 and takes 1 to 3 weeks, but most expats don't need one unless an employer, landlord, or the Ausländerbehörde asks first.
Professional Recognition9 min read
Professional Recognition in Germany
IHK FOSA handles trade qualifications, ZAB's Zeugnisbewertung handles degrees, and picking the wrong one can cost you months and up to 1,000 EUR in fees.
Insurance9 min read
Personal Liability Insurance (Haftpflichtversicherung) for Expats in Germany
Personal liability insurance covers the damage you accidentally do to other people or their things. Germany does not force you to have it, but landlords and almost everyone else treat it like it does. Here is the cover and the cost.
Job Search9 min read
How to Find a Job in Germany as an Expat
Job hunting here is really two jobs at once: proving you fit the role, and proving you are allowed to work. Here is the Lebenslauf, the LinkedIn setup, and the permit timing that get you past both.
Banking9 min read
Current Account (Girokonto) Fees for Expats in Germany
That free current account usually is not. The real cost hides in card fees, ATM limits, and paper statement charges buried in the price list. Here is how to compare the total, not the headline.
Taxes11 min read
German Tax Classes for Expats
Your tax class changes how much wage tax your employer holds back each month, not what you finally owe. What the six Steuerklassen mean, when to switch, and how to read your real take-home pay.
Visa & Immigration12 min read
German Blocked Account for Expats
The blocked account is the one document that quietly sinks a student or job seeker visa when it is wrong. The minimum deposit, how Fintiba and Expatrio compare, and how the monthly payout actually works.
Bureaucracy13 min read
The Complete Anmeldung Guide
The address registration every resident has to do within 14 days of moving in. What to bring, the exact steps, the mistakes that cost people a second trip, and what it costs in 2026.
Family Life12 min read
Having a Baby in Germany as an Expat
Having a baby here comes with real support and real paperwork: insurance cover, birth registration, Elterngeld, and Kindergeld, each with its own deadline. Here is the order to tackle them.
The Sunday briefing
Never miss a rule change
New guides, rule changes with the date they took effect, and the occasional correction. One short email a week, and I write every one myself.