American in Prague wants to move to Germany

I am a USA citizen, currently staying in Prague for some years. I have not been outside of Europe since 2003. I am starting the process to get Hungarian citizenship (I can claim it through family ties). I have a new passport from late March of this year which I picked up in Prague, which means it says it was issued in the USA. This was a replacement for a non-expired passport which was in bad condition, and which I have since misplaced. If found it would just show that my last entry into CZ from Germany was in late December 2007. The only stamp in the NEW passport is from the beginning of April, from the Czech consulate in Dresden, saying that I applied for a one-year visa just for the Czech Republic. (This is not a residence permit, but just a visa and a result of CZ not dealing with Schengen in the best way.) I have not picked up the visa, because I want to move to Germany ASAP.

I have money. I also have dogs. I know that Americans can stay in Germany for 90 days outside of the Schengen rules. My understanding is that means I can stay just in Germany for an extra 90 days if I have already been in Schengen for the limit of 90 days.

Do people suggest I just go to the Germany embassy here in Prague, show them proof of health insurance and bank account statement showing I have EUR 700 (? - I saw this figure somewhere) per month of a planned stay for a 90 day Schengen Visa? Or should I just go to Germany (Berlin) and get a flat (do owners care about specific stamps etc in passport?), register the address, and then apply? Or should I try to get a job first, and thus a sponsor for a work permit? I am planning to establish myself as a Kleingewerbetreibenden, which I will need for a European project I am part of starting next year. Should I do that before I look into visas? Should I also wait until after I will be able to show some kind of proof of applying for Hungarian citizenship? I can also probably get a letter for Schengen visa from a German non-profit connected with the project I mentioned.

OK... lots of questions. If people show they are trying to do the "right thing" do officials take it into account? (Not my fault of course, but I am also kind of normal looking, nice disposition, light brown hair and blue eyes. I have lived in plenty of places where cops, etc were racist and never bothered me even if, e.g, I had a beer on the street in the USA, etc. whereas others would get stopped).

In other words, how many Americans who are just trying to get established get kicked out or prevented from getting a visa in the first place if their documents are possibly seen as irregular? (To remind readers, I have a new USA passport which simply has no other entry stamp... just the proof of application for a CZ visa).

Not true.

As a US citizen, you don't need to enter Germany with a special visa--as long as you haven't used up your 90/180 Schengen days. You can enter on your Schengen Visa waiver and then apply for a residence permit once you arrive in Germany.

Having money and health insurance and going to the authorities while you are still legally in your waiver period are all good things!

I went to the German embassy in Prague and they told me that there was nothing they could do for me, that it did not matter if I had a D Visa for CZ or anything else, basically that when I go to Germany I get 90 days because of USA-Germany agreements which came before Schengen.

But of course this would mean I could go nowhere else but Germany and it would be good to apply for a Residence Permit as soon as possible.

i could recommend an immigration lawyer for you. with my lawyer's help, the process took about 10 days total and she did all the talking etc. it was well worth it..

she could at least set you straight on what the rules are for your situation, would be better than asking on Toytown. pm me if you're interested.