Need info on obtaining work/visa for my fiance - Germany

Hello everyone.

I'm new to Toytown, and soon will be new to living in Germany as well (just outside of Frankfurt)! I begin work in Germany mid-November, and my fiance wants to move with me (we are both American). She has her 4 yr. college degree, and takes her TEFL cert. test on October 23rd. My question is, can she move with me on a tourist visa, find a job there, and then receive her work visa/permit? We've read on the consulate's website that once there she would only have 10 days to produce a letter of intent to hire from a German company/school. Would she be better off finding a job online and then flying over after me? I'd prefer that she be able to leave with me so that we can pick out our home, become familiar with the area, etc. together.

Well, any info. you can provide for us would be unbelievably appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Charles

She can live here for 3 months on her US passport (as a tourist.) During that time she can get a job offer. Then the govt will need to approve her for the job; that is, they will need to determine she is allowed to work at said job. They will then issue her a visa (or not.)
I do not know why the consulate says 10 days (or if you are misreading it.)
I was in the same exact situation as you just over a year ago, and, my fiance had 3 months to find a job.
Finally, when she does find a job, I recommend hiring a relocation service to help you obtain the visa. Going to the foreigner office on your own can be quite daunting. Imagine the DMV, but, no one speaks English, the rules governing who is allowed to drive and why change daily, longer waits, and more paperwork. Oh and they have a limited amount of driver's licenses to give out, and believe each license they give to you is one taken away from one of their friends.

OP- I'd do some thorough searches on teaching English in Germany both here on TT and via Google if I were you, since that is almost certainly what your fiancee is going to do. She'll need to apply for a freelance visa, and you should inform yourself about things like pension contributions and health insurance. I am not an English teacher, but there have been a lot of threads on this topic on this forum.

Good luck...

You both also might consider what you will do if she can't find a job teaching English. ANY job teaching English is hard to get, full-time is even tougher. Online? I don't think I've ever heard of anyone getting a TEFL job in Germany online.

Not to discourage you, but it's a scenario you need to think about.

Thanks everyone for the info. Is it really that difficult to find an English-teaching position? I've been through this before when I lived in Japan (I worked at a language school while attending Unviersity there). I'm guessing it's harder in Germany? If so, are there other jobs we should be looking at for my fiance? She is a college grad, though she doesn't speak German, which of course we are aware will limit what she can find.

eric 134 - thanks for the info on what you and your fiance went through. It was a lot of help!

Thanks again everyone!

Unfortunately, getting non-freelance work teaching English, i.e., employment where you are a regular wage employee for a single company or school, is rare, and probably unheard of for a new entrant to the field.