ruapehu

Volksbank and Sparkasse share several solutions as they collaborate on various topics (a bit like Cashgroup sharing free ATMs across all affiliated banks).   As I posted some days ago:   The higher cost is apparently because comdirect uses the photoTAN technology for its readers rather than basic TAN generators (where you have to enter all the bank transfer information).   If you want a cheaper solution avoiding the use of an actual phone, you'll need to try a different bank.

The law regarding dual citizenship applies to ALL of Germany. With a good lawyer, you may be able to get through in another state more easily on grounds that you are a special case - but not just be renting a small apartment somewhere and submitting the application. You'd still need to be granted an exception.

Germany insists you provide proof of having renounced your other citizenship (before they give you German citizenship) - and informs you that if you take it up again at a later stage (or another citizenship other than EU), you lose your German citizenship. I had to provide an Urkunde proving renunciation (signed and stamped by NZ consular officials) before I could get my German citizenship.  

If you restore your former citizenship after taking out German, you are legally obliged to inform the German authortities and your German citizenship is automatically revoked.   There are of course exceptions (such as the case of low earning US citizens being allowed to keep both due to financial hardship as renunciation of US citizenship is very expensive)...maybe you will achieve something through lawyers - but likely not. You certainly can't just do it behind their back. If you don't get approval to keep both, you can't take out your old citizenship again afterwards.    Yes, I have experience with this. I renounced my original citizenship and won't be trying to get it back.

that may have changed. Flick through the Berlin pages - two offer online appointments, but for the others you send an email for the appointment, or make the appointment in person - but you can't hand in the documents without the appointment. They will ask you for your address at the reception where you ask for the appointment (maybe even for your Anmeldung) I didn't click through them all, so don't know if there are any walk-ins possible...but it is also clearly stated that you can only apply in the Bezirk you are registered in: https://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/318998/standort/324180/

Hi fraufruit! I'm not really around...just pop in from time to time :-)

As of September ( I don't remember if my letter said beginning or end of), iTAN letters will become a thing of the past. As per EU-regulations, online banking will have to be secured by TWO systems. The only options I have heard about to date are: computer and photo-TAN (smartphone) computer and SMS-TAN (mobile phone) - some banks offer the service for free; many charge a few cents per transaction. computer and reader.   The readers are on offer by the banks at a price (comdirect charges about 35€; some are cheaper) and you can't necessarily just use any reader for any bank (comdirect's is for example specific).    As far as I know, comdirect users can't use the Commerzbank's SB-machines (only their ATMs; Commerzbank has become more restrictive in the last years about which services it offers to comdirect customers, who have a free-of-charge bank account and are therefore not entitled to over-the-counter services. It no longer offers currency exchange to comdirect customers, as an example).   Comdirect did indeed send a notification that this would happen (although I didn't think it was going to be enforced before September). I did a search for a new bank, not because I won't use photo-TAN, but because I wanted a back-up in case of a lost/stolen phone...but all the banks are going this route and I saw no alternative other than buying the reader. So I called comdirect to ask what you can do in an emergency and was told I could do this by telephone banking..but that I should log in and raise the limit allowable (as the default is zero). Afair, I needed a (photo-)TAN to change the limit online for my telephone banking.    @OP: if you really don't have a mobile phone at all (you said Smartphone, so *maybe* you can go the SMS-route - or maybe you meant you don't have any mobile phone at all), you'll need to get the reader soon, even to set up Daueraufträge and the like.

I don't think it works that way. In order to submit your application, you need an appointment to go in person. All documents you hand in for the application are checked and ticked off while you are there. Afaik, you can only get an appointment in the Bezirk you are registered in. They check online on the computer for your registration before dealing with you.