karin_brenig

ha! all your very own fault you simply can't request "Renteninformation" before doing a "Kontenklärung"   I learned that the long way just a few months ago...   Coming back from the US, after working there for 14 years, Deutsche Rente (of course) had no knowledge of big part of my work history. So the "Renteninformation" that they automatically send you every year pointed out that gap, and a call to Landesversicherungsanstalt educated me on the necessary steps: request "Kontenklärung".   You can do that all online, they'll ask for proof of any international work-history (in my case they requested my Social Security data, so they could contact the SSA). It took three months to process this Kontenklärung - but from now on my annual Renteninformation should be complete and accurate.

well, it's really very simple:   you have two basic options to legally live in Germany - pick the one, that best suits your needs.   1. Aufenthaltserlaubnis - three possible scenarios a. as a student - register for a suitable course, and prove that you can support yourself b. as an employee - get hired by a company (maybe based on your engineering degree) c. via family - like your German husband/wife, or your German parents/child   2. Blue Card - skilled worker program get a job as an employee - being an engineer that should be easy   Your "influencer" gig/self-employment isn't likely to get you where you want to be, unless you have a really compelling business plan that shows the potential to create jobs and generate income for more than just yourself.

I'm glad I don't personally have that problem - and haven't had a need to educate myself on the subject matter....   but a little bit of googleing brought up this company, that sounds like they may be able to advize you here: https://crossborderwealth.godaddysites.com/what-we-do   I have no experience with them, don't get any commission from them - so do your own research.   Good luck!

simple answer: this is not a good plan! Where do you live? Why can't you go look at that "investment property" before buying it? Tenant can't be reached??? That is the biggest red flag I've ever seen.   Tell that seller/Makler you won't buy something that you haven't seen.   There are plenty of easier investment properties available in Berlin.

so, just to clarify... this story started 3 years ago, when your landlord announced they would start a "renovation project", and you announced that you would reduce your rent payment accordingly? Was the local Mieterverein involved in the process from the beginning? Did you keep all available documentation, letters, etc. sent by any of the involved parties? When did all the other tenants move out? Have you really been living there for years, in an uninhabitable building, all by yourself?   read this thoroughly, and apply it to your situation: https://www.mietrecht.com/mietminderung-sanierung/ What I find strange is your "three years" - are you sure you're not talking about three months??   I believe you will need a lawyer, not just the Mieterverein.   Good luck!      

ok - I've been (silently) following this thread, and one statement caught my eye....   ...applicants for police are being tested for IQ, and rejected if they are to "smart"?   While I agree that it sure seems to be that way, I also immediately thought "...no way, that's BS..." but then I did some more digging, and found this.... https://abcnews.go.com/US/court-oks-barring-high-iqs-cops/story?id=95836   Lord, help us .... :(

whether you are subject to FATCA reporting, or not, depends on the value of assets you own. Best to get that kind of information straight from the horse's mouth: https://www.irs.gov/businesses/corporations/summary-of-fatca-reporting-for-us-taxpayers

well, that will greatly depend on your nationality, and the nationality of your wife. I assume you are from Pakistan, and so is your wife? It would be a little easier for you, if you were an EU national - but then you wouldn't need a Niederlassungserlaubnis for Germany, hence my guess.   If you want to live in Austria full-time, you need to follow the rules that Austria publishes on this very informative website: https://www.oesterreich.gv.at/themen/leben_in_oesterreich/aufenthalt/3.html   The rules are very similar to those in Germany: you need to prove income, suitable housing, knowledge of the language, and full-coverage health insurance.   Good luck! (I know from personal experience that long distance relationships are indeed very frustrating)

uhm... only theoretically. In Munich no rental apartment will sit empty for months. Thats probably why the management company doesn't want to bother even working with a leaving tenant - they know there'll be 50 new applicants five minutes after they publish the ad.

4 months is a long time. Check your rental agreement - maybe it is possible that you do a sublet for those 4 months. If sublets are not allowed, you'll have to stand by your contract as signed.   this article may enlighten you: https://www.immonet.de/umzug/wissenswertes-rechtliches-mietrecht-nachmietersuche.html

just curious... is this your property? https://ns.gis-bldam-brandenburg.de/hida4web/view?docId=obj09166097.xml   or is it this one? https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahnhof_Fichtengrund

... well, that is actually something you control...   The "per pound" insurance premium is just the legally required minimum.   You totally can insure the real value of your stuff - but that requires you to have a fully valued inventory list.   On our last move from the US back to Germany we did that. Since we also packed our own stuff, that was kinda "a wash", because we had to list and number every single item anyways. And we were told to set the value at what it would cost to replace that item, if it was destroyed.   That kind of insurance only covers "total loss", though - so if just one or two of your most valuable items are damaged (because you didn't pack them right), you're out of luck.

do you still have a US checking account ? I kept mine just for that reason - to be able to cash occasional US-$ checks.   If you do, you may be able to deposit your check there - a lot of them offer services like taking a picture of your check with a smartphone and then sending it to be deposited into your account.   From there you could transfer the money to your German Girokonto using Transferwise, or some similar service.    

your first mistake may have been that you didn't report the loss of your job in time. When exactly did your employment end? Three months before that date you should have informed Arbeitsagentur about the imminent loss of job (or no later than three days after being told, if your period of notice was less than 3 months).   So, since you didn't report yourself as "arbeitsuchend" in time, all other time lines got a bit "wacko" here. Whether you know what you're entitled to, or not, doesn't really matter - you should have reported the job loss immediately.   Arbeitsagentur kann deny your request for ALG I simply based on the fact that you waited too long. I don't know, how many months after your termination you finally got around to getting your paperwork in order - but even if you waited just one month after your last day at work, you'd be four months overdue already.   To be eligible under  "normal circumstances" you'd get ALG I if you were employed (sozialversicherungspflichtig) for at least 12 out of the 30 months prior to your application for ALG-I.   This website explains it: https://www.arbeitsagentur.de/finanzielle-hilfen/arbeitslosengeld-anspruch-hoehe-dauer   Now, if you can come up with these minimum 12 months of employment within the last 30 months, you'd be entitled to 6 months of receiving ALGI - but, if you were 6 months overdue to even apply, they may tell you that's too late - you get nothing.    

well, I don't know how you plan on financing your stay - but shouldn't you also look for a place where your job will be located?   Like (for example) Munich has a decent international school - but high cost of living/housing - which may not be a problem, if your income supports that. On the other hand, Braunschweig has a decent international school - and relatively lower cost of living/housing - but will you be able to find a job there ?