nickstraub

Hello,   I am selling one of my cars to an ID card holder. This car was purchased by myself from another ID card earlier. When I bought the car I was given the title. As most of you know vehicle reg doesn’t really do anything with titles. They only transfer the registration from one person to another. So I have the title in my possession however it still has his name on it. Now the new buyer wishes to take the car back to the states when he PCSs. He is telling me I must contact the stateside DOT to have the title transferred to my name, then back to his name when he buys or else he will not be able to PCS with the car. Is this true? Does anyone have any resources I can read or information on this situation?

Hello,   I am currently in the us military stationed in Germany  and plan to go to school in Germany after. I would like to keep the car I have. I am aware of the costs of converting to euro spec. However I read that I will have to provide a copy of the car’s original registration. Is this true? I don’t think I will be able to track down the cars original owner and get a copy. Or will a copy of my current USAEUR registration suffice?

Hello, I would like to study in Germany for my masters degree. However my bachelors degree is listed as a H+/- in anabin. How bad does this effect my chances of getting acceptances into a masters degree program? Is it up to the individual universities? Does anyone have any experience with this?

Does anyone know of any batting cages in Rheinland Pfalz or Saarland? I know baseball isn’t especially popular in Germany but I’d love to see if there were any opportunities. 

Why wouldn’t you recommend importing?

I’m thinking about buying a classic American car and trying to get my H plates. I read that they make you pass a full tüv inspection including emissions. I’m just wondering how people get these old cars to pass. 

Is it possible to join the Polizei while on a school visa? I am attending a German university as a US citizen and want to know if I can join the Polizei. 

I have a question regarding life in Germany. How do employers view scheduling doctors appointments, picking up kids, etc. during the work day. In America I know these things are very frowned upon. I also notice most places open and close around the same times. So how then do people find time for scheduling doctors appointments etc outside the workday?

Thank you all so much for this advice. I will try to keep my US license when I apply but if not, oh well! It seems like the easiest things to do is get my German license and sell my vehicle before I ets. Then get a different vehicle on the German market. 

Just a few more questions: 1.What is the point of getting my USAEUR license translated if they won’t be needing it?   2. Since I can register my residence while on active duty, will that begin my 90 day window for staying in Germany with no visa? Even when I’m still sofa status?   3. Do you know where I can find information regarding if my vehicle will need modifications to be registered? It’s 2009 mustang which I see fairly often driven by Germans and Im not sure what if any modifications will be needed. If modifications are needed I assume I will be better off just buying a German spec car. 

Okay a few more questions: 1. Will I surrender my USAEUR license or my stateside license? If it’s my USAEUR license will I be allowed to switch to a German license while still on active duty? If it’s my state license what is stopping me from just getting another copy when I go home on a vacation?   2. How do I find out if my license has full  reciprocity? It’s a license from iowa just in case you know off the top of your head.    3. Will I be violating any sort of SOFA status rules if I register before my ets? Also will this start my 90 days of living in Germany as soon as I register? If so how far in advance before registering do you recommend before I ETS?   4. You mentioned registering your truck. I assume it was US specifications. Did you encounter any problems registering a US spec vehicle on the German system?   5. How proficient does my German have to be for all this? I am at the A1 level now which is relatively basic. Should I take a German friend with me?   6. You mentioned Sembach to get my license translated. Will they be able to help me through this process if I need further assistance? Also will this translation suffice for the one you referenced in answer 1a?  

I ETS in about a year and I will be attending a university in Germany immediately after. I am already stationed in Germany and I’m confused about how to keep my license and vehicle already here.    1. I read about doing a European out process. Is it possible to take care of license/registration/plates before and just ets normally and come back later?   2. I read I can get my USAEUR license directly translated. What paperwork is needed or can I just show up and present them with my USAEUR license.    3. How do I go about changing my plates and registering my car on the German side. Will I have to go through a whole inspection? What paperwork will I need?  

So what I understand from this is that I will probably have to pay double taxes on my investments? Also as for not relying on a German bank for the tax and withholding computation, are there no tax specialists who are experienced in this? I doubt I am the first person in need of this kind of service. 

Hello,    I plan on moving to Germany on a student visa and hopefully integrate into German society by getting a job after. I am an American citizen and currently have a fair amount of money invested through the brokerage called “robinhood”. Would I be able to continue using this brokerage as a student and hopefully someday a permanent resident? I plan on keeping my US citizenship. Does this create any tax reporting problems in the German system? (I know I have to file US taxes too but I will be exempt from paying anything because of earning it in a foreign country below $100,000). 

I will soon be marrying a German National and want to be able to live housing with her. However I will ets in just under a year. Will we be eligible to get any on or off post housing? Does being married to a German National allow me to extend longer in Germany even if I am almost done with my 3 year tour?