Poland To Germany Permanent Relocation: All You & Your Family Need To Know

Picture this: you’ve stepped off the plane in Berlin Brandenburg Airport. It’s a warm Saturday evening. The noise of the airport is drowned out by the sense of calm you feel.

Why are you calm?

This is the start of your new life. Your new career. Everything sorted, after working with Pertemps ERP of course.

Without some help, relocation is scary.

In this article we'll discuss the facts and details such as:

• Employment & Visa Requirements
• Registering Your Presence
• Acquiring A Permanent Residency Permit
• Relocating With Dependant EU Family Members
• Relocating With Dependant Non-EU Family Members

Employment & Visa Requirements

If you're an EU Citizen you may stay in Germany for 3 months without a residence permit or visa to either work, study or train. All you need is a valid passport or ID card. The same goes for your EU family.

It really is as simple as that when you're an EU citizen.

It's important to know that you cannot be required to apply for a residence document confirming your right to live there before 3 months in Germany. Some countries do require you to report your presence.

Registering Your Presence

Post three months, you need to take some action. You will be required to register your presence to the relevant authority. A relevant authority can often be the local town hall or police station.

Failing to register post 3 months can result in a fine but not expulsion from Germany.

What you will personally need to bring are your valid identity card or passport and a certificate of employment or confirmation of employment from your employer.

Once registered, you should immediately be issued the registration certificate.

You must check with the local authorities if you are required to carry your registration certificate with either your ID card or passport at all times.

Acquiring Your Permanent Residency Permit

The process going forward from registering your presence is simple. Once you have your registration certificate, you must live in Germany for 5 years.

If you live in another country for two years or more without returning to Germany, the 5 year requirement resets.

The good news is that as an EU citizen, living in Germany for 5 years is the only specific requirement for acquiring a permanent residency permit.

Applying for the permanent residency permit is simple too. Again, report to your local authorities but this time with 3 important things:

1. A valid registration certificate.
2. Evidence you've been living in the country - Such as utility bills or rental contracts.
3. Evidence you've been working/self employed/studying - Such as payslips, bank statements and tax returns.

Your permanent residency permit will be issued as soon as possible upon submission. Interestingly, you cannot be charged more than German nationals pay for their identity cards for your permit.

Relocating With Dependant EU Family Members

We know that families are strongest together. It's hard to be there for each other when you're countries apart!

If your dependent family members are EU citizens, they can move with you and gain permanent residence in a similar process.

After 3 months of living in the country, they must obtain their registration certificate from a local authority building.

Different dependants must bring different documents:

• Everyone bring an identity card or passport.
• You yourself must bring your own registration certificate or other proof of residence in Germany.
• Documents proving your family relationship such as a marriage or birth certificate.
• Grandchildren need proof they are under 21 or are dependent on you.
• Grandparents need proof they are dependent on you.
• Other family members must prove they are dependent on you or that there are health grounds requiring you to take personal care of them.
• Unmarried partners must produce proof of a long term or "durable" relationship to you.

These registration certificates must be issued immediately, cost no more than a nationals pay for their identity cards and have an unlimited validity period.

Relocating With Dependant Non-EU Family Members

The process for dependant non-EU family members is similar to as if they were part of an EU country.

After 3 months, they must obtain their registration certificate with the same documents of proof as detailed above for EU family members.

The only difference is that authorities must make a decision about issuing or not issuing the residency permit, within 6 months.

If they do not make a decision within 6 months, we would suggest submitting an enquiry or complaint with the European Commission.

A successful application of course results in a residence card which can sometimes be issued free of charge or will cost no more than nationals pay for their identification documents.

Their residency card will be valid for up to 5 years or until the end of your scheduled residency, whichever is shorter. Any changes of address must too be reported.

If your application is rejected, the decision must be given in writing, stating the grounds of the decision and its implications for you and your family member.

In the case of a rejected application for a non-EU family member it is not necessarily the end of the possibility of your family member obtaining residency. In your rejection, the authorities as part of their decision must state how your relatives or partners can appeal and by when.

Conclusion

We at Pertemps ERP are familiar with the stresses and strife that a career change brings - particularly with international relocation.

We pride ourselves on being experts in candidate care. Relocation issues are just a small portion of the industry challenges we troubleshoot daily.

A lot of this information was sourced and summarised from europa.eu, an excellent website for all EU regulations as it the official EU website.

If you're considering relocation or a career change, contact one of our consultants.