THE WORST PART ABOUT LIVING IN GERMANY | GERMANS WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND THIS 😞

As foreigners to Germany there are actually quite a number of things we have to go through / deal with not just when we arrive in Germany, but even years down the road.

Look at me, for example, I came home crying my eyes out last week from the Ausländerbehörde… why? Well, I explain it more in this video, however, I, more importantly, wanted to share this video so that Germans get a better understanding of what life is sometimes like as a foreigner in Germany and to help others who are considering relocating to Germany out too.

There are a few tips you’ll walk away with after watching this video and I really hope this helps others make the same mistakes I have. 💛

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR CONSTANT LOVE AND SUPPORT! It means more than you’ll ever know. Seriously.

—————————————————————

✅ It’ll make your move MUCH easier and MUCH quicker
✅ Saves you hundreds of €€€ on bills and relocation costs

#expats #germany #lifeingermany #expattips

MY TIPS FOR LIVING IN GERMANY ✅

-------------------------------------------------------------

ABOUT ME

Hey there, I’m Jenna! A Canadian who has been living in Germany since 2014. 🇩🇪

Like many, I had a difficult time relocating - all the paperwork, making sure I wasn’t getting scammed, finding a flat, a phone plan, a job, etc. So, I took it slowly, documented all my learnings along the way, and partnered up with expats in every field so that I could help others avoid making the same mistakes I did. Let’s look at it as… PAVING THE WAY FOR NEW EXPATS TO SAVE TIME & MONEY!

... and now I’m bringing it all to YOUTUBE! ♥️

[b.mr.]

German here, don't excuse their behavior. I know from my own parents that a lot of people working in a Behörde are pretty overworked these days, but just because in the "Ausländerbehörde" they have to work with foreigners everyday, doesn't mean they can treat everyone like 2nd class citizens. it is LITERALLY their job to work with foreigners and to provide a friendly service. Use their own classical German weapons and write a complaint, a "Beschwerdebrief" ;)

[night]

I’m German and I don’t have thick skin. I would have started crying too 😂 happens to me often because people can be really mean and unfriendly. When you’re a person that is actually sensitive, caring, an empath, etc it’s so so hard. Feel you ❤️ wish you all the best !!

[naneneunmalklug]

I heard this a several times. A colleague of mine, a physician with a good safe job here, in the middle of the pandemic, working her a§§ off, was required to go there for some papers (go figure) and she was absolutely terrified.

She made an appointment at 7:30 for just delivering papers, said she would be expected at hospital at Intensive Care at 8:15. By the time she turned up to work (10:30h) she was crying, so livid and she was told that the documents that were sent to her from her home country (Albania) were not the correct one. That for the correct one she had to travel to Albania herself to apply for it.

It was the middle of the first lockdown. And they told her if she would not bring the correct one within a month she would forfeit her right to live and work in Germany. As a doctor.

So, in the middle of the pandemic, she would fly to Albania, get that document and fly back, catching covid in the process and getting severely ill for 3 weeks. When she turned it in literally the last day of the deadline, the employee there smugly said: "ah, look who has finally turned up. Was not so hard was it?"

Seriously, what happens to my friendly and polite countrymen once they enter in Behörden paychecks? I feel so awful for all who are put through this.

The document? It asked for her adress in Albania, which she had not, because she lived in Germany for 5 years. They simply wanted an updated proof of that.

[SaRah-]

This makes me want to work at the Ausländerbehörde and be the kindest, most helpful person ever. I am so sorry you all get treated like that! ❤

[marinarehren]

I am so sorry you had this experience in the Ausländerbehörde!! As a German I feel really embarrassed that it is like that!

[suzetteospi]

1. Did he really say "du"? That's not allowed. Just for that, you can demand to speak to his superior.
2. If you make photocopies, try to find out in advance if they have to be notarized. And if you can't find out, you best get them all notarized, just in case.

[PhilipBraselmann]

As a German I advice you the following: Never allow disrespect from anyone, even if your life in the country is at stake. Trust me, breaking your self-esteem to live somewhere is worse than leaving. NEVER SELL YOUR SOUL.

[myvillagelifeintheupperhar]

I am sorry that you went through this. I am married to a German, and my process was much easier. I went in, applied, and got my residency for one year. We had moved during that year, so my next appointment was in a different county. I was given two years because I could not speak at B1 level. At year three, I was given two more years. I have never interacted with anyone who is rude. My husband goes with me to my appointments. They aren't given an opportunity to be rude. I did experience rude behavior in my face-to-face German course. My teacher yelled at the learners and made rude comments about our cultures. My husband was quick to point that out when I renewed my residency. He told them that they need to spend some time in those classes and see how the courses are taught.

[YounghaAn]

As a Korean Canadian living in Germany, I have been to the foreigner's office both in Canada and in Germany. Yes, I wholeheartedly agree with you. The Ausländerbehörde is the worst thing in Germany. They expect everyone to speak perfect German, even if you have a Termin, you are still expected to wait for 15-30 minutes in the waiting area (their time is important but ours is not?), they don't even care if their mail with my Fiktionsbescheinigung to me got lost during delivery (how would I know if they have sent me something or not), if the person responsible for my application is on vacation for two months, no one else takes over my application until the person comes back from vacation (literally happened to me). They also lose documents even though I submitted everything online... like how??? One time, they even said I'm not registered in the city, and when I emailed them with my Anmeldung document, they just disappeared without apologies.

And they always make so many excuses! "Oh, because of Covid, oh because of Ukrainian refugees, oh because of this and that, blahblahblah". Seriously.. then hire more people?? Germany always says they're lacking skilled workers, but if it takes 6 months for them to get the visa, how would it bring more workers from other countries?

[anglerjj]

I am German and I am very sorry to hear this.
As engineer and project/site manager I had to work and live in many foreign cauntries, like USA (many times since 1995), Italy (7 years), China (many times for long time periods), Mexico, Russia, India, Canada....
When people talk about foreigners in not so a good way, I always say: "well I have been a foreigner myself for a very big part of my life".
Fortunately I nowhere, never ever made this kind of experience in meanwhile over 30 years of doing this job.
It also happened, that I did not have all papers in the correct way, but most of the times people tried to help and get things done as much as possible anyways.
Once, when I came back to China from a Germany holiday, I didn't recognize that my permit was expired (how stupid can one be?), the officers at the boarder tried everything to get things right in short time to not have to send me back home.
It didn't work out, but instead of treating me like an idiot they felt like sorry for me in this situation.
Regarding, what you experienced I ask myself, why such people choose to become an official at the "Ausländerbehörde".
They should rather go to work at construction sites, where rude behaviour does not bother anybody.

[hermannschaefer]

Well, yes. Try to bring a German partner with you whenever you have to deal with any German authorities and government agencies. Even German hate to go there - for a reason. Whether it's the immigration office, the tax and fiscal office or the office for digging a well in your garden ( i.e. the "Untere Wasserbehörde").

[ernestmccutcheon]

I used to live in Düsseldorf and can really understand what you‘re saying. Every visit to the Ausländeramt war extremely painful. The classic experience was having to go 3 separate times because they required an additional different document each visit. My experience in a small Southern German town has been completely different. I also experienced the process from the beginning with an African friend of mine. A lot nicer. That said, the Düsseldorf Office has to process a large amount of cases. So my advice for internationals would be to move first to a smaller city. Btw. Even with the permanent residency you still will have to go to the Ausländeramt, for example when you renew your Canadian Passport. Glad someone finally addressed this issue!

[katya_harek]

I moved to Germany two and a half moths ago, and my colleagues mentally prepared me for the visit to Ausländerbehörde. But when I went there, it was totally fine. The guy was super nice, he didn't ask for any additional papers, answered my questions and even gave me card with his phone number. Probably I was in the lucky 10%..

[r.michaels.]

What an ordeal - how frustrating - we feel for you - especially as you are always so positive about Germany and your life here - hopefully this will remain a rare exception…

Don’t despair - fingers crossed you will be able to put this behind you, get your residence papers - and live here in Germany happily ever after ❤️

[Lsr]

After living here for sometime i can tell you, that is an everyday interaction here in Germany. Not only there but almost everywhere, i'm not even exhaugerating, you go to the doctor is also like that, almost everywhere. After sometime you just kinda used to that kind of situation. You are lucky if you got a "hi" back everytime you greet them

[Gladenia]

As a German, I spent a significant part of my life in Ireland. In Ireland I have never had the feeling to be a foreigner. Irish people are very friendly. English native speakers are in general very patient with non-native speakers. I am currently in Germany. But I need to get used to live in Germany again.

[lifeingermany_]

I should probably clarify to some of you here the actual situation that took place (though this video wasn’t about who was right or wrong but simply about the mistreatment). So here’s the full story:

1, 5 years ago they invited me to get my permanent residency permit. With this invitation letter was a list of things to bring with you. I brought them all. I waited 4 hours for my appointment and was then told “sorry your caseworker forgot about you, you’ll have to come back next year”. I argued that I spent my entire day waiting and now have no appointment. They accepted me in and said I was provided the wrong list of things to bring (their fault) and this would only allow me to get another temporary permit until I can get another appt for the permanent residency. Plus I didn’t bring the original copy of my language certificate, so reminded me next time NOT TO FORGET EVERYTHING ONLY IN ORIGINAL COPY.

My new date was 1, 5 years later (aka. this month). I had the right list of documents, all in the original copy. I went in for my appointment. And the man immediately said I don’t have an appointment because they changed the way the system works since COVID. That apparently we were all sent letters informing us. Mine never arrived. This is not because I moved (I moved last month and this letter apparently arrived over a year ago). Then he said he’d take all my papers anyway and submit them. And I mentioned “but they’re all originals as you guys requested” and he flipped out at me because they were all supposed to be photocopies. 🙄

The problem with the Auslanderbehörde is that the rules change all the time and some will let things slide. Some won’t. In this case, he actually even saw that I never received this change of appointment - it said so on his computer, but he still refused to help me.

For all those of you who asked, no… he didn’t give me another appointment. He said to come back and wait in the 3-hour line with the rest of “them” (foreigners) for an appointment.

Thankfully a few people messaged me after I posted this on Instagram stories and mentioned I can submit these documents via email and then receive an appointment to obtain the permit in response.

I’ve since tried this and am waiting for a response. 😣🤞

[carinthiamontana]

When dealing with Behörden it is always a good idea to have all of the originals and copies with you. I even bring documents that aren’t on the list. Just in case.

[JoelLinus]

About 70% of german public servants have no manners, it's one of the worst things about germany.

[argantesteuernthal]

I am very sorry to hear what you've experienced at the Ausländerbehörde! Two of my friends who are foreigners ( russian and american) always engage an immigration lawyer when they have an appointment there. The lawyer also prepares you for your appointment. This seems to be the only solution for my friends to assure to be treated in a way that is in accordance to the law, which does not include politeness or kindness. Your experience makes me feel being ashamed being german.