Hello All!

I have a genuine question regarding Mould/Schimmel. I have read, seen so much about Lüften of around 10-15 minutes twice a day to keep Mould out. Now, my question is during this Lüften if the walls cool down considerably and then due to heating, cooking and water vapour due to breathing, showering etc., if the walls don't heat up won't Mould occur?

I have read conflicting statements about Lüften. Can anyone please guide me?

I (23F) am a french seasonal worker in hospitality. I can wait tables or bartend, depending on what’s needed. I’d like to do my next summer season in Germany but I don’t really know much about holiday spots there that might hire seasonal workers. Throughout my winter and summer seasons I’ve met quite a lot of German clients that I adored and it just made me wonder about service there.

I used to be multilingual (French - Spanish - English - German) but haven’t used my German in 8 years so I have forgotten it a little. The plan for me would be to do a 1 month intensive German linguistics course in Germany in between my winter and summer season to “refresh” the German buried in my brain. So, language wouldn’t be an issue.

I’d be looking for a place near a beach or a lake, because I think that’s mostly where workforce is needed during the summer. Mostly, it has to be on the countryside, the type of spots where people don’t tend to live yearly. Does anyone have any recommendations in towns or even villages that might fit those criterias?

If anyone has even done a summer season and know even of restaurants that hire (with accomodation is obviously best but even if not, it’s a start) and want to share maybe even the names of those places, I’d be more than grateful!! Or even share their experience and how the recruiting system and the season altogether works ! I’m really interested in that :)

Thanks :)

Hi were living in an apartment building and many evenings the kids upstairs sound like their hosting a nba game in their livingroom. How and should we approach this with them? Most nights it ends by 22 so all is well legally, though it had been after 23 couple of times. Its just that the apartment is shaking with their running

Hey everyone!

Quick question for native German speakers.

When talking about your local sports club (football, table tennis, etc.), what sounds more natural to you?

• Mein Verein
• Mein Sportverein
• Mein Club
• Something else?

I'm particularly interested in what Germans would actually say in everyday life, rather than a literal translation.

Thanks for your help!

Hi everyone!

I've noticed that DVDs still seem to be quite popular in Germany. I also recently discovered that public libraries offer a large selection of DVDs that you can borrow with just a library membership, which sounds great!

I'm thinking about getting a DVD player and borrowing movies and TV series from my local library.

However, I have one question: Do DVDs in Germany usually include the original English audio with English subtitles, or are they mostly available only with German dubbing?

I'd prefer to watch movies and series in English with English subtitles.

Does anyone have experience borrowing DVDs from German public libraries?

Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone,
I am looking for some advice or legal opinions regarding a nightmare utility situation in Düsseldorf.
I signed my rental contract starting in December but only physically moved into the apartment in January. Unfortunately, the rental agency that handed over the keys failed to note down any water or heating meter numbers or initial readings in the handover protocol.
Last week, I received an invoice directly from Stadtwerke Düsseldorf for those first two months. They claim I owe an additional €300 on top of 100€ I paid in Januaryfor heating and water, stating that I consumed 20 m³ of water in basically just the month of January (since the flat was completely empty in December).
20 m³ for one person in one month is completely insane, so I went to check the physical water meters installed inside my apartment. I realized that the meter serial numbers printed on the Stadtwerke invoice do not match the physical meters in my apartment at all. I am evidently being billed for the consumption of a completely different rental unit or a neighbor's flat.
I immediately sent emails with photo evidence of my actual meters to both my landlord and Stadtwerke Düsseldorf, but both are completely ignoring me.
The invoice due date is October 28th.
What should my immediate next steps be?

Hello everyone,

I'm new to unemployment benefits and quite stressed right now. I've only been receiving them for two months.

My residence permit expired this month. However, I've already applied for a new one and received a temporary residence permit (Fiktionsbescheinigung).

At the end of August, I received a notification that my unemployment benefits were only approved until October. I suspect this is due to my residence permit.

Therefore, I informed the employment agency back in September and sent them my temporary residence permit. Unfortunately, I didn't receive a response. My caseworker told me during our conversation that the temporary residence permit would be sufficient.

Now I've suddenly received a notification that my unemployment benefits have been terminated.

Reason: "Loss of availability for work" Wegfall der Verfügbarkeit

I also wrote to them again through the online portal, but haven't received a reply yet.

My new residence permit could take a long time to arrive, which is why I submitted the temporary residence permit.

Has anyone else been in a similar situation? What did you do, and how did it turn out?

Thank you.🥺🫶🏻

I am really wanting to go up in the Kehlsteinhaus and I know the date it closes for sure(I think) is Nov 8th but can close earlier due to weather. How has the weather been and does anyone know if it is likely going to be open on the 8th still? Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I recently bought a mattress (140 × 200 × 18 cm), but I want to return it to the seller.

Since it's already unpacked, I can't compress it back to its original size. However, I can roll it up to approximately 140 × 60 × 60 cm.

I've checked DHL and Hermes, but the dimensions seem to exceed the limits for normal parcels

Does anyone know a cheaper way to ship something this large within Germany?

Ideally, I'm looking for:

• A shipping company that accepts these dimensions.
• Home pickup, as I don't have a car.
• A reasonably affordable option

Has anyone successfully returned or shipped a mattress of this size in Germany?

Any recommendations would be appreciated. Thanks!

Hey everyone

So im 20 and from France and I’m currently studying at a communication school in France. We have to spend a semester abroad as part of our degree, either doing an internship or studying at one of our partner universities. I’ve been nominated for an exchange semester at Media University in the BA Graphic Design and Visual Communication programme.

I know private universities like this one can be pretty controversial, so I was wondering what it’s actually like to study there. Since I wouldn’t have to pay any extra tuition fees, I’m considering giving it a shot, but I’m not really sure what to expect.

How are the classes? What does a typical week look like? Do you have classes every day, and is the workload pretty heavy or do you have a decent amount of free time ? I mean I’m also pretty excited about Berlin itself, especially as I make (electronic) music, so I’d love to have enough time to explore the local scene, meet people and hopefully get involved in it a bit haha

I’d also be curious to hear about the general atmosphere and student life.

The thing is, I also have a potential internship opportunity at an experimental design studio in Berlin, which sounds really interesting and could give me some proper hands-on experience.

So I’m basically trying to figure out whether spending a semester at Media University would be worth it, or whether I’d be better off taking the internship instead. My main goal is to develop my graphic design skills, discover new approaches and get some experience out of the whole thing.

If anyone’s studied there, especially in graphic design or a similar field, I’d love to hear your honest opinion. And if you were in my position, what would you choose?

My family and I moved to Berlin on 1-year national D-visas (EU Blue Card + Family Reunification) which are valid until the end of March.

​We are eligible to apply for our actual Blue Card residence permits online starting December 1st.

However, we have a planned 10-day trip outside the EU over the New Year / early January holidays.

​I have a few questions before we lock in our plans:

​

Can we safely travel outside the EU and re-enter Germany using our existing D-visas (since they don't expire until late March)?

​

Is it better to submit our Blue Card application on December 1st before we leave, or should we wait until we return in mid-January to apply?

​Does applying online at LEA Berlin affect our ability to travel using the valid D-visa and the online confirmation receipt?

​Has anyone done a similar trip during their D-visa period while waiting for the Blue Card appointment/approval?

Hi everyone👋

I got a job 6 months ago and believe now is the right time to get legal insurance to protect me in case of future layoffs / landlord issues and beyond.

As an expat I seek your advice for the best and affordable legal insurance that is English friendly.

Would appreciate any recommendation based on personal experience.

Thank you!

Hi everyone,

I’m a French citizen living in Germany and I recently applied for a Führungszeugnis at my local Burgerburo.

I specifically asked for a simple (einfaches) Führungszeugnis, not the European version, because I already have the equivalent police certificate from my birth country.

However, the receipt says “Europäisches Führungszeugnis”.

The clerk told me the processing time would be 2–3 weeks, but he also said he would issue me a simple certificate, not a European one. So now I’m confused about which document I will actually receive.

From what I’ve read, the European version can take around 4–6 weeks, I really don’t want to wait that long if a German-only certificate would be enough.

For those who have applied for a European Führungszeugnis as an EU citizen living in Germany: how long did it actually take from the date you applied at the Bürgerburo until you received it by post?

Also, is it normal for the receipt to say “Europäisches Führungszeugnis” even when you asked for the simple version? Should I contact the Bürgerburo to ask them to change it to a German-only certificate, or is the European version automatically issued for EU citizens?

Thanks in advance!

Now I have some thoughts: 1. FU Berlin; 2. TU Dresden; 3. University of Stuttgart; 4. RWTH Aachen.

For my family's economy situation, I didn't take TUM or LMU into account. Now I am still learning German, so I can only choose English programs now.

Thanks for every reply.

As the title says, looking for online shops delivering to Hamburg to buy quality plants.

So far I've mostly bought house plants from Lidl or Kaufland, or Bauhaus and a) there isn't much variety b) quality can be meh!

I am looking for tropical plants, specifically some god quality Poinsettia now that Advent is coming up. Also, Hibiscus may be.

My husband and I will be visiting Germany in February (19th-22nd). We will be flying into Frankfurt and staying for a long weekend (arrive Friday morning and leave Monday morning). What are some good day trip cities from Frankfurt to visit while we are there?

I started to learn german and one day I am planning to move there and,

I'm looking for a german friend preferably 20-25 years old and girl (Because I already have a lot of male friends and I aim find a balance) to practice german / english and cultural exchance.

I am from istanbul Turkey 21-22 years old studying civil engineering. My hobies are fitness-bodybuilding,self improvment, I used to watch series like atla,got, friends after watching and finishing many series and movies I had enough with watching stuff. I rarely watch movies when I am with friends and family now.

TL;DR: Non-EU spouse of a German citizen. My residence permit expires in December 2026. I applied online for an extension in mid-August in Nuremberg and have heard nothing since. I may start a new job in Berlin in December. How do I follow up, and what happens to a pending application if I move cities?

My situation

- Non-EU citizen, married to a German citizen, living in Nuremberg.

- I came to Germany on a family reunion visa. I had a Fiktionsbescheinigung for a while, then got my residence card (§ 28 AufenthG).

- The card expires in December 2026.

- I am between jobs right now and receiving ALG I.

What I have done

- In mid-August I applied online for an extension through the city's online service.

- I got an automatic confirmation with a case number. It says the office will check my documents and contact me, and that I should only enquire in very urgent cases.

- Since then I have received nothing. No letter, no email, no message in my BundID inbox, no appointment.

- In the application I asked for a Fiktionsbescheinigung in case processing takes longer than my card is valid.

- When I first moved here, a relocation agent (assigned by my former employer) handled all the paperwork, so this is my first time doing it myself.

Why I am asking now

I am in late-stage interviews, and the roles are in Berlin. If one works out, I would start around December, the same month my permit expires.

My questions

1. Is two months of silence normal for Nuremberg? The confirmation says to enquire only in urgent cases. Does a permit expiring in two months plus a possible job start count as urgent?
2. If the card expires before they decide, am I still covered because I applied in time? I asked for a Fiktionsbescheinigung in my application in case it takes that long. Do I need to chase it, and can I get it earlier so I have something to show a new employer?
3. If I move to Berlin while the application is pending, what happens to it? Does Nuremberg finish it, does the file move to the Berlin office, or do I have to apply again?
4. Is it smarter to wait for Nuremberg to finish before I register my address in Berlin?

I qualify for a permanent residence permit and citizenship both. I am deliberately waiting with that until I am employed again (post clearing probation period), so I am only asking about the extension here.

Thank you for any advice, especially from people who moved cities with an application pending.

I hope i am welcome here , i look forward to making new matured friends , say Hi

Hi all,

I've searched extensively on Reddit, but couldn't find anyone with a similar issue, either in German or English.

I've been using the TK Bonus program for the past year and recently completed my second TK running challenge. However, when I submitted it for TK bonus, it got automatically denied. I then reached out to TK to clarify the issue, as their online information suggests that you can claim the TK challenge twice a year.

To my surprise, they replied stating that "Wir können Ihnen die Sportveranstaltung nur 1-mal pro Teilnahmejahr anrechnen." (We can only count one sports event per participation year.) They also confirmed that I received the Gesundheitsbonus for regular participation in the Lauf-Challenge on XX June 2026.

I responded by pointing out that the running challenge is not a Sportveranstaltung, and asked them to review their own page: https://www.tk.de/techniker/gesundheit-foerdern/digitale-gesundheit/tk-bonusprogramm/bonusprogramm-punkte-massnahmen-2105684#aktivitaeten-von-teilnehmenden-ab-18-jahren

I'm feeling a bit confused, and I'm wondering if I'm misinterpreting the table. FYI all of my communications with them (email and phone) have been in German, and I don't think it was a language issue.

Has anyone else experienced similar issues with TK?

Additionally, I've submitted my participation in a Sportsveranstaltung last month, so if their initial statement was true, they should have denied that as well.

I find this situation quite strange, as their rules seem clearly written and their customer service is generally not bad. It feels petty to try to deny 10-20 euros. At this point, it's not really about the money, but more that they should have the right information on their page if this is the case. I was wondering if someone else also had a similar issue, and if so, how they resolved it.

TL;DR: TK Bonus program denied second TK challenge completion, citing "only one sports event per year" rule. Anyone else experienced similar issues?

Hi everyone,

​I am in the process of negotiating an Aufhebungsvertrag (settlement agreement) with my current employer. I qualify for Permanent Residency (Niederlassungserlaubnis) under the Blue Card / Skilled Worker route and plan to submit my application to the Ausländerbehörde around the end of this year (once I complete my German language exam).

​My main question is about the end date on the agreement and how the Ausländerbehörde treats active settlement agreements:

​How far out should my contract end date be so that the Ausländerbehörde approves the PR without issues? (e.g., set to mid/late 2027?)

​Does the Ausländerbehörde reject or pause PR applications if they see an Aufhebungsvertrag is already signed, even if the end date is several months away?

​Has anyone successfully received PR while on paid release / garden leave (Freistellung) with a signed departure agreement?

​Would really appreciate hearing experiences from anyone who went through this or knows how local Ausländerbehörden handle this!

​Thanks in advance!

I applied from Germany 8 weeks ago and still waiting. I don’t get responses to my emails and they don’t answer the phone. I reached out to BfAA a week ago and the said they didn’t receive anything yet from BfJ.

Hello, I just moved to a new apartment and my roommate is making a lot of noise, I tried telling him not to make much noise during evening time but no success. So I decided to isolate myself from his noise I bought zugluftstopper but it was not very effective. Please give some advice on what I should use to lower the noise. I cannot change this place as it is really cheap compared to what I used to live in before. Also this house is really old, has wooden flooring and old wooden doors.

Would you guys recommend products from Mediamarkts own brand?

Do you have experience using them?

Like the Wärmepumpentrockner or Waschmaschine?

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some advice from people who have been in a similar situation in Germany, especially those who started freelancing after studying here.

I’ve been living in Germany for more than five years. I completed my Master’s degree here and also worked for around three years as a working student in IT system administration. After finishing my studies, I started looking for a full-time job, but unfortunately, it has been around one and a half years, and I still haven’t managed to find a permanent position.

I recently got married, and my wife has permanent residency in Germany. At the moment, I’m on a job-seeker residence permit and have applied for a residence permit through family reunification. I’m expecting to get that sorted out soon.

In the meantime, I’ve received an offer for a six-month freelance contract. I’m considering accepting it because I want to gain more experience and, of course, start earning instead of continuing to wait for a permanent full-time opportunity. From what I understand, I need to make sure my residence permit allows self-employment before I start.

The problem is that I’m quite confused about all the administrative and financial things I need to take care of as a freelancer.

From my research so far, I understand that I may need to register my activity through ELSTER and obtain a tax number. But I’m not sure how the whole process works in practice.

I have a few questions:

• Tax registration: What exactly do I need to do to get permission to freelance? do i have to get a new tax number?
• Health insurance: How does health insurance work when you’re employed as a contrator? Do I need to change my current insurance, and how much should I expect to pay?
• Pension: Do I need to pay into the German pension system as a freelance IT support worker, or is it optional? if it is optional, Do i have to take private pension plan ?(What happens after six months )
• Taxes as a married couple: My Spouse is currently working, and we use tax classes III and V. Should we switch to IV/IV if I start freelancing, or can we keep III/V? How does freelance income affect our joint tax return?

I know that freelancing means taking responsibility for taxes, insurance and other formalities myself. I just want to understand the process properly before committing, so I don’t run into problems later.

If anyone has gone through something similar in Germany, I’d really appreciate hearing about your experience. Practical advice, personal experiences and recommendations for reliable resources would be very helpful.

Thanks in advance to everyone who takes the time to reply!