Personal experience of receiving the Blue Card in Germany 2015-2016. Part 3: Arriving in Germany
← Prehistory here
So, on October 1, my wife and I flew to Hamburg. Then we took the train to Flensburg. We arrived at the place around 4 pm. There was no way to talk about any work, although officially it was my first working day.
I was met by my Russian-speaking colleague Igor and we went to a rented apartment, which I had previously rented for a week on AirBnb. Familiar owner of the apartment showed us all the land and gave the keys. The apartment was excellent, we liked everything except the temperature (in Germany, the heating is regulated manually and is often turned off by the owners in order to save). We immediately turned on the heating to the maximum.
')
Then we went to the nearest supermarket to buy something to eat. On the way we stopped at the office, so I just knew where he is. Then my wife and I walked around the city in the evening and looked around a bit. Of course, we really liked the fjord's evening harbor with yachts and boats.
But there was no time for romance, for the first two weeks were the hardest, and there were a lot of things ahead.
The next day I came to the office by 9 am, where I was introduced to my colleagues and showed the office. Everything was very comfortable, though I did not remember a single name.
Then Igor and I went to do my first document on German soil - Anmeldung (analog of registration). This document confirms that you have a residence address and is necessary for further action. Since I rented an apartment temporarily, we decided to register at Igor’s address, because all correspondence, including a bank card and PIN code, will be sent there!
Anmeldung is done in the local town hall for about 20 minutes (depending on the number of visitors).
Then we went to look for a suitable bank to make me Konto (bank account). Many banks offer contracts with monthly (annual) service fees. We were not satisfied with this option and we found a bank in which the account does not require any costs, subject to monthly payments of more than 1,200 euros. We were satisfied with this and we issued the contract right there (they often assign the term a couple of days in advance). I have already left the bank with the full details of my account, which I sent to the HR manager for the accrual of the RFP. The map was accompanied by a Maestro card, which arrived by mail in a week. The PIN code came in a separate letter a couple of days before the card.
Well, the day was not in vain and we returned to the office to get acquainted with the work. My workplace was ready and I began to customize everything for myself. Here I think it’s not worth going into details. In the office I liked the presence of a kitchen (or rather three, one per floor) with a stove, kettle, microwave, dishwasher and refrigerator. Also free sparkling water (in reusable glass bottles) and, of course, free coffee with all dopami (large coffee pots, who finished it, go to brew fresh). I always take lunch from home, so having a good kitchen could not help me (I dine there almost always in splendid isolation).
Next came the weekend and my wife and I undertook to inspect the city. Visited the museums with the stubborn living stuffed inherent in each city, found stores, and indeed looked around. We went to the beach and walked through the city parks.
Ahead was an important stage - the search for permanent housing. Over the weekend, we selected suitable ads to ask German colleagues to call them on Monday (NO, as a rule, was usually spoken in English). On Monday morning, Igor and I went to the insurance company (Krankenkasse) and took out medical insurance. About the types of insurance on the Internet a lot of articles, I chose the state. I transferred all the data here to HR and she sent my data to get the taxpayer number and other social numbers. They all came to me by mail without my participation, I only later wrote and sent to the tax (Finanzamt) application for changing the tax class to 3 + 5 instead of the default 4 + 4 (there is a lot of information on the tax classes on the Internet).
Search for housing. At work, one colleague agreed to call and assign me terms to inspect the apartments. Everything was not easy. In many places we were 5-7 in the queue for inspection, and I had an AirBnb lease term until the end of the week. It became clear that it would hardly be possible to rent a house quickly. We went to see only one apartment. It was in good condition, but in just almost all the apartments that were donated, it was not enough that without furniture, there were not even bullets for bulbs, just sticking wires out of the ceiling. We are a little saddened to have to buy furniture. But then a miracle happened! The owner of our temporary apartment offered to rent an apartment on a permanent basis. After a bit of bargaining, we agreed on 650 a month including heating, etc. (Warmmiete). For an apartment of 70 squares with furniture was very tasty, the one we saw cost 550 without a communal flat (Kaltmiete). Well, the issue was resolved with the apartment, and with very little blood.
The signing of the rental contract was delayed, as the hostess is geographically located in Vienna, but it was a purely technical matter, the main thing was housing.
On October 12, we came to the Town Hall to be served on the Blue Card. Previously they sent me questionnaires and a list of documents. I submitted all documents, paid a fee of 100 euros and passed my fingerprints. They said that after 3-4 weeks will be ready. On October 23, having received the original contract, we registered for the rented apartment. On October 26th, my medical insurance card arrived, and on October 30th - Sveta's card. On October 2, I decided to call the Town Hall regarding my Blue Card. I was told that there are some problems, wait for a letter to the post office or to call in a week. On October 5, a letter came from the town hall, I thought that my Blue Card was ready, but it was not there. A few days later I called the town hall and they told me that these were documents for issuing a national visa to Sveta. It required confirmation of sufficient living space (vermieterbescheinigung) and my consent to the material support of the spouse. They also said that nobody had even dealt with my blue card (many refugees).
On November 11, I sent all the documents to the town hall, although I had to provide the application form from the owner of the apartment only in scanned form. Sveta had to return to Russia, because her Schengen visa expired, and they only began to apply for a national visa. On November 19, I brought to the Town Hall all the originals of the required documents and application forms, once again clarified everything. They said that this time everything is just reinforced and my blue card will definitely be ready in 2-3-4 weeks. Before the expiration of my national visa, there were 6 weeks left.
On December 2, I received a letter with the information that my blue card is ready. The next day I signed up and the 4th pick up the card. I was also told that Sveta’s visa should also be ready, at least they have finished their part. After lunch, Sveta appeared on the embassy’s visa issuance lists.
December 4 - Day X. I took the Blue Card for a period of 4 years. Recorded Sveta on the 17th of December to apply for a residence permit. Sveta, meanwhile, received her national visa in Moscow and arrived in Germany.
December 17 Sveta filed a residence permit. Said after 6 weeks (ahead of Christmas) will be ready. On January 7, a letter arrived with the information that the residence permit is ready. January 14 Sveta took a residence permit for a period of 1.5 years.
At this stage, I probably described all the important stages on arrival in Germany. If you have any questions - write. I plan to write another article about integration (language courses, adaptation, cultural aspects).
Chronology of events:
So, on October 1, my wife and I flew to Hamburg. Then we took the train to Flensburg. We arrived at the place around 4 pm. There was no way to talk about any work, although officially it was my first working day.
I was met by my Russian-speaking colleague Igor and we went to a rented apartment, which I had previously rented for a week on AirBnb. Familiar owner of the apartment showed us all the land and gave the keys. The apartment was excellent, we liked everything except the temperature (in Germany, the heating is regulated manually and is often turned off by the owners in order to save). We immediately turned on the heating to the maximum.
')
Then we went to the nearest supermarket to buy something to eat. On the way we stopped at the office, so I just knew where he is. Then my wife and I walked around the city in the evening and looked around a bit. Of course, we really liked the fjord's evening harbor with yachts and boats.
But there was no time for romance, for the first two weeks were the hardest, and there were a lot of things ahead.
The next day I came to the office by 9 am, where I was introduced to my colleagues and showed the office. Everything was very comfortable, though I did not remember a single name.
Then Igor and I went to do my first document on German soil - Anmeldung (analog of registration). This document confirms that you have a residence address and is necessary for further action. Since I rented an apartment temporarily, we decided to register at Igor’s address, because all correspondence, including a bank card and PIN code, will be sent there!
Anmeldung is done in the local town hall for about 20 minutes (depending on the number of visitors).
Then we went to look for a suitable bank to make me Konto (bank account). Many banks offer contracts with monthly (annual) service fees. We were not satisfied with this option and we found a bank in which the account does not require any costs, subject to monthly payments of more than 1,200 euros. We were satisfied with this and we issued the contract right there (they often assign the term a couple of days in advance). I have already left the bank with the full details of my account, which I sent to the HR manager for the accrual of the RFP. The map was accompanied by a Maestro card, which arrived by mail in a week. The PIN code came in a separate letter a couple of days before the card.
Well, the day was not in vain and we returned to the office to get acquainted with the work. My workplace was ready and I began to customize everything for myself. Here I think it’s not worth going into details. In the office I liked the presence of a kitchen (or rather three, one per floor) with a stove, kettle, microwave, dishwasher and refrigerator. Also free sparkling water (in reusable glass bottles) and, of course, free coffee with all dopami (large coffee pots, who finished it, go to brew fresh). I always take lunch from home, so having a good kitchen could not help me (I dine there almost always in splendid isolation).
Next came the weekend and my wife and I undertook to inspect the city. Visited the museums with the stubborn living stuffed inherent in each city, found stores, and indeed looked around. We went to the beach and walked through the city parks.
Ahead was an important stage - the search for permanent housing. Over the weekend, we selected suitable ads to ask German colleagues to call them on Monday (NO, as a rule, was usually spoken in English). On Monday morning, Igor and I went to the insurance company (Krankenkasse) and took out medical insurance. About the types of insurance on the Internet a lot of articles, I chose the state. I transferred all the data here to HR and she sent my data to get the taxpayer number and other social numbers. They all came to me by mail without my participation, I only later wrote and sent to the tax (Finanzamt) application for changing the tax class to 3 + 5 instead of the default 4 + 4 (there is a lot of information on the tax classes on the Internet).
Search for housing. At work, one colleague agreed to call and assign me terms to inspect the apartments. Everything was not easy. In many places we were 5-7 in the queue for inspection, and I had an AirBnb lease term until the end of the week. It became clear that it would hardly be possible to rent a house quickly. We went to see only one apartment. It was in good condition, but in just almost all the apartments that were donated, it was not enough that without furniture, there were not even bullets for bulbs, just sticking wires out of the ceiling. We are a little saddened to have to buy furniture. But then a miracle happened! The owner of our temporary apartment offered to rent an apartment on a permanent basis. After a bit of bargaining, we agreed on 650 a month including heating, etc. (Warmmiete). For an apartment of 70 squares with furniture was very tasty, the one we saw cost 550 without a communal flat (Kaltmiete). Well, the issue was resolved with the apartment, and with very little blood.
The signing of the rental contract was delayed, as the hostess is geographically located in Vienna, but it was a purely technical matter, the main thing was housing.
On October 12, we came to the Town Hall to be served on the Blue Card. Previously they sent me questionnaires and a list of documents. I submitted all documents, paid a fee of 100 euros and passed my fingerprints. They said that after 3-4 weeks will be ready. On October 23, having received the original contract, we registered for the rented apartment. On October 26th, my medical insurance card arrived, and on October 30th - Sveta's card. On October 2, I decided to call the Town Hall regarding my Blue Card. I was told that there are some problems, wait for a letter to the post office or to call in a week. On October 5, a letter came from the town hall, I thought that my Blue Card was ready, but it was not there. A few days later I called the town hall and they told me that these were documents for issuing a national visa to Sveta. It required confirmation of sufficient living space (vermieterbescheinigung) and my consent to the material support of the spouse. They also said that nobody had even dealt with my blue card (many refugees).
On November 11, I sent all the documents to the town hall, although I had to provide the application form from the owner of the apartment only in scanned form. Sveta had to return to Russia, because her Schengen visa expired, and they only began to apply for a national visa. On November 19, I brought to the Town Hall all the originals of the required documents and application forms, once again clarified everything. They said that this time everything is just reinforced and my blue card will definitely be ready in 2-3-4 weeks. Before the expiration of my national visa, there were 6 weeks left.
On December 2, I received a letter with the information that my blue card is ready. The next day I signed up and the 4th pick up the card. I was also told that Sveta’s visa should also be ready, at least they have finished their part. After lunch, Sveta appeared on the embassy’s visa issuance lists.
December 4 - Day X. I took the Blue Card for a period of 4 years. Recorded Sveta on the 17th of December to apply for a residence permit. Sveta, meanwhile, received her national visa in Moscow and arrived in Germany.
December 17 Sveta filed a residence permit. Said after 6 weeks (ahead of Christmas) will be ready. On January 7, a letter arrived with the information that the residence permit is ready. January 14 Sveta took a residence permit for a period of 1.5 years.
At this stage, I probably described all the important stages on arrival in Germany. If you have any questions - write. I plan to write another article about integration (language courses, adaptation, cultural aspects).
Chronology of events:
October 1 - Arrival in Germany
October 2 - registration + bank account
October 5 - medical insurance
October 12 - went to the Blue Card (will be ready in 2-3 weeks, call and sign up to receive, happy as elephants)
October 23 - registered in the rented apartment
October 26 - my health insurance card came
October 30 - Sveta Health Insurance Card
November 2 - phoned asked about my card. They said if you do not receive the term by mail in the week, then call the next one. I thought that the term for receiving the card.
November 7th - they sent an envelope from the town hall, I thought the term was that my card was ready. It turned out a bunch of papers and questionnaires.
November 9 - I called on these docks to clarify why they turned out (for family reunification, for marriage for Svetlana visa! And for confirming housing for my card, it turned out that no one took my docks in hand before my call on November 2)
November 11 - sent a scan confirmation of housing by e-mail.
November 12 - Sveta returned to Russia so that the visa would not expire
November 19 - brought all the remaining docks. They said more for Sveta's visa, and my Blue Card is already in print and in 2-3-4 weeks I will receive a letter of its readiness. Again)) Sveta's visa was said to be released as soon as possible.
December 2 - I received a letter that my card is ready.
December 3 - I called and scored a term on the 4th to pick up the map. They said that Sveta's visa should also be ready, at least they finished their part. After lunch, Sveta appeared on the embassy lists.
December 4 - Day X. Pick up the Blue Card. Recorded Sveta on the 17th of December to apply for a residence permit.
December 17 - Sveta filed a residence permit. Said after 6 weeks (ahead of Christmas) will be ready.
January 7 - a letter came - a residence permit is ready
January 14 - took a residence permit for a period of 1.5 years.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/315416/
All Articles