Considering a (temporary) move to Berlin

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Member since 25 June 2017

croboxMember25 June 2017 20:34:26

Hello folks,
As the title suggests, my family and I are considering a move to Berlin. We currently reside in Barcelona, and are toying with the idea of coming to Berlin for a year. We have friends there, and we are artists and are attracted to the art scene and art-world possibilities there.
We are:
Wife, Swedish (EU) citizen / USA citizen / Spain residency card (NIE) / Speaks German
6 year old child, (EU) Swedish citizen / USA citizen / Spain residency card (NIE) / No German
Me (husband), USA citizen only / Spain residency card (NIE) / Rudimentary German

I understand that my wife and kid should have no problems moving to Germany with their EU citizenship, but can anyone shed any light on what my situation might entail, with my USA citizenship and Spanish 5-year residency permit?
I am aware that this is almost certainly a question for an immigration lawyer, but I would appreciate reading anything about the experiences of users here, as this will help me be informed for future discussions with lawyers.

I have read enough to discover that the bureaucracy and paperwork burden in Germany is significant. We are considering the idea of just maintaining residency, in a formal sense, in Barcelona (bank accounts, health insurance, etc.) and looking at the Berlin move as something like an extended vacation. We've only been in Barcelona for 8 months, and always intended to return to the USA in summer 2018. Barcelona has proved something of a disappointment, but... we've just gotten through all the residency stuff (which was tedious) and are not excited to start that all over again in a new country.

Any insights into this situation will be much appreciated.
I will continue reading the forums!

Thanks,
Christian

beppi Germany - Singapore Expert

Member since 08 August 2010

Germany & Singapore Expert

beppiGermany - Singapore Expert25 June 2017 21:07:24

15350

As spouse of an EU citizen, you are entitled to residency wherever she resides in the EU.
(And unlike spouses of German citizens, you don't even need basic German skills to get German residency.)
You need to apply for a family reunion visa before moving to Germany, which can take three months to process.

Please note that maintaining a residence in Germany entails compulsory German health insurance (minimum charge for self-employed EUR340/month, or more depending on income) and income tax liability on your world income (although any Spanish income might be covered by a tax treaty between the countries).

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