Personal experience in obtaining a Blue Card in Germany 2015-2016. Part 3: Arriving in Germany

    Background here

    So, on October 1, my wife and I flew to Hamburg. Then by train we reached Flensburg. We arrived at the place around 4 pm. There was no talk of 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 previously rented for a week on AirBnb. A friend of the apartment owner showed us all the land and gave us the keys. The apartment was excellent, we liked everything except the temperature (in Germany, heating is manually regulated and 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 at least something to eat. On the way we stopped at the office so that I just understood where it is. Then my wife and I walked around the city in the evening and looked around a bit. Of course, we really liked the evening fjord 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.

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    The next day, by 9 a.m., I came to the office, where I was introduced to my colleagues and shown to the office. Everything was very comfortable, though I didn’t remember a single name.

    Further, Igor and I went to make my first document on German soil - Anmeldung (analogue of registration). This document confirms your address of stay and is required for further action. Since I rented the apartment temporarily, we decided to register at Igor’s address, because all correspondence will come there, including a bank card and a PIN code for it!

    Anmeldung is done in the local town hall in about 20 minutes (depending on the number of visitors).
    Next, we went to look for a suitable bank to make me Konto (bank account). Many banks offer accounts with monthly (annual) service fees. We were not happy with this option and we found a bank in which the account does not require any costs, provided that monthly payments of more than 1,200 euros are made. It suited us and we designed it right away (they often assign the term a couple of days in advance). I already left the bank with the full details of my account, which I sent to the HR manager to accrue the payroll. The card was accompanied by a Maestro card, which arrived in the mail a week later. 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. Then I think it’s not worth going into details. In the office, I liked the presence of a kitchen (more precisely three, one per floor) with a stove, kettle, microwave, dishwasher and refrigerator. There is also free sparkling water (in glass refillable bottles) and, of course, free coffee with all the special stages (large coffee pots, who have finished drinking, go to brew fresh ones). I always take lunch from home, so having a good kitchen could not but rejoice me (I dine there almost always in splendid isolation).

    Then the weekend came and my wife and I took to inspect the city. We visited museums with stubborn living stuffed animals inherent in each city, found shops, 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. At the weekend, we selected suitable announcements to ask German colleagues to call them on Monday (as a rule, they spoke NO in English immediately). On Monday morning, Igor and I went to the insurance company (Krankenkasse) and took out medical insurance. There are a lot of articles about types of insurance on the Internet, I chose the state one. I de transferred all the data here to HR and she sent my data to get a tax number and other social numbers. All of them came to me by mail without my participation, I only wrote and sent to the Tax (Finanzamt) application to change the tax class to 3 + 5 instead of the default 4 + 4 (there is a lot of information about tax classes on the Internet).

    Search for housing. At work, one colleague agreed to call and assign me terms for inspecting apartments. Everything was not easy here. In many places, we were 5-7 in line for inspection, and I had a lease term on AirBnb until the end of the week. It became clear that it was unlikely to be able to quickly rent a house. We went and saw only one apartment. She was in good condition, and in almost all rented apartments not only that without furniture, there were not even cartridges for light bulbs, wires just stuck from the ceiling. We were a little saddened to have to buy furniture. But then a miracle happened! The owner of our temporary apartment offered to rent housing on an ongoing basis. We bargained a bit for 650 per month including heating and more (Warmmiete). For an apartment of 70 squares with furniture it was very tasty, the one we saw cost 550 without a communal apartment (Kaltmiete). Well, with the apartment the issue was resolved, and with very little blood.

    The signing of the rental contract was delayed, as the hostess is located in Vienna, but it was a purely technical issue, the main thing was housing.

    October 12, we came to the town hall to go to the Blue Card. Previously, they sent me profiles and a list of documents. I submitted all the documents, paid a fee of 100 euros and passed the fingerprints. They said that in 3-4 weeks it would be ready. On October 23, having received the original contract, we registered for the rented apartment. On October 26 my health insurance card came, and on October 30 - Sveta's card. On October 2, I decided to call the town hall regarding my Blue Card. They told me that there are some problems, wait for a letter in the mail or call in a week. On October 5, a letter came from the town hall, I thought that my Blue Card was ready, but it wasn’t there. A few days later I called the town hall and they told me that these are documents for issuing a national visa to Sveta. It required confirmation of adequate housing (vermieterbescheinigung) and my consent to the material support of my spouse. They also said that no one has even dealt with my blue card (many refugees).

    On November 11, I sent all the documents to the town hall, although the questionnaire from the landlord had to be provided only in scanned form. Sveta had to return to Russia, because her Schengen visa was expiring, and they were just starting to draw up a national one. On November 19, I brought to the town hall all the originals of the required documents and questionnaires, once again I clarified everything. They said that this time everything is just reinforced concrete and my blue card will definitely be ready in 2-3-4 weeks. There were 6 weeks left before my national visa expired.

    On December 2, a letter arrived informing me that my blue card is ready. The next day I signed up and the 4th day to pick up the card. They also told me that Sveta’s visa should also be ready, at least they have completed their part. After lunch, Sveta appeared on the embassy's visa application list.

    December 4 - Day X. He took the Blue Card for a period of 4 years. He wrote to Sveta on December 17 for applying for a residence permit. Sveta, meanwhile, received her national visa in Moscow and arrived in Germany.

    On December 17, Sveta applied for a residence permit. They said after 6 weeks (ahead of Christmas) will be ready. On January 7, a letter came with information that the residence permit was ready. On January 14, Sveta took a residence permit for a period of 1.5 years.

    At this stage I probably described all the important stages upon arrival in Germany. If you have any questions - write. I plan to write another article about integration (language courses, adaptation, cultural aspects).

    Timeline 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, happy as elephants)
    October 23 - registered for the rented apartment
    October 26 - my health insurance card came
    October 30 - Sveta medical insurance card
    November 2 - I called and asked about my card. They said if you don’t receive the term in the week by mail, then call the next. I thought that the term for obtaining a card.
    November 7 - they sent an envelope from the town hall, I thought the term that my card was ready. It turned out a bunch of papers and questionnaires.
    November 9 - I called these docks to clarify what they were for, it turned out (for family reunion, marriage for Svetina’s visa! And for confirmation of housing for my card, it turned out no one took my docks in my hands before my call on November 2)
    November 11 - sent a scan of housing confirmation by e-mail.
    November 12 - Sveta returned to Russia so that the visa does 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)) Visa Sveta said they will release as soon as possible.
    December 2 - a letter arrived that my card is ready.
    December 3rd- called and scored the term on the 4th day to pick up a card. They said that Sveta’s visa should also be ready, at least they completed their part. After lunch, Light appeared on the lists of the embassy.
    December 4 - Day H. Picked up the Blue Card. He wrote to Sveta on December 17 for applying for a residence permit.
    December 17 - Sveta applied for a residence permit. They said after 6 weeks (ahead of Christmas) will be ready.
    January 7 - a letter arrived - the residence permit is ready
    on January 14 - took the residence permit for a period of 1.5 years.

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