Move from India to Germany with clear guidance.

Most people can handle relocation to Germany on their own. Paid relocation services in Germany mainly help with flat hunting, Anmeldung appointments and paperwork after arrival, and they charge for steps you are allowed to do yourself through official portals such as Make it in Germany and the German missions in India. Our free checklists and guides walk you through the same steps in English and Hindi.

Plan for the visa fee, flights, health insurance from day one, a deposit of two to three months rent, and a blocked account if you come as a student. Private relocation services in Germany are an extra cost on top of that. Our blocked account and cost of living calculators let you estimate your own budget before you book anything.

For work it is usually the EU Blue Card or the skilled worker visa with a job offer, or the Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte) if you want to search for work in Germany. For university it is the student visa, and for training it is the vocational training visa. Our jobs and study pages explain the requirements for each route.

Counting document preparation, degree recognition where needed, the job or admission search and the visa appointment, most people need six to twelve months. Visa appointment waiting times at German missions in India are often the longest single step, so book as early as your documents allow.

Register your address (Anmeldung), open a German bank account, confirm your health insurance, get your tax ID, and apply for your residence permit at the Ausländerbehörde. Our free Germany Move Checklist lists these in order with the documents you need for each.