4 German cities see record-breaking public transport use in 2024

Berlin, Dresden, Hamburg and Nuremberg recorded more public transport use in 2024 than ever before, according to figures from local transport associations. Record-breaking public... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 2 months ago

Quedlinburg named 8th-most welcoming city on Earth

The German town of Quedlinburg, Saxony-Anhalt, has been named the eighth-most welcoming city in the world as part of the annual Traveller Review Awards. Quedlinburgers are... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 2 months ago

Cinemas where you can watch English-language movies in Berlin

Looking to catch new and classic English-language cinema in Berlin and not sure where to head? Here’s a guide to the top spots for watching films in English in Berlin. German... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 2 months ago

German man breaks record for longest period living underwater

A 59-year-old German man is celebrating after breaking the world record for the longest period living underwater without depressurisation. The secret? Good wine. German man lived... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 2 months ago

New night train to connect Brussels-Germany-Venice from February 5

A new European Sleeper night train will connect Brussels, Cologne, Munich and Venice from February 5. Here’s what prospective passengers need to know. European Sleeper launches... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 2 months ago

February 2025: 8 changes affecting expats in Germany

2025 is one month down and Germany is set for an eventful February. Here’s everything you need to know about the significant events and changes coming to Germany in 2025. 1.... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 2 months ago

Bundestag votes for stricter immigration law in Germany, what now?

Yesterday, members of the German parliament (Bundestag) voted on two motions (Anträge) to implement stricter immigration laws. Some are calling the vote a historical turning point... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 2 months ago

German police union rep proposes 30km / h speed limit across Berlin

A deputy chairman of the German Police Union (GdP) has suggested that Berlin impose a citywide speed limit of 30 kilometres per hour. GdP representative suggests slower speed... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 2 months ago

Ver.di prolongs Deutsche Post strike in 13 federal states

German trade union ver.di has extended a strike by Deutsche Post employees into a second day. Postal delivery across 13 federal states is affected and delays are expected.... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 2 months ago

Schleswig-Holstein Welcome Centre finds five people jobs in 2024

A Welcome Centre in Schleswig-Holstein managed to find just five job seekers a new position over the course of 2024, a parliamentary enquiry has revealed. German welcome centre... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 2 months ago

How to move your belongings to another country

Moving country is an adventure, but it comes with a lot of logistical complications that need dealing with. Once your visas and permits are secured, top of the list is usually... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 2 months ago

Just 600 of Berlin’s 40.000 plus holiday lets are legal

A parliamentary information request has revealed that of Berlin’s nearly 40.000 holiday let apartments, only 600 have been approved since 2016. 600 holiday lets approved in... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 2 months ago

Merz open to using AfD votes: What does it mean for Germany’s citizenship law?

CDU leader and Germany’s likely next chancellor Friedrich Merz has said his party would be open to voting with the AfD on immigration restrictions. What does Merz’s willingness... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 2 months ago

A first-timers guide to filing your US taxes from overseas

Even when you know that you need to file your US taxes when you live in Germany, actually doing it can be a daunting and off-putting task. MyExpatTaxes demystifies the process,... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 2 months ago

How learning the language can be your path to success in Germany

Learning German is always easier with a purpose. The pathway programmes from Alpadia Language Schools help you learn German with the specific focus of being able to get a job or... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 2 months ago

Germany must welcome new migrants to avoid economic stagnation, warns DIW

In a special report published ahead of the federal election on February 23, the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) has warned that economic stagnation is inevitable... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 2 months ago

Dry January increasingly popular in Germany

Figures from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) have revealed that people in Germany purchased 50 percent less alcohol in January 2024 than in December 2023. Dry Jan on... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 2 months ago

Why is Germany DE? The German country code explained

Some countries have a very logical code, France (FR), the Netherlands (NL) or the United Kingdom (UK) for example. But what about Germany? What does the DE country code stand for... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 2 months ago

Deutsche Bahn to launch direct Munich-Paris train

Deutsche Bahn and French national rail provider SNCF have announced that they will jointly run a new direct train service connecting Munich and Paris. DB and SNCF to run new... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 2 months ago

German population sees slight growth in 2024

According to figures published by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) Germany’s population grew slightly in 2024 despite a declining birth rate. German population increased... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 2 months ago

Southern German cities likely to impose disposable packaging tax

After McDonald’s brought a case against Tübingen’s disposable packaging tax, judges at the German Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe have now ruled that the tax is legal. Other... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 2 months ago

High winds heading for Germany as Storm Eowyn crosses Europe

Weather forecasters predict that high winds will cross Germany this week, with the first gusts arriving on Friday morning and continuing on Monday. Storm Eowyn brewing in the... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 2 months ago

Ver.di announces public transport strike in Berlin

Employees of Berlin’s public transport association, the Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG), will strike on January 27, bringing U-Bahns, trams and buses to a halt. Ver.di announces ... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 2 months ago

FlixTrain planning new services between Germany and Switzerland

Residents in Germany and Switzerland could soon take advantage of cheap train connections run by German budget rail provider FlixTrain. The company confirmed that routes between... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 2 months ago

DHL to double parcel pick-up points in Germany

Deutsche Post’s parcel delivery service DHL has announced that it will double the number of collection hubs in the country, with other delivery services following suit. DHL, GLS... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 2 months ago

Munich museum removes portrait of Elon Musk

The Deutsches Museum in Munich has covered a portrait of tech billionaire and Trump administration “efficiency tsar” Elon Musk, claiming the museum considers it problematic to... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 2 months ago

Commuting, clocking in, logging on: When does work officially begin in Germany?

All employers in Germany must offer staff an official clocking-in system. But when do your working hours officially begin? We explain the ins and outs of clocking in across... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 2 months ago

New public transport app announced for Berlin and Hamburg

Local transport associations in Berlin and Hamburg have announced that they will launch a new transport app, providing passengers with up-to-date traffic information. BVG and HHV... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 2 months ago

No Pass, no party: Bouncers reject clubbers without German passport

A Rostock nightclub has apologised after bouncers were reported to police for turning away partygoers who couldn’t show a German passport or Personalausweis as ID. Partygoers... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 2 months ago

More new citizens than ever to vote in German federal election

In Germany’s snap election on February 23, there will be more new citizens and first-time voters than ever before in the history of the federal republic. More new voters in... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 2 months ago

DB “Savings Weeks” sale cuts ICE tickets to 17,99 euros

Deutsche Bahn has launched a sale reducing all one-way, ICE train tickets to just 17,99 euros until January 28, 2025, or while stocks last. DB ICE tickets on sale for as little... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 2 months ago

Discover an international education at Create Schools

Create Schools is a private, international all-day school in Tutzing, near Munich, Germany. They take pride in offering a personal, hands-on approach to education that focuses on... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 2 months ago

Everything you need to know before visiting a German sauna

Germany loves nudity and German saunas are reliably naked places. If you’re confused about German sauna etiquette, here’s everything you need to know before visiting one. Nudity... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 2 months ago

German scientists discover the secret to a perfect Cacio e Pepe

A group of German physicists at the Max Planck Institute have developed a fool-proof recipe for an infamously difficult pasta dish, Cacio e Pepe. German physicists develop fool-... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 2 months ago

Cash-in-hand work on the rise amid Germany’s economic woes

In 2025 more people in Germany are expected to work cash-in-hand jobs amid the country’s economic decline, according to a study by the Klinz University and the Institute for... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 2 months ago

Health commissioners call for mobile phone ban in Berlin schools

Three of Berlin’s Family and Health Commissioners have called on the city’s Senate to ban mobile phones in local schools on public health grounds. Public health officials call... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 3 months ago

Berlin theatre offers on-stage sleepover in eBay auction

Berliner Ensemble is auctioning off a one-night sleepover on its world-famous stage, in an attempt to cushion the blow of cultural funding cuts in the capital. Berliner Ensemble... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 3 months ago

German beef banned in UK as search continues for foot-and-mouth origin

Following a foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in Brandenburg on January 10, animal disease experts in Germany are searching for the source. In the meantime, the United Kingdom... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 3 months ago

Hamburg Welcome Centre leaves newcomers waiting 5 months for appointment

According to the dpa, newcomers in Hamburg are waiting five months for an appointment at the city’s Welcome Centre, which is responsible for issuing their first residence permit... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 3 months ago

Germany launches electronic patient files across three regions

People with statutory health insurance and living in Hamburg, Franconia or North Rhine-Westphalia can now access their patient files saved on an electronic database. Germany... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 3 months ago

Police investigate AfD for distributing “deportation tickets” for migrants

German police are investigating a local branch of the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party after people from migrant communities in Karlsruhe found AfD-branded “deportation... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 3 months ago

Biodeutsch named German “non-word” of 2024

The term “Biodeutsch”, referring to Germans who do not have a recent migration background in their family, has been named the country’s “non-word” of the year for 2024. “... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 3 months ago

5 Berlin Bürgerämter close ahead of German federal elections

As Germany prepares for a snap federal election on February 23, Berlin has closed five Bürgerämter (citizens’ offices), citing limited staff capacity. Berlin closes five... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 3 months ago

Germany’s sick leave rates reach record high in 2024

Figures from Germany’s largest statutory health insurer have revealed record-high sick leave rates among the country’s working population in 2024. Sick leave rates soar in 2024... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 3 months ago

German passport falls to 3rd-most powerful in Henley Index 2025

The annual Henley & Partners Passport Index has named the German passport the third-best for visa-free travel in the world in 2025, after it claimed the top spot in 2024. The... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 3 months ago

Germany faces cold snap as -12C recorded in Dresden

A sea wind is bringing sub-zero temperatures and bright sunshine to Germany at the beginning of this week. Locals in Dresden have already felt lows of -12 degrees celsius. Sub-... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 3 months ago

UK to launch 10-pound entry fee for international travellers

Non-EU citizens now have to pay a 10-pound (11,95 euro) fee when they enter the United Kingdom. From April 2025, the fee will also apply to EU citizens. Here’s what you need to... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 3 months ago

The easy way to get a refund on your pension contributions in 2025

If you have lived and worked in Germany, you will have paid pension contributions to the German pension fund that amounts to 9,3 percent of your gross salary. But if you decide to... | Continue reading


@iamexpat.de | 3 months ago