Have you immigrated?

[lingohot]

I never migrated, I have spent all my life in Germany, I did have some study stays abroad in the past, 1 month, 2 months... And there were some attempts, culminating in the signature of an employment contract from which I withdrawed on the same day.

I finally did take the step four months ago and migrated because I have landed my dream job. Couldn't be happier with my choice.

Would you mind sharing a bit more lingohot? I see your native language is German and you are from Germany, but where did you go to land your dream job? Btw, congratulations, it sounds like you're very happy with the move.

Thank you. Yes I'm very happy. I'm now living in another EU country. I work here in a public agency as a translator.

[Jinx]

Yes. I am still in the process of making it official.

Born and grew up in the US. I started learning German at age 20, visited Germany for the first time that same year and immediately loved it. I felt at home there from the first day. Cut to ten years later, after jumping back and forth between the US and Germany a few more times, spending longer on the European side of the pond every time – and I was officially requesting my boss to transfer me to the Berlin office of our company, which he did.

That was five years ago and I haven't looked back. Germany still feels like home. I have plenty of complaints about the place, sure, but that's just a sign that I'm "becoming German" I'm currently in the process of receiving my permanent residency and will probably apply for citizenship as soon as it's possible.

I see every country/society as a sort of "social ecosystem" and believe it's very important not to throw the ecosystem out of balance. How does this happen in nature? By importing invasive species, for example. My goal is to avoid ever being an "invasive species", wherever I may live. I believe it's vital to learn the language of the place, learn and respect its society and ways of life, and not just taketaketake but also GIVE BACK to your new home. I try to be a good community member, I don't throw the local rent market out of whack by overpaying for a fancy apartment, I support local businesses, I got a library card, I go to demonstrations, and I try to get to know the people who live here – not just stay in the white expat bubble but meet both local natives and other immigrants from around the world. This is my personal "immigrant philosophy". It might not work for everybody, but it's been working pretty well for me.

[Slowpoke]

Yeah, I currently live in France and have since October 2021. I'm an English teacher, and while there are plenty of problems here, I feel so much more comfortable here than I would now in my home country of Canada. I can't wait to become a citizen and teach in the public school system here.

[diaconia]

Was planning to move to Germany in a few years (where it would actually be relatively easy to get citizenship), but I am not so sure anymore.

Hi Gaoling, I can't really tell your nationality, and you say you're not sure, but I'd really like to clarify a point if I may:
I'm not sure what treaty Germany has with Britain since Brexit, so I don't know how easy it is for Brits to become German citizens. For EU citizens it's probably not too bureaucratic, BUT for any US citizen contemplating a change to German citizenship it's really tough.

You can be a German citizen if one or both of your parents are German (the ol' Blutrecht, but I don't think they like to call it that anymore! The updated law is here: https://www.bundesregierung.de/breg-de/suche/das-staatsangehoerigkeitsrecht-456726

For people like me, who don't have German parents, it would be almost impossible to acquire German citizenship. I would have to give up my US citizenship first, before applying for German citizenship. That would take a year or more, I'd wager. The US does NOT make it easy to just renounce citizenship. It takes time, and it's very expensive. During the processing time I would be stateless. Who knows if I would have the same consular services guaranteed to me as a US citizen. Otherwise, I would be happy to give up the blue book! If anyone has seen that the law has changed, please show me! But as far as I know the bilateral agreement bet. US-DE still stands.

If I had one reason to choose from it would be the reporting. I haven't lived in the US for over 20 years and I still have to report to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FICEN) all of the bank accounts of my entire family. They treat all US expats as tax dodgers. I have to report the income I make in Germany -- to the US. I have a tax advisor for Germany and a US CPA even though I make a nurse's income and I don't own a house. It's nuts. Am I the only expat that finds the US laws annoying?

For all intents and purposes I'm German. My kids are German (double citizenship because their father is German-American). I know life in Germany better than in the US. I just don't have a German ID. I use my Aufenthaltsgenehmigung which is permanent. And I can't vote here. I miss that!

[Jinx]

Was planning to move to Germany in a few years (where it would actually be relatively easy to get citizenship), but I am not so sure anymore.

Hi Gaoling, I can't really tell your nationality, and you say you're not sure, but I'd really like to clarify a point if I may:
I'm not sure what treaty Germany has with Britain since Brexit, so I don't know how easy it is for Brits to become German citizens. For EU citizens it's probably not too bureaucratic, BUT for any US citizen contemplating a change to German citizenship it's really tough.

You can be a German citizen if one or both of your parents are German (the ol' Blutrecht, but I don't think they like to call it that anymore! The updated law is here: https://www.bundesregierung.de/breg-de/suche/das-staatsangehoerigkeitsrecht-456726

For people like me, who don't have German parents, it would be almost impossible to acquire German citizenship. I would have to give up my US citizenship first, before applying for German citizenship. That would take a year or more, I'd wager. The US does NOT make it easy to just renounce citizenship. It takes time, and it's very expensive. During the processing time I would be stateless. Who knows if I would have the same consular services guaranteed to me as a US citizen. Otherwise, I would be happy to give up the blue book! If anyone has seen that the law has changed, please show me! But as far as I know the bilateral agreement bet. US-DE still stands.

I believe it's about to become a lot easier for US nationals to acquire dual citizenship as Germans. To my knowledge, it wasn't the US blocking dual nationality for its citizens up until now, but Germany. However, as you may have heard, Germany is about to change the law in question and relax the requirements quite a lot – reducing the amount of time you will have needed to live here from eight to five years, and also permitting dual citizenship with countries outside the EU.

More info on the new law can be found here:
https://www.bmi.bund.de/SharedDocs/pres ... recht.html

Regarding restrictions on the part of the US, the following government website says "U.S. law does not mention dual nationality or require a person to choose one nationality or another. A U.S. citizen may naturalize in a foreign state without any risk to his or her U.S. citizenship. However, persons who acquire a foreign nationality after age 18 by applying for it may relinquish their U.S. nationality if they wish to do so."
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel ... ality.html

If I had one reason to choose from it would be the reporting. I haven't lived in the US for over 20 years and I still have to report to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FICEN) all of the bank accounts of my entire family. They treat all US expats as tax dodgers. I have to report the income I make in Germany -- to the US. I have a tax advisor for Germany and a US CPA even though I make a nurse's income and I don't own a house. It's nuts. Am I the only expat that finds the US laws annoying?

I agree. This is absolutely the most annoying aspect of the whole thing – and for me too, one of the primary reasons I would consider giving up US citizenship (although realistically I probably won't).

[rdearman]

However, persons who acquire a foreign nationality after age 18 by applying for it may relinquish their U.S. nationality if they wish to do so."

But it will cost you $3000-$4000 for the privilege.

[diaconia]

However, persons who acquire a foreign nationality after age 18 by applying for it may relinquish their U.S. nationality if they wish to do so."

But it will cost you $3000-$4000 for the privilege.

Yep. It gets worse every year that goes by! I would risk being stateless for a year on one condition. I have a dear family member that needs me to travel. When that condition no longer exists I could handle being stateless. Because I wouldn't be able to travel until the German gov with its team of glorified public officials half of whom would be on holiday decides to grant me citizenship

EDIT: Everything that Jinx says is spot on. Only, as far as I know, Germany requires that I not be a citizen of the US before I can even apply. That's the killer, right there.

[MaggieMae]

If I had one reason to choose from it would be the reporting. I haven't lived in the US for over 20 years and I still have to report to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FICEN) all of the bank accounts of my entire family. They treat all US expats as tax dodgers. I have to report the income I make in Germany -- to the US. I have a tax advisor for Germany and a US CPA even though I make a nurse's income and I don't own a house. It's nuts. Am I the only expat that finds the US laws annoying?

I agree. This is absolutely the most annoying aspect of the whole thing – and for me too, one of the primary reasons I would consider giving up US citizenship (although realistically I probably won't).

This is exactly why I'm planning to get my Swiss citizenship and drop my US citizenship as soon as possible. And anytime I mention to my Swiss family and colleagues that I have to report on my non-existent wealth, they get big eyes and are lost for words.

[Le Baron]

EDIT: Everything that Jinx says is spot on. Only, as far as I know, Germany requires that I not be a citizen of the US before I can even apply. That's the killer, right there.

Only recently here in NL did they start making a big deal about relinquishing UK citizenship before adopting Dutch citizenship. Yet I know quite a few with dual nationality. The UK government itself puts no obstacle in the way. I almost signed the paper going through with this, then changed my mind at the last moment, then Covid hit.

There are disadvantages to not being a citizen here, but being a second-class naturalised citizen (as many end up) and relinquishing your birth citizenship is not easy from just a psychological point-of-view. However I'm not stuck with that absurd dual taxation thing. A long time ago I would have been able to get a Belgian passport even though I am a British citizen, but it never happened. I wish it had because it would have solved my original Brexit problem immediately.

[lingohot]

There are disadvantages to not being a citizen here, but being a second-class naturalised citizen (as many end up) and relinquishing your birth citizenship is not easy from just a psychological point-of-view.

I migrated myself only a few months ago, but I already can relate to that. Giving up your birth citizenship is like a door is closing. A strange feeling. I can imagine having double citizenship one day, but I wouldn't like to give up my birth citizenship.