German bureaucracy, translated.

Deregistering your address when you leave Germany permanently. Not needed when moving within Germany (that's an Ummeldung). Do it — an open registration keeps obligations like the broadcast fee alive.

The official database where German authorities look up foreign universities and degrees. Institution rated H+ and your degree type listed as equivalent = usually recognised. Not listed or unclear = you need a Zeugnisbewertung from the ZAB. Nobody can pay to be "added" — anyone selling that is a fraud.

The formal process of getting a foreign qualification recognised to practise a regulated profession (doctor, nurse, teacher, some engineers). Distinct from the general Zeugnisbewertung — run it through "Anerkennung in Deutschland" and the responsible authority.

The paper you receive after your Anmeldung. Banks, employers and the Ausländerbehörde all ask for it. Keep the original safe and carry copies.

Registering your home address at the city's registration office. The keystone of German bureaucracy — your tax ID, residence permit and bank account all depend on it. Required within two weeks of moving in.

A permit to park in your neighbourhood''s resident-only zones (about €20–200/year depending on the city). It requires your Anmeldung at that address. Parking in resident bays without one risks a ticket or a tow.

An international certification making your home-country documents (birth/marriage certificates, degrees) legally valid abroad. Get them BEFORE moving — only your home country issues them.

A pre-check of academic documents required for visa applications from certain countries (India, China, Vietnam). Takes weeks — start before anything else.

Your job contract. Check: gross salary, weekly hours, Probezeit length, notice period, holiday days, and whether it is befristet (fixed-term) or unbefristet (permanent). An unbefristet contract markedly strengthens residence-permit and later Niederlassungserlaubnis applications.

The written reference you are legally entitled to when leaving a job. It must be truthful yet benevolent — which bred a coded grading language ("stets zu unserer vollsten Zufriedenheit" = top marks). Ask for a qualifiziertes (detailed) one and have the wording decoded; future German employers read it closely.

The umbrella term for German residence permissions — your student or work permit is one. Issued as a credit-card-sized eAT card with a chip.

A mutual agreement to end employment, often offered instead of a Kündigung. Tempting, but signing can trigger a Sperrzeit (benefit block) at the Arbeitsagentur and waives dismissal protections. Never sign on the spot — get advice first.

The city authority handling residence permits, extensions and work permissions. Every city runs it differently — walk-ins, portals or email-first. Also called Ausländeramt or Amt für Migration in some cities.

Germany''s state study funding — but for internationals it is tightly restricted (long prior residence, specific permits, or certain family situations). Most incoming international students do not qualify, so check before relying on it. Half grant, half interest-free loan.

An officially certified copy of a document, stamped by a notary, authority or (for foreign documents) often your embassy. German offices frequently insist on certified rather than plain copies.

The authority (formerly "GEZ") collecting the Rundfunkbeitrag. Sends you a letter shortly after your Anmeldung. Always respond — silence escalates to enforceable payment orders.

A paid (€411) accelerated procedure your employer initiates at the Ausländerbehörde that compresses recognition and visa steps into legally binding deadlines — often cutting months to weeks. Worth asking any German employer about before doing the process alone.

The elected employee body in larger firms, with real co-determination rights over hours, dismissals and conditions. Free, on your side, and worth approaching with any workplace problem.

A residence permit for university-educated workers above a salary threshold. Faster path to permanent residence and easier family reunification than the standard work permit.

Brutto is the salary in your contract; Netto is what reaches your account after income tax, health, pension, unemployment and care insurance — typically 30–40% less for employees. Always negotiate in brutto but budget in netto; online Brutto-Netto-Rechner do the maths.

Your city's front desk for registration and many services. Also called Bürgerbüro, Einwohneramt or KVR (in Munich). This is where your Anmeldung happens.

A third party's binding promise to cover your obligations — most relevant for rentals when you lack a SCHUFA history: a guarantor (or a paid rent-guarantee service) reassures the landlord. Sign one for someone else only if you truly accept paying their debt.

An administrative fine decision (traffic, late registration, fare-dodging escalations...) stating the amount and your 2-week objection window (Einspruch). Pay or object in time — ignored, it becomes enforceable and grows. The Anhörungsbogen that sometimes precedes it is the hearing form, not yet the fine.

A points-based residence permit for qualified people to come to Germany and search for work without a job offer — points for qualifications, German/English skills, age and Germany connections. You must show you can fund the stay. The official job-search route since 2024; details on Make it in Germany.

A repeating transfer you set once — classically your monthly rent. Different from a Lastschrift: you control it and the recipient cannot change the amount. Schedule it a few days before the due date so rent is never late.

The €63/month (2026) subscription covering ALL local and regional public transport in Germany. Students often get a discounted version. Monthly cancellable — but mind the cutoff date (usually the 10th).

An overdraft your bank may grant on your Girokonto. Convenient but expensive — often 10%+ interest. Fine as a short buffer; never treat it as income.

Elektronischer Aufenthaltstitel — the chip card version of your residence permit. Takes 4–8 weeks to produce after approval; you collect it at the office.

The chip card your Krankenkasse mails after enrolment — you present it at every doctor visit and standard care is billed directly, nothing upfront. Until it arrives, a membership confirmation from the Krankenkasse bridges appointments.

Becoming a German citizen. Since 2024 the path is shorter — generally 5 years of legal residence (3 with strong integration), B1 German, self-support and a citizenship test — and Germany now broadly allows dual citizenship. A long-horizon goal whose rules recently moved in your favour.

Germany's built-in appeal against official decisions — Einspruch against a Steuerbescheid (1 month), Widerspruch against many other Bescheide and against a Mahnbescheid (2 weeks). Free and informal: a written statement of what's wrong, sent before the deadline printed on the decision. The deadline is everything.

The state's free online tax filing system. Powerful, free, German-only and famously unfriendly — most newcomers happily pay €35 for a tax app instead.

Elternzeit is job-protected leave after a birth; Elterngeld is the state income replacement (about 65% of net, capped) during it. Many foreign residents on the right permit qualify — check eligibility early, as claims are time-limited.

The €60 charge for riding without a valid ticket. If you own a valid personal ticket but didn't carry it, showing it within the notice's deadline usually reduces the fee to ~€7. Repeated offences can be prosecuted criminally — never worth it against a €63 monthly ticket.

Leaving the university — voluntarily or automatically (missed re-registration payment!). Ends your student status and affects your residence permit, so never let it happen by accident.

A specialist — dermatologist, orthopaedist, and so on. You often need an Überweisung (referral) from your Hausarzt, and slots can be weeks out. Book early, and use the 116117 service or a Terminservicestelle to get an appointment faster.

The visa process for your spouse and minor children to join you — requiring a sufficiently valid permit, net income covering the family, roughly 12m² of housing per person, insurance, and usually A1 German for the spouse (Blue Card families exempt). Certificates need apostilles and certified translations from the issuing country.

On public holidays almost everything closes — shops, offices, many services — and holidays vary by Bundesland (Bavaria has the most). Sundays work the same way (Sonntagsruhe). Shop ahead; a Feiertag can strand you.

The escalation stage of the broadcast fee: after ignored letters, the Beitragsservice formally fixes the debt plus late fees, making it enforceable like a tax debt. Reply to the first letters instead — even just to point at your WG's existing Beitragsnummer.

A certificate proving your stay remains legal while your permit application or extension is being processed — vital when your old permit expires before the new one arrives. Ask for it explicitly if you need to travel or prove status.

Your local tax authority — issues the Steuernummer, processes tax returns, sends the Steuerbescheid. Communicates by post or via ELSTER, never by payment-link email. Not to be confused with the Bundeszentralamt für Steuern, which issues your lifelong Steuer-ID.

Selbständig is any self-employment; Freiberufler is the privileged "liberal professions" subset (IT, design, teaching, medicine, law) that avoids trade tax and Gewerbeanmeldung. For a foreigner, self-employment must be explicitly permitted on your Aufenthaltstitel.

Converting a foreign driving licence to a German one. EU/EEA licences stay valid; others are valid for 6 months after your Anmeldung, then must be converted — sometimes with a theory and/or practical test depending on your country''s agreement with Germany. Start before the 6 months run out.

German criminal record extract, ordered online or at the Bürgeramt (~€13). Some employers (childcare, security, healthcare) require it.

The monthly statement of your gross pay and every deduction, also called Lohnabrechnung. Check the first one carefully: Steuerklasse VI means HR lacks your Steuer-ID and you're massively over-withheld. Keep payslips permanently — the Ausländerbehörde asks for recent ones at almost every permit step.

Registering a commercial business at the Gewerbeamt (about €20–60). Required to run a trade — but freelancers (Freiberufler) such as developers, writers and consultants register with the Finanzamt instead and skip this. Your permit must allow self-employment first.

Germany''s domestic debit card, still called "EC-Karte" out of habit. Widely accepted — but many bakeries, Spätis and small shops are cash-only or Girocard-only and reject Visa/Mastercard. Always carry some cash.

Your everyday German bank account — salary in, rent and direct debits out. Almost everything (employer, Krankenkasse, Ausländerbehörde fees) assumes you have one. Free online banks (N26, DKB, ING, Comdirect) accept newcomers before you have a SCHUFA history; some traditional banks want your Anmeldebestätigung first.

Gesetzliche (statutory) vs. private Krankenversicherung. Rule of thumb for newcomers: statutory. Private is cheap when young but very hard to leave, and problematic for students and at retirement.

Covers damage you accidentally cause to others — unlimited personal liability is the German default, so this €5/month policy is the one insurance everyone actually has.

Your family doctor and first stop for any non-emergency. Find one accepting new patients early; they refer you to specialists (Überweisung) and know your history.

The rules attached to your lease: quiet hours, bin days, stairwell-cleaning turns, laundry-room use, whether the front door locks at night. It is part of your contract — worth actually reading.

Insures your own belongings against theft, fire and water damage. Optional; sensible once you own things worth protecting.

Proof that your prior education qualifies you for German university. Whether your diploma counts as "direct", needs a Studienkolleg, or needs completed home-country semesters is the first thing to resolve — anabin and uni-assist assess it.

Germany runs on the IBAN — a 22-character number starting DE — for every transfer and direct debit. You will hand it to your employer, landlord and Krankenkasse constantly. The BIC (bank code) is rarely needed for domestic SEPA payments.

Officially becoming a student — happens after admission, within a fixed window, usually requiring health insurance confirmation and the semester fee. Produces the Immatrikulationsbescheinigung everyone asks for.

Proof you are an enrolled student. The Ausländerbehörde, employers, and scholarship providers all want it. Download several copies each semester.

A collection agency pursuing a claim a creditor handed over — with its own (often inflated) fees on top. Verify the underlying claim is real and yours, pay the legitimate core promptly, dispute unreasonable surcharges in writing. Fake-Inkasso letters exist too; a real one names the original creditor and contract.

The state-subsidised German course (600 lessons to B1, plus a civics module). Depending on your permit you may be entitled to the reduced rate — or required to attend. Ends with a recognised exam; ask BAMF or your local VHS whether you qualify before paying market prices elsewhere.

Kaltmiete = base rent. Warmmiete = rent including Nebenkosten (heating, water, building costs). Ads mix them freely — always ask which one is quoted, and expect electricity and internet on top.

Up to 3 months' cold rent, held in a separate account. Returned after move-out — partially withholdable until the final utility reconciliation, but the bulk should come promptly.

A monthly per-child payment (€259 in 2026) that many foreign residents on a qualifying permit can claim from the Familienkasse. Not income-tested — claim it if you have children living with you.

8–9% of your income tax, charged to registered members of certain churches. If you named a religion at your Anmeldung you may be billed it automatically — you stop it only by formally leaving the church (Kirchenaustritt) at the Standesamt or Amtsgericht for a small fee.

An option for small freelancers and businesses below the annual turnover limit to not charge or file VAT. Simpler paperwork, but you also cannot reclaim input VAT. You choose it when registering with the Finanzamt.

A statutory health insurer (TK, AOK, Barmer, DAK…). Premiums and coverage are nearly identical between them; all are fine. You must be insured — no exceptions.

When ill you tell your employer immediately and, per your contract (often from day 1–3), get an Arbeitsunfähigkeitsbescheinigung (AU) from a doctor — now sent digitally (eAU) from the practice to your Krankenkasse. You keep full pay for up to 6 weeks per illness (Entgeltfortzahlung).

Kündigung is the written termination of any contract; the Kündigungsfrist is the notice period — typically 3 months for flats, 2 weeks in job probation, and monthly for phone/internet after the initial term. German contracts end by letter, not by stopping payment; put every notice in writing and keep proof.

Kreisverwaltungsreferat — Munich's mega-authority housing the Bürgerbüros AND the Ausländerbehörde. When Munich guides say "go to the KVR", they mean Ruppertstraße 19.

The year-end summary from your employer of your wages and withheld taxes — the key input for your tax return. Arrives with a winter payslip or digitally; if you change jobs, each employer issues one. File it, don't bin it.

A formal payment order issued by a court (Amtsgericht) at a creditor's request — arrives in a distinctive yellow envelope and is always real and always urgent. You have 2 weeks to object (Widerspruch) with the enclosed form or the debt becomes enforceable. Never ignore it.

A formal dunning letter for an unpaid invoice, escalating in stages with added fees toward Inkasso or a court order. Also a common fraud template — verify you actually have a contract with the sender before paying, then act within the deadline. See the Letter Helper for the full playbook.

A property agent and their fee. For rentals the Bestellerprinzip applies — whoever hired the agent pays — so tenants usually owe no commission. If someone demands a finder''s fee just to rent you a flat, be suspicious. (Buying property is different: there commission is normal.)

An official proof of where you are registered, ordered at the Bürgeramt (the erweiterte version lists more detail). Different from the one-off Anmeldebestätigung you received at registration — some processes (marriage, certain visas) want a fresh copy.

Local associations (~€60–90/year membership) whose lawyers check rental contracts, utility reconciliations and deposit disputes for members — usually including legal representation against the landlord. For most newcomers, the first deposit or Nebenkosten dispute pays for years of membership.

The city''s official table of typical rents by area, size and building age. It is your evidence base if you suspect you are overcharged, and it underpins the Mietpreisbremse (rent brake) in tight markets.

Your lease. Check: cold or warm rent, deposit amount, notice period (usually 3 months), and whether the landlord will issue your Wohnungsgeberbestätigung.

Germany's ongoing statistical survey of 1% of households. If your address is selected, answering most questions is legally required — but data is protected by statistical secrecy and never shared with immigration authorities. Real letters come from your Statistisches Landesamt and never ask for money or bank details.

Employment up to €603/month (2026) — tax-free for you, minimal paperwork. Popular for students; doesn't count against much, but also builds almost no pension.

An unfurnished German flat can mean no kitchen and no light fixtures — bare walls and cable ends. Möbliert costs more but saves the outfitting. Always confirm whether an Einbauküche (fitted kitchen) is included.

Germany separates rubbish rigorously: Restmüll (grey), Papier (blue), Bio (brown), the Gelber Sack/Tonne for packaging, glass by colour at street banks, and Pfand bottles back to the shop. Getting it persistently wrong can bring fines from the building.

Someone who takes over your flat when you leave before the notice period ends. Finding an acceptable Nachmieter can release you early — many departing tenants advertise their flat exactly this way.

Deutsche Post's paid forwarding of mail from your old address (~€30 for 6–12 months). Given how much of German life arrives as deadline-carrying letters, it's the cheapest insurance you can buy when moving.

The long-stay visa (type D) issued by a German embassy for stays over 90 days — study, work, family reunion. Valid 3–6 months after arrival, within which you must convert it into a residence permit at your Ausländerbehörde. Not to be confused with the short-stay Schengen (C) visa, which cannot be converted.

The recurring building costs on top of cold rent. Once a year the landlord reconciles actual usage (Nebenkostenabrechnung) — you may owe or be refunded money.

The yearly settling of your flat's operating costs against your monthly prepayments — ends in a refund or a back-payment demand. Must reach you within 12 months of the billing period's end, errors are common, and you may inspect the receipts. Worth reading before paying; see the Letter Helper entry.

The unlimited settlement permit — typically available after some years of residence, contributions and B1 German. The long-term goal after your temporary permits.

112 is the emergency number for ambulance and fire. For urgent-but-not-life-threatening problems outside practice hours, call the on-call medical service 116117 rather than heading to the hospital Notaufnahme — usually faster for you and lighter on the system.

An admission cut-off for over-subscribed subjects (medicine, psychology, law): only applicants above a grade threshold get in, and your foreign grade is converted first. "Zulassungsfrei" subjects have no NC — every qualified applicant is admitted.

A refundable deposit (about €0.08–0.25) added to most bottles and cans. Feed them into the supermarket Pfandautomat for a voucher against your shopping. A newcomer classic: those empties are money, not rubbish.

The social-insurance pillar covering old-age and disability care, paired with your health insurance. People without children pay a small surcharge. It is automatic — this just explains the line on your payslip.

The trial phase at a job's start — up to 6 months, during which either side can terminate with 2 weeks' notice. Normal in virtually every German contract. Practical consequence: keep big fixed commitments (long leases, financed cars) flexible until it's over.

The official length of your degree (for example six semesters for a Bachelor). It matters for internationals: student residence permits, some fees and work-hour assumptions all key off staying roughly within it.

Germans carry a Personalausweis (ID card); as a foreigner your Reisepass plus your Aufenthaltstitel is your identity set. Keep your passport valid well beyond your permit — offices rarely issue a permit that outlasts your passport.

The state pension pillar, run by the Deutsche Rentenversicherung (which also issues your Sozialversicherungsnummer). It matters even if you will leave: after departing the EU you may reclaim your own contributions, and years can count toward certain permits.

A doctor''s prescription. Statutory-insured patients increasingly get an e-Rezept pulled straight from their eGK at the Apotheke (pharmacy). The standard co-payment is about €5–10 per item.

The per-semester act of staying enrolled: paying the semester fee within the announced window. Miss it and de-enrolment (Exmatrikulation) follows — which cascades into a student residence permit. Calendar the deadline the day you enrol; universities remind, but don't chase.

Legally and house-rule protected quiet times — typically 10pm–6/7am every night and all day Sunday, often a midday slot too. No loud music, drilling or vacuuming. Taken seriously; neighbours will knock.

€18.36/month per household funding public broadcasting. Not optional, not a scam. One payment covers the whole flat — in a WG, check whether a flatmate already pays before registering.

Germany's main credit agency. Landlords ask for a SCHUFA report before renting. As a newcomer you have no score — bring salary proof or a guarantor instead, and your score builds itself over months of paid bills.

Working cash-in-hand without registration, contract or social insurance. For internationals the risk is asymmetric: the employer saves money, you risk your residence permit, unpaid wages you can't claim, and zero accident coverage. Any employer proposing it has already told you who they are.

The fee (~€85–400) every student pays each semester — NOT tuition; it funds administration, Studierendenwerk and often your semester transport ticket.

The authorisation you give a company (gym, insurer, Beitragsservice) to pull money from your account automatically. You can reverse an authorised debit for 8 weeks through your bank, no reason needed — and far longer for one you never authorised. A strong consumer protection.

A 5.5% surcharge on income tax, now abolished for the large majority — only high incomes still pay it. If you are a normal earner and see "Soli" on a payslip, it should read €0.

The mandatory pillars deducted from every payslip: health, long-term care, pension, unemployment (and employer-paid accident) insurance. Roughly 20% of gross comes off your side and the employer matches much of it. This is most of your Brutto/Netto gap.

Your lifelong number in the German social insurance system, issued by the pension insurance when you first work. Employers ask for it; your Krankenkasse can tell you the number.

The certificate your blocked-account provider issues once your deposit (€11,904 for 2026) has arrived — the actual proof of financing that goes into your visa application. No confirmation, no complete application, whatever your bank balance says.

A special account proving you can fund your studies — you deposit about a year of living costs (≈€11,900, figure changes yearly) and can only withdraw a fixed monthly amount after arrival.

Two legal ways rent rises automatically. Staffelmiete sets fixed increases on fixed dates written into the contract; Indexmiete tracks the official cost-of-living index. Know which one you signed — it tells you your future rent.

The office for births, marriages, deaths and Kirchenaustritt. If you marry in Germany this is where it happens — and where a foreigner''s paperwork (often an Ehefähigkeitszeugnis) is checked, so start months ahead.

Your 11-digit lifelong tax identification number, mailed automatically ~2 weeks after your first Anmeldung. Employers need it; without it you pay emergency-rate tax.

The Finanzamt's legally binding answer to your tax return: refund (Erstattung) or back-payment (Nachzahlung), with explanations for anything they changed. You have exactly one month to object (Einspruch) — after that, even obvious errors stand. Keep every Bescheid permanently as income proof.

Annual income tax declaration. Voluntary for most employees — and usually a refund averaging €1,000+. You can file voluntarily up to 4 years back.

One of six wage-tax categories. Singles get class I automatically; married couples can optimise with III/V or IV/IV. Affects monthly withholding, not your final annual tax.

A DIFFERENT number from the Steuer-ID — issued by your local Finanzamt when you file returns or freelance. The eternal confusion: Steuer-ID = lifelong personal ID; Steuernummer = Finanzamt case number.

A one-year preparatory college for international students whose school diploma is not directly accepted for German university. It ends in the Feststellungsprüfung. Whether you need it depends on your country and prior study — anabin and your university decide.

The organisation running student dorms, cafeterias (Mensa) and support services. Their dorms are the cheapest housing — apply the moment you're admitted.

The sacred German appointment. Nothing official happens without one (except where walk-ins survive). Booked online, scarce in big cities, released in morning batches. Never be late.

The two standard German-language exams accepted for university admission (alongside Goethe C2 and telc C1 Hochschule). TestDaF runs worldwide on fixed dates; DSH is held by German universities themselves. Only recognised exams count — attendance certificates from language schools don't.

Registering your NEW address after moving within Germany. Same process and documents as the original Anmeldung, at your new city's office, within two weeks.

Germany''s value-added tax: 19% standard, 7% reduced (most food, books, public transport). As a consumer it is baked into the price. As a freelancer you add it to invoices and forward it to the Finanzamt — unless you use the Kleinunternehmerregelung.

The coloured windscreen sticker that lets a car enter a city Umweltzone (low-emission zone). Driving in without the required (usually green) badge risks a fine. Relevant only if you buy or import a car.

The service handling international applications for most German universities. Checks your documents and forwards qualifying applications. Has its own fees and deadlines.

Your paid-leave entitlement. The legal minimum is 20 days on a five-day week; most employers give 25–30. Untaken days may lapse at year-end or carry over only briefly — check your contract.

An officially approved break from studies (illness, internship, family) where you stay enrolled but the term does not count against your Regelstudienzeit. It can change your work rights and permit conditions — clear it with the Ausländerbehörde, not just the university.

A court-certified translator whose stamped work German authorities accept. Foreign birth/marriage certificates and degrees usually need a beglaubigte Übersetzung into German. Find one via the official justiz-dolmetscher database.

A legally binding declaration by someone in Germany (with documented sufficient income) to cover your living costs — the official alternative to a blocked account. Signed at the sponsor's local Ausländerbehörde for a fee; the sponsor is genuinely on the hook, which is why casual acquaintances say no.

Every city's public evening-course institution — the affordable default for German courses (€100–250 per level) and much else. Quality is solid, certificates are respected, and it's where many Integrationskurse physically happen.

A signed authorisation letting someone act for you — pick up documents, attend an office visit. Often just a simple signed letter plus both ID copies. Extremely useful when you can't attend in person.

Job-related costs — commute, equipment, a home office, moving to Germany for work, even German courses — that you deduct in your Steuererklärung. Above the automatic lump sum they cut your taxable income, a big reason newcomers get large refunds.

A student employee working ≤20h/week during lectures in a proper company role. Reduced social contributions, real CV value, and typically €14–20/h. The best student job format.

Wohngemeinschaft — the standard way young people live. You rent a room, share kitchen and bath. Found via WG-Gesucht; expect informal "casting" chats with future flatmates.

A certificate letting lower-income residents rent subsidised "sozialer Wohnungsbau" flats. Income-capped and issued by the city. Listings marked "WBS erforderlich" cannot be rented without one.

A means-tested state subsidy toward rent for low-income residents, applied for at the city. Eligibility for foreigners depends on your permit — and note that drawing it can affect some residence statuses, so check before claiming.

A signed confirmation from your landlord that you live in the flat — legally required for the Anmeldung. A rental contract is NOT a substitute. Confirm your landlord will provide it before you sign anything.

An official certificate from the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) stating what your foreign degree is comparable to in Germany. Costs €208, takes up to ~3 months, applied for online. The standard fix when Anabin doesn't settle the question — start it early; it's the classic hidden delay in work-visa timelines.

The university's official admission decision — the anchor document of the student route: your visa, blocked account and enrolment all build on it. A conditional admission (Zulassung unter Vorbehalt) lists conditions you must still meet; read them before celebrating.

The small fixed amounts statutory patients pay themselves — roughly €5–10 per prescription, €10 per hospital day — capped per year. It is not the same as being uninsured; the bulk of care is still covered.

Renting a furnished room or flat for a fixed short period while the main tenant is away. A common soft landing — but you often cannot do your Anmeldung on a Zwischenmiete unless the landlord signs a Wohnungsgeberbestätigung, so confirm that before you commit.

The move-in/move-out checklist recording every existing scratch and each meter reading, signed by both sides. Photograph everything and insist on this document — it is your main defence against losing your Kaution over damage that was already there.

A payment you push yourself — rent, deposits, paying a friend. Always fill the Verwendungszweck (reference) exactly as asked (tenant number, invoice ID) so it is matched correctly. SEPA transfers within Germany and the EU are free and increasingly instant.

Same word as a bank transfer, a different world: the slip your Hausarzt gives you to see a Facharzt. Bring it to the specialist within the calendar quarter it was issued.