As with many other countries, you will need a well-presented CV and a good idea of where to search for work that aligns with your qualifications, skills, and interests.

RAMPA can guide you towards finding a job by offering tips on: how and where to look for vacancies, as well as how to complete the necessary paperwork for beginning your professional life in Germany. We can also translate your CV into German for you.

Germany offers a range of visas, including: employment visas, freelancer visas, job seeker visas, and medical treatment visas. It’s important that you know which one is the right fit for you and your circumstances. We can help you with that!

Whether you want to come to Germany to study, work, live with your family, or even take a sabbatical year, RAMPA can give you all the information you need about the types of residence permit that might be open to you, plus guide you through the application process.

There’s no way round it: if you’re planning to live in Germany long-term, then speaking German is essential.

When you’re ready to get to grips with the language, RAMPA can show you how to find the language school that fits your budget (and fulfils your student visa requirements, if you’re on one). We can give you an overview of private and public German language schools in Berlin. And the short answer is: the best German language school is the one you can afford and where you feel welcome!

Lack of housing is currently a huge problem in Berlin, so we really do sympathise with your struggle.

RAMPA can review your documents, your budget, and the kind of room or property you are looking for, then direct you towards the best solution. We can prepare you an efficient and assertive cover letter that conveys the confidence real estate agents are looking for in order to chose you as their next tenant.

We hear you! There is currently a serious shortage of appointments available in Berlin at the moment: these offices are underresourced and getting anything from them can be difficult and time-consuming.

The only way to get in touch with these offices is via their online contact or appointment-booking forms. We can help you with that! RAMPA can make sure you are not alone in navigating this process. 

We do have to say, however, that we have zero control over the offices’ processing times. To give you an idea of realistic timeframes, it can take between two weeks and three months to get an appointment with the Berlin Immigration Office (Landesamt für Einwanderung; LEA). So, while we can’t speed up any of these processes, we can help you to get through them successfully.

We all go through financially difficult times and we’re glad you’re reaching out for help.

RAMPA can inform you about your eligibility for social benefits until you are able to find new work and stabilise yourself again, with or without government assistance.

If you’re eligible for social benefits, then we can help you through the whole process: applying, filling in forms, and communicating with the job centre (Arbeitsagentur) to speed up the payment of your benefits. We’re social benefits specialists! 

Firstly, a partner! Once you’ve got that part sorted, you’ll also need the following: a certificate proving that you are unmarried or divorced (Ehefähigkeitszeugnis), and your birth certificate (Geburtskunde) plus a sworn or certified translation of it (issued less than six months prior). You can then make an appointment at your local civil registration office (Standesamt) to hand over your documents and set the date for your big day.

RAMPA can help you at any stage of this oh-so-romantic bureaucratic process: from obtaining the certificate/s you need, to providing translation or interpretation services. We’ll take care of the bureaucracy behind the scenes. 

At present, the minimum net monthly income (i.e. after taxes) that a person needs in order to live in Berlin is €1,076, according to Netzwerk Grundeinkommen.

In reality, of course, the amount of money you need depends on your rent and health insurance costs. As a general rule of thumb, you can expect your cost of living to be three times your rent, meaning that if your rent is €500, you should expect your monthly costs to total around €1,500, and so on. Rent prices in Berlin currently average at around €450 – €750 for a single room; €700 – €1,100 for a flat with 1 bedroom; and €1,200 – €2,000 for a flat with 2+ bedrooms.

RAMPA can guide you through the process of applying for rooms or flats, helping you to make the best possible impression on lead tenants or estate agents. 

The good news is that there are a few ways for you do this!

First of all, you can check if you are eligible for a work visa (this entails having a degree or professional education which is recognised in Germany) then start to look for a job in Germany from your home country. Otherwise, if a German company or organisation is interested in offering you a contract, a work visa may be viable in this way too. If you are self-employed (and have a solid CV and are established in your field of work) then an artist or freelancer visa may be a good option for you. 

We know all too well that student visas are expensive, and that it’s not easy to find a sponsor. However, it is possible to get a full scholarship and RAMPA can direct you towards scholarship programmes that finance students’ stays in Germany.

If you are between the ages of 18 and 27, there are other excellent programmes open to you: the au-pair visa and the voluntary social year (Freiwilliges Soziales Jahr; FSJ). Both allow you to work in exchange for housing and food, providing you with an immersion into German language and culture at the same time. Once you have spent a year as an au-pair or volunteer (and have B1-level German), you can begin to study or train (via an Ausbildung, for example). Then, your residence permit can be converted, depending on your level of qualification and the work you are able to do.

If you are over the age of 27, there are other programmes accessible to you and RAMPA can offer you guidance in finding and applying for them.

RAMPA is here to help find the right route into Germany for you, and to fully support you through the application process: from initially identifying and talking you through your options, to finally securing your visa or permit. We believe that if you have discipline, an open mind, adaptability, and a love of learning, then it is possible for you to come and live in Germany, whatever your financial resources.