https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Europe in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Plenty of foreigners in Germany are focusing on getting their citizenship applications ready now that the new law allowing dual citizenship is in force - but what papers should you get once you finally have it? https://www.thelocal.com/20240103/what-documents-should-i-get-after-obtaining-german-citizenship Wed, 03 Jan 2024 09:15:31 +0100 what-documents-should-i-get-after-obtaining-german-citizenship The Local Sweden's editorial team held a live Q&A with members about Sweden's proposed changes to permanent residency status. We've pulled out some of the key questions and our team's responses. https://www.thelocal.com/20260410/your-questions-answered-on-swedens-proposed-permanent-residency-changes Fri, 10 Apr 2026 14:03:33 +0200 your-questions-answered-on-swedens-proposed-permanent-residency-changes Flying with children can be stressful at the best of times, so here are The Local’s best tips for departing from Copenhagen airport with your kids in tow. https://www.thelocal.com/20230818/what-parents-need-to-know-about-travelling-through-copenhagen-airport-with-kids Fri, 18 Aug 2023 12:53:34 +0200 what-parents-need-to-know-about-travelling-through-copenhagen-airport-with-kids Emails and chat-apps have led to the blurring of lines between work time and personal time for many workers. If you work in Germany, you may be wondering what exactly your boss can ask of you. https://www.thelocal.com/20250818/qa-what-can-workers-in-germany-be-asked-to-do-during-vacation-time Mon, 18 Aug 2025 15:07:21 +0200 qa-what-can-workers-in-germany-be-asked-to-do-during-vacation-time Applications for Sweden's university autumn semester open on March 16th, and did you know that tuition-free degrees and shorter courses are available to a lot of foreign residents in the country, too? https://www.thelocal.com/20210415/who-can-study-for-free-in-sweden Thu, 15 Apr 2021 12:17:48 +0200 who-can-study-for-free-in-sweden The German dedication to 'Lüften' (ventilation) does not stop when the temperatures plummet. So how often should you do it in winter, and what are the techniques to know about? https://www.thelocal.com/20260120/reader-question-how-often-do-i-have-to-air-out-my-german-flat-in-winter Tue, 20 Jan 2026 12:12:31 +0100 reader-question-how-often-do-i-have-to-air-out-my-german-flat-in-winter Sweden is revoking the so-called track changes ('spårbyte') immigration path, which means that thousands of foreign workers may have to leave the country. The Local has looked into the nitty-gritty of who is affected and what their chances of staying are. https://www.thelocal.com/20250324/how-does-swedens-track-change-repeal-affect-work-permit-holders Mon, 24 Mar 2025 10:00:28 +0100 how-does-swedens-track-change-repeal-affect-work-permit-holders Some travellers won't have a problem renting a car in Germany with a driver's licence from their home country. But for visitors from some countries, and long-term residents it's a bit more complicated. Here are the rules to know. https://www.thelocal.com/20250930/can-i-rent-a-car-in-germany-with-my-foreign-drivers-licence Tue, 30 Sep 2025 16:37:11 +0200 can-i-rent-a-car-in-germany-with-my-foreign-drivers-licence Planning on driving to Spain for a vacation or own a holiday home here and want to bring your car with you from abroad? Find out how the low emission zones work here for foreign-registered vehicles and if you need an environmental label. https://www.thelocal.com/20251209/can-i-get-a-low-emissions-sticker-for-my-car-when-im-visiting-spain Tue, 09 Dec 2025 15:22:59 +0100 can-i-get-a-low-emissions-sticker-for-my-car-when-im-visiting-spain If you're a remote worker or split time between your home country and Germany, you may be wondering which tax office you should be paying. https://www.thelocal.com/20241101/how-does-germany-decide-if-im-a-tax-resident-in-the-country Fri, 01 Nov 2024 11:19:03 +0100 how-does-germany-decide-if-im-a-tax-resident-in-the-country Wondering why Germany's carnival festivities kick off on November 11th at such a specific time? We unpack the significance of the date and numbers. https://www.thelocal.com/20251111/why-does-germanys-carnival-season-start-on-november-11th-at-1111am Tue, 11 Nov 2025 11:50:15 +0100 why-does-germanys-carnival-season-start-on-november-11th-at-1111am If you’re planning to apply for citizenship, you may be wondering if the German passport is something that could ever be revoked after you get it. Here are the few conditions which could lead to someone losing their citizenship. https://www.thelocal.com/20240416/when-can-your-german-citizenship-be-revoked Tue, 16 Apr 2024 19:11:08 +0200 when-can-your-german-citizenship-be-revoked The EU's new Entry & Exit System (EES) of enhanced passport controls will be launched on October 12th, albeit in a phased in approach, but how will it impact non-EU residents legally living in EU/Schengen countries? https://www.thelocal.com/20240427/reader-question-what-will-ees-mean-for-foreigners-living-in-europe Sat, 27 Apr 2024 07:59:09 +0200 reader-question-what-will-ees-mean-for-foreigners-living-in-europe Sweden launched in-person ID checks for citizenship this spring, with all applicants having to attend before they can become Swedish citizens. The Local spoke to a reader about their appointment to find out what to expect. https://www.thelocal.com/20250704/what-happens-at-the-in-person-id-check-for-swedish-citizenship Fri, 04 Jul 2025 12:37:03 +0200 what-happens-at-the-in-person-id-check-for-swedish-citizenship The Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) hasn't approved any standard citizenship applications for over a month. But why – and when can we expect it to be resolved? Here's everything you need to know to understand the citizenship freeze in two minutes. https://www.thelocal.com/20250520/key-questions-to-understand-swedens-citizenship-freeze Tue, 20 May 2025 11:20:33 +0200 key-questions-to-understand-swedens-citizenship-freeze If you're a sauna newbie, you're probably wondering: Is it OK to cover up in a Swedish sauna (bastu) or do you have to let it all hang out? https://www.thelocal.com/20250513/do-you-have-to-get-naked-in-the-sauna-in-sweden Tue, 13 May 2025 17:20:02 +0200 do-you-have-to-get-naked-in-the-sauna-in-sweden Everyone who has applied for Swedish citizenship since April 1st, as well as everyone with pending applications, is being asked to answer a set of detailed additional security questions. Why exactly have the questions been introduced? https://www.thelocal.com/20250425/why-is-sweden-asking-citizenship-applicants-extra-security-questions Fri, 25 Apr 2025 12:10:17 +0200 why-is-sweden-asking-citizenship-applicants-extra-security-questions Crypto currencies have become more mainstream in recent years - and have also become subject to new rules and regulations. If you've started trading in crypo in Germany, here are the tax rules you need to know. https://www.thelocal.com/20250402/when-do-you-owe-taxes-on-crypto-trades-in-germany Wed, 02 Apr 2025 19:17:30 +0200 when-do-you-owe-taxes-on-crypto-trades-in-germany Getting a German driver’s licence can be more or less difficult for foreigners depending where they come from. Here are the countries that have reciprocity agreements with the Bundesrepublik. https://www.thelocal.com/20250211/listed-the-non-eu-countries-that-have-drivers-licence-exchange-agreements-with-germany Tue, 11 Feb 2025 17:14:20 +0100 listed-the-non-eu-countries-that-have-drivers-licence-exchange-agreements-with-germany Will there still be Swedish language tests? What about the rules for children? Are there exceptions to the residence requirement for EU citizens? The Local's readers have had a lot of questions about the government's proposed changes to citizenship. Here are the answers. https://www.thelocal.com/20250115/readers-questions-answered-on-swedens-citizenship-reforms Wed, 15 Jan 2025 14:03:00 +0100 readers-questions-answered-on-swedens-citizenship-reforms