https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Germany in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed If your application for a residence permit is delayed for any reason in Germany there is a decent chance you'll end up with a temporary 'fictional certificate'. Here’s how to navigate work and travel while you're left waiting. https://www.thelocal.de/20260612/expert-advice-for-navigating-life-on-a-temporary-permit-in-germany Fri, 12 Jun 2026 15:05:54 +0200 expert-advice-for-navigating-life-on-a-temporary-permit-in-germany Designed to be a short-term fix, Germany's 'Fiktionsbescheinigung' has since become a standard part of the immigration process. We spoke to experts to understand how the document affects residents' work, travel and daily life. https://www.thelocal.de/20260608/germanys-temporary-permits-are-becoming-an-ongoing-issue-for-foreign-residents Mon, 08 Jun 2026 15:54:50 +0200 germanys-temporary-permits-are-becoming-an-ongoing-issue-for-foreign-residents Battling bureaucracy at the 'Ausländerbehörde' is an experience that virtually every foreigner living in Germany shares. We asked an immigration lawyer for her best advice to help make your next visit as smooth as possible. https://www.thelocal.de/20250722/expert-tips-for-your-next-appointment-at-a-german-immigration-office Tue, 22 Jul 2025 14:02:08 +0200 expert-tips-for-your-next-appointment-at-a-german-immigration-office While other European countries have seen a hike in the number of Americans moving there, with some evidence pointing to a Trump effect, what is the story in Germany? The Local obtained new figures that tell a slightly different story. https://www.thelocal.de/20260601/more-americans-are-moving-to-germany-than-the-reverse-for-the-first-time-in-years Mon, 01 Jun 2026 16:58:06 +0200 more-americans-are-moving-to-germany-than-the-reverse-for-the-first-time-in-years Record numbers are leaving Berlin, while international arrivals keep the city growing. But with only modest growth expected, the real story is how quickly its population – and character – are shifting. https://www.thelocal.de/20260520/record-number-of-departures-from-berlin-reveals-a-city-in-flux Wed, 20 May 2026 11:15:56 +0200 record-number-of-departures-from-berlin-reveals-a-city-in-flux More foreigners are leaving Germany than at any point in the last 15 years. We spoke to recent emigrants about why they've decided to pack up and move out. https://www.thelocal.de/20260529/tired-of-being-an-immigrant-why-foreigners-are-leaving-germany-in-2026 Fri, 29 May 2026 09:48:47 +0200 tired-of-being-an-immigrant-why-foreigners-are-leaving-germany-in-2026 Germany saw a record number of naturalisations in 2025, preliminary figures show. After leading conservatives called yet again to tighten naturalisation rules, other parties have pushed back. https://www.thelocal.de/20260526/rising-german-naturalisations-are-something-to-welcome-not-reverse Tue, 26 May 2026 13:24:26 +0200 rising-german-naturalisations-are-something-to-welcome-not-reverse A record number of German passports was issued in 2025 with almost 310,000 foreigners naturalised in Germany, according to preliminary figures collated in a media report. https://www.thelocal.de/20260525/germany-sees-historic-boom-in-number-of-naturalisations Mon, 25 May 2026 17:51:05 +0200 germany-sees-historic-boom-in-number-of-naturalisations With governments across Europe tightening citizenship and residency requirements, language and country knowledge tests are often framed as measures of integration. But are governments really talking to domestic political audiences? https://www.thelocal.de/20260523/are-government-language-tests-in-europe-integration-policy-or-just-political-posturing Sat, 23 May 2026 10:24:29 +0200 are-government-language-tests-in-europe-integration-policy-or-just-political-posturing The number of people refused entry to the EU and Schengen area has risen dramatically, according to new statistics, while thousands of US, UK and Indian nationals have been found to be illegally present in EU/Schengen countries. https://www.thelocal.de/20260518/trend-will-continue-number-of-people-refused-entry-to-europe-on-the-rise Mon, 18 May 2026 15:58:26 +0200 trend-will-continue-number-of-people-refused-entry-to-europe-on-the-rise The German government is reopening some access to free integration courses for immigrants after it was criticised for slashing the programme earlier this year. However far fewer places will be available, and who qualifies will depend on strict quotas. https://www.thelocal.de/20260515/germany-backtracks-on-cuts-to-integration-courses-for-foreigners Fri, 15 May 2026 10:22:24 +0200 germany-backtracks-on-cuts-to-integration-courses-for-foreigners In Zehdenick, a small town near Berlin, nearly 60 percent of voters backed the Alternative for Germany party’s candidate. https://www.thelocal.de/20260511/far-right-afd-wins-first-ever-mayoral-election-in-brandenburg Mon, 11 May 2026 12:00:14 +0200 far-right-afd-wins-first-ever-mayoral-election-in-brandenburg With net immigration to Germany falling, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt says his tough approach has delivered results. But others say that migration has slowed for other reasons, and warn that his tactics are creating new problems. https://www.thelocal.de/20260505/what-is-germanys-migration-turnaround-actually-achieving Tue, 05 May 2026 10:02:35 +0200 what-is-germanys-migration-turnaround-actually-achieving The majority of refugees who come to Germany each year come from war zones, such as from Syria around 2015 or Ukraine since 2022. So why do a number of US citizens also submit applications for asylum each year? https://www.thelocal.de/20260429/why-do-some-us-citizens-seek-asylum-in-germany Wed, 29 Apr 2026 16:21:54 +0200 why-do-some-us-citizens-seek-asylum-in-germany New figures show tens of thousands of immigrants have been blocked from enrolling in Germany’s integration courses since the start of the year when authorities quietly froze applications. https://www.thelocal.de/20260423/germany-turns-away-nearly-30000-applicants-to-integration-courses Thu, 23 Apr 2026 09:26:55 +0200 germany-turns-away-nearly-30000-applicants-to-integration-courses Experts have been warning for years about Germany's shortage of skilled workers. How bad is it – and what can be expected in the long term? https://www.thelocal.de/20260421/how-bad-is-germanys-skilled-worker-shortage-in-2026 Tue, 21 Apr 2026 16:29:50 +0200 how-bad-is-germanys-skilled-worker-shortage-in-2026 Long waits for appointments, burdensome bureaucracy and language barriers: applying for a residence permit can be a tricky business for foreigners in Germany. We asked readers to share their experience and their top tips. https://www.thelocal.de/20260210/you-need-patience-what-its-like-to-get-a-residence-permit-in-germany Tue, 10 Feb 2026 16:26:01 +0100 you-need-patience-what-its-like-to-get-a-residence-permit-in-germany Syrian-born Yasin Alhamdo has lived in Germany since he was nine. In March, just weeks before he was due to sit his final exams to qualify as an industrial clerk, he was told he had 30 days to leave the country. https://www.thelocal.de/20260416/i-did-everything-right-syrian-student-fights-deportation-from-germany Thu, 16 Apr 2026 11:43:24 +0200 i-did-everything-right-syrian-student-fights-deportation-from-germany Almost 22 million people in Germany have an immigration background. Here's what else new figures tell us about Germany's immigrant population. https://www.thelocal.de/20260414/more-than-a-quarter-of-people-in-germany-have-an-immigration-background-2 Tue, 14 Apr 2026 11:15:44 +0200 more-than-a-quarter-of-people-in-germany-have-an-immigration-background-2 A growing number of deportation orders targeting skilled workers and well-integrated young Syrian men suggest that it's not only criminals who are at risk of deportation from Germany. https://www.thelocal.de/20260413/dentist-faces-removal-from-germany-ramps-up-deportations-of-syrians Mon, 13 Apr 2026 16:34:07 +0200 dentist-faces-removal-from-germany-ramps-up-deportations-of-syrians