Maria Lupandina

A Freelance English Teacher in Berlin: how to start and what to expect.⁠⠀
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❓Where do I search for jobs?⁠⠀
Use these keywords in different combinations⁠⠀
- Englischlehrer*in + city jobs⁠⠀
- Englisch Dozent + Stellenangebote⁠⠀
- Englisch-Trainer + Jobangebote⁠⠀
- Nachhilfelehrer für Englisch⁠⠀
- Private Sprachlehrer für das Fach Englisch⁠⠀
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Dozent is someone who teaches adults at educational institutions.⁠⠀
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Nachhilfelehrer is a private teacher-tutor who helps students keep up with the school curriculum. High school students or uni students do this very often as a sidekick.⁠⠀
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There’re no specific portals where to look for private teachers’ jobs. Do a search on Google and de.indeed.com. For a more targeted search, find private language schools and go to a section “Karriere”/ “Jobs” / “Stellenangebote”⁠⠀
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❓How much can I earn?⁠⠀
You can get 10€ - 50€ a lesson depending on the way you work. For more, swipe the carousel.⁠⠀
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💶Your business expenses may be:⁠⠀
- renting an office⁠⠀
- commissions for online platforms⁠⠀
- stationary⁠⠀
- books⁠⠀
- accounting software⁠⠀
- tax advisor⁠⠀
- commuting costs⁠⠀
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💼Taxes to pay:⁠⠀
- income tax - if you earn more than 9000€ a year. Here’s no percentage, as it’s a progressive scale.⁠⠀
- if you are not a small entrepreneur, you’ll pay turnover tax 19%⁠⠀
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Want to assess your individual case? You know where to find me! I’m waiting for your DMs. Ask for a first conversation now to start searching for English teacher jobs in Berlin and get ready for a freelance visa application.⁠⠀
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@ Berlin, Germany

Sufficient health insurance for your freelance visa application⁠⠀
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❓I read on Facebook people buy mawista: for some, it works but many got rejected with these insurances. Why there’s so much controversial information?⁠⠀
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It’s because different nationals apply in different ways. There’re countries citizens of which can apply to any German residence permit coming here on a 90-day visa-free period. They are Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, the USA, and they mostly don't have any insurance for Germany. That's why they consider purchasing an expat coverage from mawista for the initial application. And it can be a good option. But the caseworker will insist you change the coverage to a real German one the next day. You will not get a maximum of 3 years with such coverage.⁠⠀
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❓But I’m an expat, why can’t I be covered with expat insurance?⁠⠀
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Expat insurance is for those, who are here on an assignment and know they are going back to their main country of residence. Hence, they don’t need the proper insurance, just a cheap and temporary one. ⁠⠀
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❓I’m not from the “privileged” countries and have to get an entry visa first. What insurance should I buy?⁠⠀
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From my own experience, proper travel insurance will work for an entry visa. Of course, you can also get expat coverage from German companies like careconcept or mawista contacting them online. Some Embassies are ok if you bring a purchased policy after your visa has been issued and is ready to pick up. But don’t forget, they are not adequate ones, and you will have to cancel them soon to purchase German health insurance.⁠⠀
❗️Make sure you can cancel those each month.⁠⠀
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❓How can I make sure I won’t be rejected with expat health insurance or with my travel insurance?⁠⠀
It all depends on your unique case: on your country of origin, on your future income and savings, on the way you apply. I’ll be happy to share my life hacks with you but in our face-to-face conversation. Ask for it today in DMs to avoid stress when applying for the visa.⁠⠀
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How much money should I have on my bank account to apply for a German freelance visa?⁠⠀
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There’s no exact amount you must show. You might have heard and read different numbers from different people. It does depend on a particular situation. I'll tell you which factors are critical to consider:⁠⠀
- all your future earnings from your letters of intent⁠⠀
- the taxes you’ll pay from this sum⁠⠀
- subtract business expenses you will have⁠⠀
- subtract health insurance you will pay and ⁠⠀
- the rent you will pay⁠⠀
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What you’ll have in the end matters. And it should not go lower 450€/month, which is the subsistence minimum.⁠⠀
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That’s why there’s no simple answer about the exact amount of money you should have in your bank. Due to your business, you could travel a lot or regularly buy expensive devices, which reduces your net income. Or you rent an expensive office in the city center, or your private rent will be relatively low. You could have no business expenses at all. Maybe, you can get an expensive or cheap private health insurance coverage or have to pay into pension funds. ⁠🤷🏻‍♀️⁠⠀
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❓I’m an artist and I don’t have much savings nor letters of intent. What can I do?⁠⠀
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If you belong to “liberal professions” as a pure artist, then it’s possible to provide a sponsorship letter from the third party: parents or friends. Yet again, the amount of this aid is seen individually.⁠⠀
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❓Ok, but still, which amount do I need to show to the Embassy?⁠⠀
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I invite you to a one-to-one conversation where we will do the math together to assess your chances to get 1-, 2-, or 3-year the German freelance visa. ⁠⠀
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Am I a freelancer or a Freiberufler in Germany?⁠⠀
⁠Can I get an "artist visa" in Germany if I'm an IT consultant? Are there any other categories? ⁠⠀
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Let's see the difference.⁠⠀
👩🏻‍🎤Freiberufler/ a self-employed in “liberal professions” - uses their special qualifications, skills, and inspiration to earn money; artistic, creative, or scientific type of work, e.g.⁠⠀
- writers,⁠⠀
- teachers,⁠⠀
- consultants,⁠⠀
- translators,⁠⠀
- artists,⁠⠀
- designers,⁠⠀
- doctors,⁠⠀
- IT people, etc.⁠⠀
There’s a list of professions in the German Tax law.⁠⠀
🎯Focus: services for individuals (b2c): e.g. private classes of German, selling pictures to gallerists. ⁠⠀
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⁠❓But what if I want to work for companies? What am I then? ⁠⠀
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You will be either a (still) Freiberufler orGewerbetreibender/ tradesperson.⁠⠀
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🧑🏽‍💻Freelancer - a self-employed, “an independent co-worker”, works on a fee basis as a contractor, but not in the staff, e.g. specialists in IT, media, or advertising.⁠⠀
⁠🎯Focus: products and services for companies (b2b), a website, and its support, a media campaign. It’s not a legal term in Germany.⁠⠀
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❗️A Freiberufler ("liberal profession") works as a freelancer/contractor when he/she is hired by a company, e.g. to give a language class for employees, to draw a series of pictures for a new office building.⁠ They get to sign a Honorarvertrag "fee contract" and will be called freie Mitarbeiter "independent co-workers"⁠⠀
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❓But what if I'm neither a liberal professional nor a contractor? I want to set up a small online shop.⁠⠀
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💶In this case, you're Gewerbetreibender/tradesperson ⁠- a self-employed who doesn’t belong to “liberal professions” listed in the Law, e.g.⁠⠀
- an online retailer,⁠ ⁠⠀
- an influencer on Instagram,⁠⠀
- a food delivery driver.⁠⠀
This type of work requires a Gewerbeschein (trade license). ⁠⠀
🎯Focus: selling goods, earning profit.⁠⠀
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Are you still unsure which category you belong to? I can help you order your profession to a category tax- and immigration-wise and give you a step-by-step guide on how to apply for the visa and first steps in Germany.⁠⠀
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We aren't alone anymore
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Quarantine & Isolation were not the end. For us, they were the beginning of more creative thinking on how to offer better relocation services for Berlin.⁠⠀
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We're three relocators working together: Victoria Messer from , Elliot Herman from sorted.berlin, and me, Maria Lupandina. Together we have founded the Berlin Relocator's Collective. ⁠⠀
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Why?⁠⠀
Because we contribute daily to the cultural diversity of Berlin, being expats, speaking four languages, and coming from three countries. As experienced relocators, we put our energies and skills together to solve the everyday obstacles of newcomers in Berlin first hand. We’re empowered by the idea of using simplicity and transparency to deliver a crystal clear relocation service to you and your talents that will result in streamlined onboarding and better quality of their work from the first days in Berlin.⁠⠀
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Your talent will be in good hands with our collective, because we are the Expat experience. Maria has lots of experience supporting both freelancers & other highly skilled workers. She speaks English, Russian, and German.

Victoria applied for 7 different residence permits for herself in Germany and is now a permanent resident. Besides German and English she can also speak conversational Spanish.

Originally from the UK, Elliot became a German citizen this year. He specialises in home searches and and in making even the most complex procedures seem simple.⁠⠀
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As you have read above we have years of experience. We know all the tricks and tips of German bureaucracy. ⁠⠀
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If your company is hiring new Berliners, you are moving to Berlin, or are a recruiter and have questions - please do not hesitate to contact us.⁠⠀
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@ Berlin, Germany

🔵 How much money left will I have from my Blue Card gross salary?⁠⠀
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A couple of days ago we talked with my colleague from Munich and compared relocation cases in our two cities. ⁠⠀
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The fact is, the average Munich's salary is higher than in Berlin, as well as salaries in IT-sector. Both cities have a lot of start-ups and renowned companies that attract international specialists from abroad.⁠⠀
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In both cities and federal states, we have the same taxes. But taking into account the rental market, you can see that Berlin wins here: since February 2020 we have a Mietendeckel, which freezes the prices for 5 years ahead. In Munich, you will pay more rent for the same quality apartment.⁠⠀
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As for living costs, prices are slightly higher in Munich's restaurants and supermarkets (+10/15%).⁠⠀
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In the end, you decide which city is better for you: southern luxurious Munich, close to mountains and Italy with a moist climate, or a vibrant international Berlin, with its 140 museums and countless Spätis.⁠⠀
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Кто понимает по-русски, смотрите видео у меня на IGTV.⁠⠀
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If you' ask yourself what gross salary you can get in Berlin, how much money you'll have left after taxes, and how much should your rent be, I can answer the questions about your unique situation. Just ask in the direct messages!⁠⠀
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🔵 Will I also get Relocation Services when I come to Germany for work?⁠⠀
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Companies that hire highly-qualified specialists from abroad want their new talents to feel comfortably settled in the new city, and ready to perform at the new work to their full from the very start. That’s why many of them offer relocation services as an add-on to the contract.⁠⠀
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There are two main ways you can get to work relocation consultant: ⁠⠀
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1️⃣A company/ an employer outsources this scope services to a relocation agency that will assign you a relocation consultant. This person will take care of your relocation by helping you find an apartment, subscribe you to services, accompany you to authorities.⁠⠀
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✅This option is extremely helpful when you don’t have time to think about settling in a foreign city or when you already learned all the details about moving on your own.⁠⠀
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❌As a drawback, you can't choose a relocation consultant. Also, besides a relocation consultant, you will be in contact with their project manager, your HR, and very often in the middle of their conversation, which creates many email threads and you can lose track of things.⁠⠀
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2️⃣A company/ an employer pays you a relocation bonus or reimbursement.⁠⠀
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✅Here you have the freedom to choose services and people to work with (maybe they speak your native language?). This option is great when you want to get tailored services and what’s more important build a trustful connection with your relocation consultant. Who knows, maybe you’ll need their help in the future or maybe you’ll remain friends?⁠⠀
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❌However, this option will require you to do prior research of relocation agencies who work with private people or any independent relocation consultants. It can take time.⁠⠀
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Which option could suit you better? Or maybe you have already relocated to Germany: did you get the chance to use any relocation services? Were they provided by your employer or did you have to search for service providers on your own?⁠⠀
Write in the comments⁠⠀
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Do you do check-ins with yourself?⁠⠀
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I like to go for a run at least 2 times a week, as I think a modern human mostly leading a home-office lifestyle, especially in times of self-isolation, has to do any sport.⁠⠀
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Recently I got wonderful advice for a better run: just relax. Do checks with your body while you're running to see if it’s tense or too wobbly and act accordingly: relax tense parts or tense inactive ones. Even on a high tempo run be relaxed in a way you don’t feel exhausted. And you know what? I extremely enjoyed my run that day! And even took this picture of sakura blossom.⁠⠀
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I often compare running and business in different aspects, for example, speed and goals. In both, everyone has their own pace, everyone has their own goals: long run or light jog, skyrocket their profit, or just do a side hustle, etc. And in both, we need to stay focused and most importantly, relaxed and don't let the stress and tension control us.⁠⠀
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The 3 C's from the runners' podcast:⁠⠀
Concentration on one part of the body
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Coolness - let the distracting thoughts go
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Clarity - look some steps ahead⁠⠀
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Don't you also think you can apply them to your work? ⁠⠀
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I am here in Berlin on a freelance residence permit. Was it easy to get it?⁠⠀
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Well, everything seems easy when it's done, and when you look at me you have a living proof that it’s at least doable 😉⁠⠀
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Don’t wait till anybody does the job for you and sponsor you for the freelance visa. Instead, you must be⁠⠀
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💪🏻determined to invest time and money into paperwork and meticulous preparation. Collect all necessary documents, translate them, make official copies of them, go through them again. Collect unnecessary documents in another folder just in case.⁠ Learn about German taxes and ways to do business. ⁠⠀
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👍🏻confident about your personal branding and skills. Prepare your portfolio, polish your CV and website, update your profiles on social networks, and maybe hide some content under the privacy settings.⁠⠀
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🙋🏻‍♀️active in the search for clients and business partners, aka jobs. Pitch your offer in cold emails, participate in German professional forums, build your professional network of German colleagues and possible clients.⁠⠀
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Is it easy? Yes, it is, when you dare to chase your dream! Don't forget, it's your life and even somebody will laugh at your wish to move to Germany as a freelancer, prove them wrong. It's possible! Just dare!⁠⠀
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How can I make the visa process easier for you? I support you in your decision to go through this process. In my consultation, we will talk about your documents and ways to improve your application. Maybe you forgot something important or don’t know how the document (e.g. business plan) should look like? Moreover, I’ll tell you basics about German taxes, about possibilities after the freelance residence permit.
You’ll get a clear step-by-step strategy and that takes a half of your worries away.
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Write me a DM here to get an appointment.⁠⠀
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What’s your case? Are you a teacher or a translator who wants to work in Germany? Write in the comments.⁠⠀
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Are you eligible for the Blue Card EU? Here are the conditions for this residence permit in a nutshell⁠⠀
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✅You are a university graduate: If you did not get your degree in Germany, it must either be recognized or comparable to a German degree. Information on the equivalence and recognition of foreign degrees is available at www.anerkennung-in-deutschland.de. or anabin.de. Your diploma and study program must have H+ rating.*⁠⠀
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✅You have a work contract or a binding job offer.⁠⠀
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✅You have a minimum annual gross salary of 55,200€. A reduced minimum annual gross salary of 43,056€ applies to professions in the fields of mathematics, computer science, the natural sciences, engineering, and human medicine (not including dentistry) (as of 2020 - the salary thresholds are readjusted for each calendar year).⁠⠀
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✅The employment must match the qualification.⁠⠀
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*There’re regulated professions such as teacher, doctors, that have to be fully recognized in Germany through a recognition body. ⁠⠀
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Is the Blue Card EU for you? Have you thought of coming to work in Germany?⁠⠀
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If you want to check your unique situation with this new German Immigration Law, I’m here for you. Order my 30-minute consultation plus a step by step pdf-visa guide only for 60€ instead of 100€ till the end of the quarantine. ⁠⠀
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On March 1, 2020, the new Immigration Act came in force in Germany.

The main points are:⁠
• not only people with universities degree can be hired in Germany (the Blue Card EU), but also those with vocational training qualifications. Period: max. 4 years⁠
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• No priority-check on the job market anymore! ⁠
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• If the foreign vocational training is not recognized in Germany, a candidate can come here to complete their qualification so that it corresponds to a German one fully. German: A2. Period: 18 - 24 months.⁠
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• there’s a job seekers’ residence permit for non-academic candidates now, the same as for university graduates. Now the permission to work up to 10 trial hours a week is granted. German skills: B1. Period: up to 6 months.⁠
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• qualified professionals with academic degrees can also work in jobs that do not require a degree but are related to their qualifications and that normally require a vocational, non-academic qualification. ⁠ • Professional Training in Germany: for those who are interested, there’s a residence permit now to search for a training place.⁠ • Foreign qualified professionals are able to receive a permanent settlement permit after four years (previously: five years).⁠ • For German companies: a fast-track procedure to get a qualified professional from abroad. Period: 15 weeks.⁠
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I invested some days researching ways and details of getting different types of residence permits by different groups of qualified professionals and created the scheme you see.⁠
Have questions? Ask in the comments!⁠
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If you want to check your unique situation with this new German Immigration Law, I’m here for you. Order my 30-minute consultation plus a step by step pdf-visa guide only for 60€ instead of 100€ till the end of the quarantine. ⁠
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#переездвгерманию #внжвгерманию