LIVING IN GERMANY

Germany: New laws and other changes in 2024

The new year brings important changes for people living in Germany. For example, anyone who is dependent on social assistance or citizen’s allowance will receive more money from January. Other changes include an increase in the basic and child allowance, a higher minimum wage, more money for school supplies and the pink paper prescription from the doctor becomes a digital …

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Ghana opens new Visa and Passport Application Centre in Berlin

Ghana has opened a new dedicated facility in Berlin for the delivery of improved consular services to its citizens and non-citizens planning to visit the West African country in Germany. The Premium Application Centre (PAC) for Visas and Passports should help in providing better services to Ghanaians and non-Ghanaians in Germany and aims to enhance the existing consular services offered …

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Germany: TANG celebrates anniversary, honours outstanding personalities

The bitter cold did not discourage the more than 100 guests from all parts of Germany from converging on Saturday 2 December in the prestigious Robert-Havemann-Hall in Rathaus Mitte in Berlin. They have come to honour The African Network of Germany e.V. (TANG), which celebrated its 10th anniversary with fanfare. TANG is the umbrella group for more than 900 African …

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Germany: New Laws and Other Changes in December 2023

As with every new month, December 2023 brings a number of changes for people living in Germany. Two groups of people can be particularly pleased, as they will receive more money in the new month. Deutsche Post has published tips on when Christmas presents should be sent and the Deutsche Bahn has also published its Winter Timetable. You can find …

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African festival of well-being holds in Berlin

We are used to African festivals being events connected with singing, music and dancing as well as other related cultural activities. A new form of festival will hold on 24 November in Berlin. It’s a festival devoted to our well-being in a holistic sense of it, as the organiser, Lola Bassey of the Aktive Afrikanische Eltern Initiative e.V. (Active African …

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TANG to celebrate 10th anniversary with grand ceremony in Berlin

All roads lead to Berlin on Saturday 2 December when the biggest umbrella body of African associations in Germany celebrates its 10th anniversary. “This event is a special opportunity for The African Network of Germany (TANG), comprising more than 900 non-profit groups and individuals, to celebrate its successes and share its vision for the future,” the organisation said. The day …

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Extent of Racism in Germany exposed in new survey

Black, Asian and Muslim people reveal the extent of discrimination they experience in Germany on a daily basis in a new national discrimination monitor. Marcel Fürstenau/DW reports Disparaging looks or insults are daily occurrences in Germany for people with dark skin, Muslim women who wear a headscarf and people who speak German badly or not at all. Discrimination in Germany …

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Germany: New Laws and Other Changes in November 2023

November 2023 brings some important changes not only for people living in Germany but also those aspiring to come and work in the country. Among other things, it will now be much easier for skilled workers to immigrate to Germany. Is your car insurance renewing on 1 January 2024? We have news for you! Also, we inform about this year’s …

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Germany to deport rejected asylum-seekers on “a grand scale”, Chancellor Scholz announces

Chancellor Olaf Scholz wants to deport more rejected asylum-seekers. He made his intention public in an interview with the current issue of the weekly magazine SPIEGEL as his government has come under mounting pressure to tackle irregular migration. In the interview with the weekly, the chancellor calls for tougher action against irregular migration. “We must finally deport on a grand …

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Germany: New awards for Black youth educational achievers

The African community will gather in Hamburg on 4 November to honour youths of African descent who have excelled in their educational and training pursuits in the past year. The event, the 11th African Youth Education Awards (AYEA), will be graced by diplomats, German politicians, Hamburg officials and other guests. Initiated thirteen years ago to act against the observed low …

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Germany: Nigerian jumps to his death to avoid deportation

A rejected Nigerian asylum-seeker about to be deported has died after jumping out of the window in Hainichen, near Chemnitz, in the eastern German state of Saxony, several newspapers have reported. The 33-year-old man was to be deported to the Netherlands, where he ostensibly first lodged his asylum application in the EU. The police wanted to pick him up on …

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German jailed over death of African, 32 years after

Samuel Kofi Yeboah died in an arson attack on a hostel for asylum-seekers in September 1991. Thirty-two years after the tragic event in Saarlouis, a 50-year-old German national, identified as Peter S., was convicted on Monday for setting the house on fire and was thus responsible for the death of the Ghanaian man. The culprit, a former neo-Nazi thug who …

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Book: Confronting the harsh realities of discrimination in Germany

Elizabeth Horlemann lost her husband in 2021, in extremely painful and degrading situations. The tragic event motivated her to write a book about her experiences during a most traumatic period. Here’s a review of Not Now Please: Living with Racism, Ableism, and Grief , a transformative memoir that challenges the status quo in Germany——Elizabeth Horlemann’s latest work, Not Now Please: …

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Germany: New Laws and other Changes in October 2023

Like almost every month, October 2023 brings some important changes for people living in Germany. Among other things, state elections will be held in Bavaria and Hesse, Deutsche Bahn to introduce new rules for selling discounted tickets and there are deadlines to submit final accounting report of the Corona Aid and to apply for heating cost subsidy. More on these …

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Germany: Nominate your heroes for TANG Awards!

The biggest umbrella body of African associations in Germany is celebrating its 10th anniversary. The African Network of Germany (TANG), comprising more than 900 non-profit groups and individuals, is not rolling out the drums only for its accomplishments to mark the event. It also wants to use the milestone to recognise people who are doing great things for the benefit …

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German Chancellor to visit Nigeria

The German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will visit Nigeria in October to further strengthen economic ties between both nations, Nigerian presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, has announced. Ngelale explained that the visit was agreed on the sidelines of the G-20 meeting in New Delhi, India, where President Bola Tinubu and the German leader met. “Thank you for this important discussion, Mr. President. …

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Germany: Migrants’ share of this city’s population rises to 40%

The urban landscape in Germany is changing as the number of people with foreign origin increases. A new report published by the Statistics Office North shows that the proportion of Hamburg residents with an immigrant background rose to 39.3 percent as of 31 December 2022. Compared to the previous year, the share of migrants increased by almost two percentage points. …

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German government approves reform of citizenship law

The governing federal coalition has passed a bill to reform Germany’s citizenship law. The bill, which was approved by the cabinet on Wednesday, provides for the simplification of naturalisation. On the other hand, the government wants to make it more difficult for persons who cannot support themselves or who have already committed criminal offences in Germany to naturalise. Among the …

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Germany: Project supports African migrants in Berlin

A project to support recent migrants, including refugees and asylum seekers from Africa as well as Africans displaced by the war from Ukraine, has launched in Berlin. Implemented by GAIDI, a non-profit social organisation, YANA Berlin (for You are not alone in Berlin) assists the African migrants by providing them important information that facilitates their integration into society. The project, …

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Germany: New laws and other changes in August 2023

Like almost every month, August 2023 also brings some important changes for people living in Germany. In addition to new laws, there will be a number of changes will come into force. These include an increase in the minimum wage in the cash-in-transit industry, the introduction of an innovative apprenticeship and the deadline for filing the 2021 tax return. Here …

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