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LIVING IN GERMANY

Everything that changes in Germany in November 2021

From public holidays to new driving fines and the start of the skiing season, here's what's changing in Germany this November.

Published: 27 October 2021 17:34 CEST
Updated: 1 November 2021 09:10 CET
An alarm clock among the autumn leaves.
An alarm clock among the autumn leaves. There's lots changing in Germany in November. Photo: picture alliance / dpa | Sebastian Kahnert

Holidays in November

In some German states, workers can expect time off in November. Right at the start of the month, residents in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland  get an extended weekend on All Saints’ Day (Allerheiligen) on November 1st.

One state can also look forward to a holiday on November 17th. The day of Repentance and Prayer (Buß- und Bettag) is a celebrated in Saxony.

New traffic fines come into force

Germany is getting tougher on reckless drivers. 

From November 10th onwards, they will face higher fines under new rules passed by the German parliaments in October.

The illegal use of pavements, cycle paths and hard shoulders will be punished with a fine of up to €100 instead of the previous €25, while people who go above the speed limit will pay at least €70 instead of €35, with higher fines for higher speeds. 

In some cases, speeders can expect fines of €400 for driving over the limit in urban areas.

Vehicles on the Autobahn in Saxony
Vehicles on the Autobahn in Saxony. Photo: picture alliance/dpa/dpa-Zentralbild | Robert Michael

There will also be higher fines for those who park illegally on footpaths and cycle paths, stop without permission on hard shoulders or park in the second row.

READ MORE: Germany’s tougher driving fines

Unvaccinated people may lose out on pay

German states have been putting in place a new regulation that means people who are eligible for vaccination but don’t get their jabs lose out on pay if they can’t work when ordered by authorities to quarantine.

From November 1st at the latest, all states must have this rule in force. 

Under previous Germany-wide rules, all employees who were unable to work after being told to go into quarantine still received wage compensation, regardless of their vaccination status. 

The move was agreed upon by a majority of the federal and state health ministers.

READ ALSO: What employees in Germany should know about quarantine compensation

In October, German authorities removed free-to-access rapid Covid tests. Unvaccinated people who want to visit an indoor public space, like a restaurant, now have to pay for a Covid test themselves unless they fall into a group who still qualify for free tests. 

Emergency pandemic powers could end

Germany may end its ‘pandemic state of emergency’ in November. The special powers, which form the legal basis for introducing measures to combat the spread of Covid-19, are due to expire on November 25th. 

The coalition parties in talk to form a new government – the Social Democrats, Greens and FDP – want to let these powers expire but provide legislation for states to keep the Covid measures in place until at least spring 2022. 

The Bundestag will vote on whether to extend or let the pandemic powers expire. 

READ ALSO: Germany could end pandemic rules in March 2022

A mask on the ground in Mühldorf Am Inn, Bavaria.
A mask on the ground in Mühldorf Am Inn, Bavaria. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Matthias Balk

Winter sports season kicks off 

Skiing resorts remained closed across most of Europe (notably not in Austria) during last year’s pandemic shutdown. But this year it’s more promising.

The Zugspitze, Germany’s highest peak, will be the first ski area in Germany to start winter sports operations on November 19th.

The season is expected to open under Germany’s ‘3G’ Covid health pass rules. That means that only people who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 (geimpft in the German language), those who’ve recovered from Covid (genesen) or people who’ve tested negatively for Covid (getestet) can use indoor facilities like cable cars.  

Children up to six-years-old and school pupils will be exempt, reports the German motoring association ADAC which regularly reports on travel rules. Masks will be compulsory in all lifts.

States in Germany have been allowed to choose whether businesses – like restaurants, cafes and culture facilities – use the 3G rule – or if they can be given the option to offer the more restrictive 2G rule (meaning only the vaccinated and people who’ve recovered from Covid) can use facilities. 

So keep in mind that there could be differences in how businesses operate depending on the German state. 

Happy skiing and stay safe!

COMPARE: What Covid rules are in place for the winter sports season?

Deadline for vehicle insurance change

The changeover season for vehicle insurance (Kfz-Versicherung) is underway. And here’s something to put in your diary: November 30th is the annual cut-off date for the change of car insurance.

This is because notice of termination must be given up to one month before the end of the term, and the vast majority of contracts run until the end of December. Without notice of termination, the insurance will be extended. Changing insurance is often an easy way to save some money each year.

Christmas markets and Advent

Markets were hugely scaled back last year as Germany battled an intense Covid wave. Infections are currently rising – but because the majority of people in Germany are vaccinated against Covid-19, the government says another shutdown of businesses should be avoided. 

Christmas markets therefore are making the most of being allowed to open – and some will start as early as mid November.

Christmas lights in Wernigerode in early January 2021, Saxony-Anhalt.
Christmas lights in Wernigerode in early January 2021, Saxony-Anhalt. Photo: picture alliance/dpa/dpa-Zentralbild | Matthias Bein

But expect some rules – such as 3G entry (you have to show proof of vaccination, recovery of Covid or a negative Coivid test) or even 2G (vaccinated people are excluded).

READ ALSO: Berlin allows Christmas markets to exclude unvaccinated people 

Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas every year, and traditionally refers to awaiting the advent, or “arrival” of Christ. It begins this year on November 28th.

Karneval season kicks off

Germany’s carnival season starts on November 11th. Celebrations – which are usually focused on cities in the west of the country – start at 11.11am.

Last year saw most festivities cancelled due to the Covid crisis. This year the Karneval is tentatively swinging back into action swing (within the scope of the pandemic). 

Carnival king Klaus-Ludwig Fess, head of the association of German carnival, told Rheinishe Post online: “I’m actually hopeful that it will be like before Corona again.”

The 3G rules will likely be in place for outdoor events, and the association of German carnival recommends that only the vaccinated and people who’ve recovered from Covid can be admitted to indoor events. 

PayPal business fees for UK will rise 

One for businesses to keep in mind: PayPal is introducing new fees for payments between businesses in the UK and those in the rest of Europe following Brexit. From November 10th, payments between the European Economic Area (EEA) and British Businesses will be charged a 1.29 percent fee. 

The current rate is around 0.5 percent. That has remained unchanged since before the UK left the EU Customs Union and Single Market. But PayPal said it was now facing extra costs, such as the rise in interchange fees between the UK and EEA.

Payments between EU and associated state countries and countries outside the EU are charged a 1.99 percent fee. Within the EU the fee for businesses is 0.5 percent. 

Bargains for shoppers

If you fancy some retail therapy, don’t forget that Black Friday and Cyber Monday is approaching. Retailers are set to offer lots of discounts. Black Friday is on November 26th and Cyber Monday is on November 29th. 

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LIVING IN GERMANY

‘Clunky process’: The steps you need to take to get married in Germany

Getting married in Germany is not for the faint of heart. The Local spoke to a foreign national who recently tied the knot to learn more about the process and the challenges. Here's what you should know before you step up to the altar.

Published: 16 May 2024 11:02 CEST
'Clunky process': The steps you need to take to get married in Germany

Whether to a German or another foreign national, getting married in Germany is not a far-fetched prospect for many foreign residents, especially those who arrive single and decide to settle down for the longer term.

But those who dare to propose (or say yes) are promptly met with an ugly reality. The process to legally marry in Germany is a beast.

In fact, just learning about the requirements to do so is enough to send a fair amount of engaged couples packing – literally, they pack and go to Denmark for their marriage.

“It was like the final boss of German bureaucracy,” Liam Kelley, Berlin resident from Canada, told The Local about his experience preparing to be wed in Germany’s capital last year.

But Liam is walking proof that it can be done, and there are certain advantages to marrying within the country that you live – namely not needing to apply to have your foreign marriage recognised in Germany. 

So if you’re recently engaged, or thinking about it, and ready to do battle with the bureaucracy, here’s what you should know about getting married in Germany and the challenges involved:

Start with the paperwork

Before you can apply for a wedding at your local registry office (Standesamt), you’ll need a few documents. Note that some cities require you to first schedule a consultation at the Standesamt, where they’ll explain which documents you’ll need.

Generally the following are required:

  • Birth certificates
  • Valid passports or IDs
  • A registration certificate for your current address in Germany not older than 14 days (Erweiterte Meldebescheinigung). But in some cities the Standesamt can pull this information for you.
  • A certificate of no impediment to marriage (Ehefähigkeitszeugnis). This is usually provided by your home country. Formerly wed and divorced partners can usually present a divorce certificate instead.

Where this all gets a bit complicated is that these documents may need to be translated to German by accredited interpreters, and authenticated or apostilled by official authorities as well.

“The most challenging part was gathering all the documents and having them properly notarised within the various time windows,” Liam told The Local.

As listed above, Liam needed a fresh confirmation of his residence despite already being registered at a Berlin address along with his fiancée. That document needed to be no more than two weeks old.

Simultaneously, Liam needed his birth certificate, notarised by the Canadian government that was no older than six months. The birth certificate also needed to be translated by an accredited interpreter. 

“The process was clunky,” Liam said, “after receiving the birth certificate, I basically had to send it back to get it notarised by the same authorities. All of this by snail mail too, so I was worried about things getting lost in the post.”

Hustle to get an appointment

When you’ve got all of your documents in order, you can make an appointment at the registry office to have your application reviewed, and hopefully collect their approval to be wed. This comes in the form of a certificate, which is only valid for six months. 

Should you fail to perform the ceremony within that time, the document expires and you’d need to start again at the beginning – recollecting some of the documents that would be considered expired by then.

“The Standesamt that gave us our certificate didn’t have any appointments within that window, so we needed to call around for another Standesamt that could service us,” Liam said.

He called quite a few of Berlin’s registry offices before he found one with an opening within the next six months, but in the end he succeeded in scheduling the wedding.

READ ALSO: How Berlin’s immigration office wants to make it easier to get an appointment

In Germany’s bigger cities, registry offices can be fully booked months in advance which can make trying to schedule a wedding within the six month window a challenge. 

Once your marriage certificate has been granted, you are eligible to be wed at any German Standesamt, even in a different city, for example. Smaller towns or other cities may have the advantage of having more availability for weddings, depending where you live. In this case, you will need to make the appointment at the other Standesamt, and then inform the local office where you registered, which sends over the authorisation on your behalf.

Liam and Julie get married

Newlyweds Liam Kelley and Julie Bourgeois pose in front the Berlin registry office where they had just married. Photo provided by Liam Kelley.

A quick and practical ceremony

Note that all legally binding weddings in Germany take place in a registry office. If you are dreaming of a church wedding or an outdoor ceremony, you can do so separately. But the legal marriage must happen in the Standesamt.

On your wedding day, you’ll need to bring your ID or passport to the registry office. In Germany, it is customary for each partner to bring a witness (Trauzeuge), and you can also invite a small group of family or close friends.

If your German is not sufficient, you will need a sworn-in interpreter for the ceremony as well.

You can expect the ceremony to last 15 minutes and to be performed very punctually. 

On the day of Liam’s wedding in Berlin, the registry office’s wedding hall was fully booked, with his wedding being one of four performed that hour. Therefore, it’s important to be on time and well-prepared. He and his fiancée were able to choose a song that was played as they and their guests took their places before the ceremony began.

All’s well that ends well

Liam noted one hiccup occurred when the bride’s witness was asked to sign the marriage document, and he asked the officiant in English if he should put his whole name or initials. Suddenly, the officiant got very serious and paused the ceremony to ask the witness several times in German if he understood everything that had happened thus far.

“She (the officiant) freaked out because she was worried that he didn’t understand what he was signing, and he just kept responding that he did understand, but in English, exacerbating the situation,” Liam said.

For Liam, despite knowing how challenging it would be, getting married in the country where he lives just made sense: “I plan on living in Germany for some time, pay taxes here, contribute to public health care, and my son will attend school here. It’s probably just neurotic, but I am at ease thinking it’s all in the same country.”

READ ALSO: Ehegattensplitting – How did Germany’s marriage tax law become so controversial?

Also, going out of Germany for the wedding would have added some expense for travel and lodging.

In the end, knowing what they were getting into and doing their best to be proactive about paperwork and appointments, made the challenge manageable for Liam and his partner.

Liam also noted that the Standesamt employees were immensely friendly and helpful throughout the process.

READ ALSO: 10 things you need to know about German weddings

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