How German Citizens Can Move to the US: Visas, Green Cards, Taxes

German citizens have several legal ways to move to the United States: a temporary work visa through an employer, an intracompany transfer, a treaty investor or trader visa available specifically to Germans, an employment-based or family-based green card, or the diversity visa lottery. Which one fits depends on whether you have a U.S. job offer, an employer with a German office, capital to invest, close relatives who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, or none of these. More than 40 million Americans claim German ancestry, and every route runs through the Immigration and Nationality Act.¹

Visiting First Is Not Moving

Germany is a Visa Waiver Program country, so you can travel to the United States for up to 90 days without a visa using an approved ESTA.² This is worth using to scout cities, attend interviews, or visit family before committing to a move. It is not a relocation pathway. You cannot work under VWP, cannot enroll in a degree program, and cannot change to another status once you arrive. Overstaying by even a day can disqualify you from future VWP travel and complicate later visa applications.

Temporary Work Visas

If a U.S. employer wants to hire you, a temporary work visa is usually the fastest way in. Temporary visas expire, but they let you live and work legally in the country and often set up a future green card petition.

H-1B for Specialty Occupations

The H-1B covers jobs that require at least a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in a specific field, such as engineering, finance, medicine, or technology.³ Your employer files the petition, and the position must genuinely require that degree.

The hard part is getting selected. Congress caps new H-1B visas at 65,000 per year, with an additional 20,000 for applicants holding a U.S. master’s degree or higher.³ Because demand outstrips supply, USCIS runs a lottery each spring. Around 90,000 registrations are selected annually from a much larger pool.⁴ If you are not picked, you wait for the next cycle unless your employer finds another category. USCIS filing fees have risen substantially in recent years; check the current fee schedule before budgeting.

L-1 for Intracompany Transfers

If you already work for a multinational with a U.S. office, the L-1 lets you transfer in without going through the H-1B lottery. You need at least one continuous year of employment abroad with the company within the past three years, and you must move into a managerial, executive, or specialized-knowledge role at the U.S. branch, subsidiary, or affiliate. The L-1A covers managers and executives and is valid up to seven years; the L-1B covers specialized-knowledge employees and is valid up to five. German professionals at companies with established U.S. operations use this route often because it avoids the cap uncertainty of the H-1B.

Treaty Visas Available to Germans

Germany’s 1956 Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation with the United States opens two visa categories that are not available to nationals of every country.⁵ Both are strong options if you are self-employed, running a business, or trading across the Atlantic.

E-2 Treaty Investor

The E-2 lets you live and work in the United States by investing a substantial amount of capital in a real, operating business. Federal law does not set a minimum figure, but the investment must be enough to make the business viable and clearly more than marginal. Investments below $100,000 face heavy scrutiny in practice, and many successful applications involve significantly more. You must own at least half the enterprise or control it through a senior management role, and the business must generate enough activity to do more than just support you and your family.

The E-2 is renewable indefinitely in two-year increments as long as the business keeps operating. It does not lead directly to a green card. Many German entrepreneurs use it as a long-term residence solution while building a business track record that could later support an employment-based green card petition.

E-1 Treaty Trader

The E-1 is the trade counterpart to the E-2. Instead of investing capital, you qualify by conducting substantial trade between Germany and the United States, with more than 50% of your international trade volume flowing between the two countries.⁶ There is no minimum dollar value per transaction, but USCIS looks favorably on numerous exchanges of significant value. This suits German exporters, import businesses, and trading firms with strong bilateral commerce.

Employment-Based Green Cards

Temporary visas expire. To stay permanently, you need an immigrant visa, commonly called a green card. Employment-based green cards fall into preference categories under federal law, each with its own requirements.⁷

EB-1 covers priority workers: people with extraordinary ability in sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics; outstanding professors and researchers; and multinational executives or managers. Extraordinary-ability applicants can self-petition without an employer sponsor.⁸
EB-2 covers advanced-degree professionals: a master’s degree or higher, or a bachelor’s plus five years of progressive experience. A Department of Labor labor certification and an employer-filed Form I-140 are normally required.⁸
EB-3 covers skilled workers with at least two years of training or experience and professionals with a bachelor’s degree. The employer files Form I-140 and obtains labor certification.⁸

Annual limits apply to each category, and wait times depend on demand. German nationals generally face shorter backlogs than applicants from high-demand countries like India and China, but you still need to track priority dates in the monthly State Department visa bulletin.

The EB-2 National Interest Waiver

A useful workaround within EB-2 is the National Interest Waiver. Instead of needing a specific job offer and labor certification, you petition on your own behalf by showing that your proposed work has substantial merit and national importance, that you are well positioned to carry it out, and that waiving the normal employer-sponsorship requirement benefits the country. This three-part test comes from a 2016 USCIS decision, Matter of Dhanasar. It applies well to fields like STEM research, public health, renewable energy, and advanced manufacturing. German engineers, scientists, and entrepreneurs with strong publication records or industry achievements are natural candidates. The NIW is one of the few green card paths where you control the entire process without depending on an employer.

Family-Based Immigration

If you have close relatives who are U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents, family sponsorship is often the most direct route. Your relative files Form I-130, which establishes the qualifying relationship through documents like birth certificates or marriage licenses. Speed depends entirely on which family category applies.

Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens (spouses, unmarried children under 21, and parents of a citizen at least 21) are not subject to annual numerical caps and generally process without long waits.⁹ Other relationships, such as siblings or adult married children, fall into preference categories with statutory visa limits and can involve wait times of several years or more.

If you are already in the United States on a valid visa when your family petition is approved, you may be able to adjust status to permanent resident without returning to Germany for consular processing. That option, filed through Form I-485, is available when a visa number is immediately available in your category.

The Diversity Visa Lottery

The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program allocates up to 55,000 green cards a year through a random drawing, targeting countries that send relatively few immigrants to the United States.⁷ Germany has historically qualified because its annual immigration numbers stay below the program’s threshold, but eligibility can shift from year to year. Check the State Department’s annual instructions before registering.

Registration opens during a short window, typically in October or November, and the electronic entry is free. Selection is random, and being chosen does not guarantee a visa; you still complete a full application and interview. To qualify, you must have completed the equivalent of a U.S. high school education (for most Germans, the Abitur or Realschulabschluss satisfies this) or have at least two years of qualifying work experience within the past five years in an occupation that requires significant training.¹⁰ The Department of Labor’s O*NET database determines which occupations meet the training threshold.

What the Application Involves

Forms and Fees

Nonimmigrant applicants complete Form DS-160 online; immigrant applicants use Form DS-260.¹¹ Both ask for a ten-year employment history, a five-year residential history, and social media usernames used in the past five years as part of security screening. Every answer must be accurate; willful misrepresentation can result in permanent inadmissibility.

State Department consular fees are:¹²

Non-petition-based nonimmigrant visas (except E category): $185
Petition-based visas (H, L, O, P, Q, R): $205
Immediate relative and family preference immigrant visas: $325
Employment-based immigrant visas: $345

Those are consular fees only. If your visa requires a USCIS petition (I-140 for employment-based green cards, I-129 for H-1B), you pay separate USCIS filing fees that can be substantially higher. USCIS overhauled its fee schedule in 2024 and many petition fees rose significantly. Immigrant visa holders also owe a separate USCIS Immigrant Fee, paid online after the visa is issued but before you travel, which covers processing of your visa packet and production of your green card.

German Civil Documents

You will need originals or certified copies of your birth certificate and, where applicable, marriage certificates or divorce decrees. A police clearance certificate (Führungszeugnis) is required and can be obtained from the Federal Office of Justice (Bundesamt für Justiz) in Bonn.¹³ If you are abroad, you can request it through the Bundesportal online.¹⁴

All German-language documents need a certified English translation. The translator must sign a statement confirming fluency in both languages and attesting that the translation is complete and accurate. Professional translation services familiar with immigration documents are worth the cost; formatting errors and mistranslations can delay a case.

Medical Examination

Immigrant visa applicants must complete a medical exam with a physician approved by the U.S. government. In Germany, approved panel physicians practice in Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich, and Hamburg.¹⁵ The exam covers immunization records, blood tests, and a chest X-ray to screen for communicable diseases. Fees are paid directly to the physician and generally run between €250 and €400 depending on which vaccinations you need.

The Consular Interview

Interviews take place at the U.S. Embassy in Berlin or the Consulates General in Frankfurt and Munich.¹⁶ You schedule your appointment through the official appointment service website after paying the application fee. Security is strict; leave electronic devices and large bags behind.

The consular officer conducts the interview in English or German, focusing on your qualifications, the purpose of your move, and whether your documents check out. Fingerprints are collected electronically. At the end, the officer usually tells you the outcome. If approved, the consulate keeps your passport to affix the visa and returns it by courier within five to ten business days. Having a visa does not guarantee entry; a Customs and Border Protection officer at the port of entry makes the final admission decision.

Taxes You Take On by Moving

Establishing U.S. tax residency triggers obligations that catch many German expats off guard. The United States taxes residents on worldwide income, so your German bank interest, rental income from property in Germany, and investment gains all become reportable to the IRS.

If your German financial accounts (bank accounts, investment accounts, and insurance policies with cash value) exceed $10,000 in combined value at any point during the year, you must file a Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR) with FinCEN by April 15, with an automatic extension to October 15.¹⁷ This applies whether or not the accounts generate taxable income. Penalties are steep and can reach well into six figures for willful violations. A separate FATCA reporting obligation applies at higher thresholds and is filed with your annual tax return.

The U.S.-Germany tax treaty provides relief from being taxed twice on the same income. You can generally claim a credit on your U.S. return for taxes paid to Germany, or vice versa, so income is not taxed at full rates by both countries.¹⁸ The treaty also has tie-breaker rules for determining tax residency when both countries could claim you, looking at where you keep a permanent home, where your personal and economic ties are strongest, and finally citizenship. Working with a tax professional experienced in both systems is not optional for most expats.

Keeping Your Status Once You Have It

Once you hold a green card, the United States is expected to be your primary home. Extended stays abroad, particularly those exceeding six months, can raise questions about whether you have abandoned your residency. If you need to travel abroad for more than a year, apply for a re-entry permit before you leave. Conditional residents (people who obtained a green card through a marriage that was less than two years old at the time) must file Form I-751 to remove conditions before the card’s two-year expiration. Miss that deadline and you risk losing your status entirely.

1
United States Census Bureau. German-American Day: October 6, 2023
2
U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Germany. Visa Waiver Program
3
U.S. Department of Labor. H-1B, H-1B1 and E-3 Specialty (Professional) Workers
4
Penn Wharton Budget Model. Projected Effects of the New (March 2026) H-1B Visa Lottery
5
U.S. Department of State. Treaty Countries
6
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. E-1 Treaty Traders
7
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1153 – Allocation of Immigrant Visas
8
U.S. Department of State. Employment-Based Immigrant Visas
9
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1151 – Worldwide Level of Immigration
10
U.S. Department of State. Diversity Visa – Confirm Your Qualifications
11
U.S. Department of State. DS-160 – Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application
12
U.S. Department of State. Fees for Visa Services
13
Federal Office of Justice. Frequently Asked Questions
14
Bundesportal. Apply for a Certificate of Good Conduct
15
U.S. Department of State. U.S. Consulate General Frankfurt, Germany – FRN
16
U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Germany. Visas
17
Internal Revenue Service. Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR)
18
Federal Foreign Office. Double Taxation – Estates, Inheritances, Gifts