Guy99

I'm a brit living in Poland .... have registered here as any eu citizen as you're supposed to do after 3 months.
I'm hoping that come Brexit my residency will still be good.

Was thinking of trying the same in Germany.
In other words - registering as an eu citizen for residency purposes and hoping it holds good post brexit - making sure to " register" before the UK government triggers art 50.


Is registering difficult?

I have a german friend who's willing to let me live in his house rent free so won't have any rental agreement.

Can a form be downloaded, signed by me and my German friend (there will be no rent agreement /contract) just a signature from him confirming I'm staying/living in his house .


I'm guessing I'll have to travel to Germany (frankfurt) and hand it in personally with my passport.


Can this be done with no formal rent /leasing agreement ...just a signature on the form from my friend confirming I'm living in his house.?

scrubbedexpat0105

So which is it – are you going to be living in your friend's house, or not?

If not, you and your friend are breaking the law:

Bundesmeldegesetz (BMG)
§ 19 Mitwirkung des Wohnungsgebers

(6) Es ist verboten, eine Wohnungsanschrift für eine Anmeldung nach § 17 Absatz 1 einem Dritten anzubieten oder zur Verfügung zu stellen, obwohl ein tatsächlicher Bezug der Wohnung durch einen Dritten weder stattfindet noch beabsichtigt ist.

By my reading of the statute (§ 54 (3)), the fine for your friend in this case is up to €50,000.

If you are going to be living there, then yes, a letter from your friend is normally sufficient to prove that you're living at that address.

By registering as a German resident, you become liable for tax and social charges in Germany.

You could register dual residency in Poland and Germany. That would help to justify why you're hardly ever here. But then you would have double the bureaucracy (tax, social charges, etc.).

Guy99

You talk about being liable for German tax.... i don't actually have any german income - only Polish and English ....i wouldn't have thought registering for residence is a precursor for paying the German tax man on income earnt and already paid tax on - in both England and Poland.
German income - that would be another matter.

scrubbedexpat0105

I didn't say that you would have to pay tax on your income twice. I said that you would be liable for tax in Germany. Bilateral agreements between countries exist under which you can avoid paying the tax twice. But as a German resident you still have to submit a tax return showing your income and demonstrating that tax has already been paid in another country where applicable.