Germany
Germany is the EU's largest economy, offering an excellent infrastructure, a clear path to permanent residency for skilled professionals, and strong worker protections.
For information only. This guide provides general information only and does not constitute immigration, legal, or financial advice. Visa rules, salary thresholds, and qualification requirements change frequently. Always verify critical decisions with official government sources and a qualified professional. Full disclaimer ↗
Healthcare in Germany — Expat Guide
Germany combines mandatory statutory insurance for most workers with capped co-pay exposure and broad national hospital coverage.
How to register for healthcare
- Complete Anmeldung at your local Bürgeramt within two weeks of moving in — you need a registered address before formal health insurance enrolment.
- If employed: confirm with HR which GKV (e.g. TK, AOK, Barmer) they are enrolling you in; ask for your Mitgliedsbescheinigung (membership certificate) on day one.
- If self-employed or freelancing: compare GKV and PKV within three months of registering residence, then apply directly to an insurer or through a Versicherungsmakler.
- Submit passport, Anmeldebestätigung, and employment contract or Gewerbeanmeldung to your Krankenkasse so they can register you with the system.
- Wait for your Gesundheitskarte by post (typically 2–4 weeks); until it arrives, carry your membership confirmation to doctor and pharmacy visits.
- Choose a Hausarzt (GP) in your area — optional but useful for referrals, repeat prescriptions, and ongoing care coordination.
Public health insurers
AOK (Allgemeine Ortskrankenkasse)
largest public insurer, strong regional coverage
Techniker Krankenkasse (TK)
popular with professionals, strong English-language support
Barmer
large national insurer with digital services
DAK-Gesundheit
competitive supplementary contribution rates
IKK classic
often favoured by trade and craft workers
💰 Cost information
Co-payments for GKV-covered services capped at 2% of annual gross income (1% for chronically ill patients). Prescription charges: €5–€10 per medication. Dental: statutory coverage for basic treatments; private top-up insurance recommended for crowns/implants.
Emergency Numbers
Bridge insurance for new arrivals
There's often a gap between arriving in Germany and getting enrolled in the public health system. During this window, you need private cover.
Bridge health insurance before public coverage starts
Public health insurance in Germany typically doesn't activate until you have a registered work contract. For the gap between arrival and enrollment — usually 2–8 weeks — you'll need temporary coverage. These providers specialise in expat bridge insurance.
Origin context
Healthcare prep from your home country
Vaccination records, insurance continuity, and medical document translation depend on your origin health system. Select your home country in the header for corridor notes when we have them.
Coming from India: what to bring and sort before you leave
Prescription medications — bring a 3-month supply
European pharmacies do not stock Indian-brand medications and many Indian prescription drugs are unavailable by their generic name without a local doctor visit first. Bring at least 3 months of any ongoing prescription medication. Get a letter from your Indian doctor in English describing the condition and dosage — useful if you're stopped at customs or need to register with a GP quickly.
OTC medicines: buy European equivalents on arrival
Combiflam, Crocin, D-Cold — none of these brand names exist in European pharmacies. The active ingredients do: ibuprofen (Combiflam), paracetamol (Crocin), and antihistamine decongestant combinations for colds. European pharmacists are helpful — describe the symptom and they'll find the equivalent. Don't bring large quantities of OTC drugs as customs can flag them.
Dental and eye checkup — do it in India before you leave
Dental treatment in Europe is significantly more expensive than India and is often not covered (or only partially covered) by public health insurance. Get a full dental checkup and any pending work done before departure. Similarly, get an up-to-date spectacles prescription and bring spare glasses — frames in Europe cost 2–5x India prices without vision insurance.
Ayurvedic and homoeopathic products
Widely used Indian products — Chyawanprash, Ashwagandha supplements, specific Dabur or Himalaya formulations — are available in Indian grocery stores in major European cities but often at 3–4x the India price. Bring enough for 3–6 months if you use them regularly.
Medical records — bring originals and digital copies
Bring physical copies of any significant medical history: surgery records, allergy list, vaccination records, chronic condition documentation. Scan everything to a cloud drive before you leave. European GPs cannot access Indian hospital records and will treat you as a new patient from scratch — your records help them give you continuity of care.
Coming from the Philippines: healthcare prep before you leave
Prescription medications — bring a 3-month supply and an English prescription letter
European pharmacies do not carry Philippine brand names (Biogesic, Neozep, Solmux). The active ingredients exist under European generic names — paracetamol (Biogesic), carbocisteine (Solmux), phenylephrine antihistamine combos (Neozep) — but you'll need a local GP visit to get a prescription for many of them. Bring a 3-month supply of any ongoing medication plus a letter from your Philippine doctor in English describing the diagnosis and dosage. Request this from your doctor on official clinic letterhead.
Get your PhilHealth clearance and certificate before departure
Download your PhilHealth Member Data Record (MDR) from the PhilHealth member portal and get a Certificate of Contributions. These documents are useful for proving contribution history if you later apply for PhilHealth Overseas Voluntary Membership (OVM), which costs PHP 2,400/year and maintains your eligibility for PhilHealth benefits during visits back home. Enroll in OVM before leaving if possible — you can do it at any PhilHealth branch or regional office.
Dental and eye work — do it in the Philippines
Dental treatment in Europe is significantly more expensive than in the Philippines and is often only partially covered by public health insurance. Complete any pending dental work, orthodontic adjustments, or restorations before departure. For vision: get an up-to-date spectacle prescription (optometrist refraction) and bring at least two pairs of frames — frames in Europe cost 3–6x Philippine prices without a vision insurance add-on. Contact lens brands available in the Philippines (like FreshLook or Acuvue) are available in Europe but at higher cost; bring a 6-month supply.
Vaccination records and the Philippine Yellow Card
Bring your International Certificate of Vaccination (yellow card) and any vaccination records from your barangay health center or private clinic. If you were vaccinated through government programs (DOH, Ligtas COVID), request a printed or QR-verified vaccination record from the DOH immunization portal before departure — European GPs and some employers ask for proof of specific vaccines (MMR, Hepatitis B, Varicella, flu).
Medical records — bring originals and scan everything
Bring physical copies of significant medical history: surgery records, discharge summaries, laboratory results for chronic conditions (diabetes, hypertension, thyroid), allergy documentation. Scan all documents and store in Google Drive or iCloud before you leave. European GPs cannot access Philippine hospital records and will start from scratch — your records prevent repeat tests and ensure continuity of care, especially for ongoing conditions.
your home country → Germany: what to verify
Records and insurance
Bring vaccination records and a summary of chronic conditions in English (or the local language). Register with mandatory health insurance in Germany within the deadline on your residence permit.
Check the official process for your corridor
Confirm embassy or consulate jurisdiction, document legalisation, and translation rules for applications from your home country to Germany. Requirements change — verify on official government portals before you submit.
Year-one admin
Register your address, tax ID, and mandatory insurance in your destination as soon as local rules require. Keep copies of every certificate you might need for renewals or family reunification later.
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