₦airaland Forum

Hello all,
Been a while I posted well life happens when you have school work and German language class to balance. So just decided to give an update FROM MY PERSPECTIVE about life in Berlin Germany. Please it's not for generalisation, it's my own opinion so do not attack my post. Instead share your own opinion and we would all learn.
1) Try to learn German in Nigeria its way cheaper... At least do your A1 and A2 in Nigeria if you can. For A1 alone I paid 490 Euro here in Berlin. So you can imagine compared to the price of Goethe institute in Nigeria.
2) When budgeting for accommodation please budget for deposit ( kinda like security deposit). It's usually 2 to 3 months rent at most. You get it back when you leave the accommodation in a good condition after your contract expires.
3) Start your accommodation search as soon as you possible once you have do e your interview . Don't hope on studentwerk the waiting list is 3 semesters. Use your contacts join groups on Facebook eg Berlin housing, flats in Berlin etc but remember there are loads of scammers and time wasters on the prowl.
4) Accommodation in Berlin is expensive but you can get cheaper accommodation in the outskirt of Berlin. If you don't mind travelling for over an hour to get to school you should consider it. Also keep in mind during winter and strike times you might have transportation challenges.
5) Anmeldung is important but getting an accommodation that offers Anmeldung is more important. This helps you avoid necessary stress of repeating the process when changing accommodation.
6) Read the fine lines before signing any contract eg internet , phone, gym, insurance and so on. Contracts are binding here and hard to get out of once they are signed. Try starting with flexible short term contracts.
7) Eating out is great but cooking saves you money so bring you properly packaged Nigerian foodstuff when you are coming to Germany.
Make sure you pay your ARD fees ( broadcasting licence) , you can run but you can't hide from them forever especially since they know where you are thanks to Anmeldung. It is compulsory and just one payment per apartment so always discuss this with your potential housemates.
9) Recycling is compulsory and not hard though Berlin is dirty sha but cleaner than Naija by far.
10) A lot of generous people in Berlin giving stuff for free please join Free your stuff Berlin on Facebook. Please take only what you need try minimalist living, no space for clutter here.
11) Free food is great and cheap food is also great download 2good2go app tells you where you can find restaurants and bakeries leftover food for very low prices around you. Here there is no make we freeze and warm am for customer tomorrow. Food is served fresh and daily in most places.
12) Berlin is very diverse you would meet all kinds and types of people. Be friendly, be polite and most of all MIND YOUR BUSINESS.Try not to stare, Berlin is very LGBTQ friendly so don't be shocked. They are humans like you and might be one of the kindest people you will ever meet.
13) To survive in Berlin you need money, so hustling is very welcomed . Please drop your cloak of proudness in Nigeria because here there is dignity in Labour. Without German your job options are a bit limited to mostly unskilled labour eg cleaning, delivery, serving etc. Though people have gotten very good jobs without German so keep applying and don't limit yourself.
14) There is a drug culture in Berlin which unfortunately alot of our black brodas are the people selling em on the streets and it's quite open. If it's your thing well suit ya self. If it ain't when they approach you smile nicely and say No and find your way.
15) There are stupid people everywhere even in Nigeria so try not to get defensive when someone hurls racial insults at you. No need in putting yourself in harms way because you are trying to defend your blackness. A smile and a God bless you or Thank you or good old ignoring them does the trick. Try not to grovel in the mud with the pig.
16) Police is your best friend anything happens pls report to the police. Documentation always wins in the end. You get robbed or you lost something important report to the police.
17) In Germany you do effective work , meaning 8 hrs work is 8 hrs of work. No pressing phone or chatting with colleagues during working hours save it for your break time.
18) PUNCTUALITY please always be punctual 15 mins early always works. Pls pls no African time.
19) Socialising is a bit tricky here but it's easier if you join social groups there are a lot on Facebook . Also Berlin has a lot of activities you can join groups for . Salsa, bouldering, painting, cooking, fitness etc Soo much to do here. Best way to make friends is to socialise via activity groups.
20) Germans are very straightforward and conservative so you know our tendency of having no boundaries doesn't fly with em. So be subtle in your socialisation before they call police on you or report you to HR.
21) Make use of your student discounts find out places that offer student discounts and use them to save money.
22) Keep your music low and conversations down. Sunday's are noise free days someplace you ain't allowed to vaccum or mow your lawns on Sunday.
23) African restaurant and shops are available just google you would find some there is a big Afro shop run by Indians called Punjabi store in Osloer str you would get some Nigerian stuff there even catfish.
24) School work and exams are usually packed so study hard to make good grades. Most times they don't like story story just go straight to the point where you answer questions.
25) Be nice to each other especially your fellow Nigerians and share information when you have it. Quit your hoarding info habit, don't bring it here. Asian people dominate in most places because they have a good information network and share with each other.

Hope this helps I might not be here again until sometime later. Till then keep striving and wishing you all the best in your endeavours.
Cheers Ndidi (female lol don't sir or guy me)

Lovely what city are you in? The registration was so fast nice. In Berlin the earliest date for registration in any of the offices online is Oct 16th as at today lol. Did you use your rental contract or registration letter for your PostIdent?

heybaby12:
So I unblocked in 4 days....

First day..... Went to the post office to submit the
postident (hope I spelt it right) also got a
SIM And registed it, did the city
registration too

2nd day..... Opened N26 and finished all i had to do
with them.

3rd day..... Fintiba replied me to send my IBAN (got
from opening N26) ,i sent immediatly.

4th day......... Money got to my account in the
afternoon. That same day i also opened a
physical account which didn't waste time
too.

Good luck fellas

Yea Turkish airline has a student discount that is applied to flights to Germany and Berlin is included. Please visit their office in Victoria Island to purchase your tickets with the student discount someone coming to Berlin got his at 176k

domfeyer:
Doesn't Turkish Airline have one or any airline that is heading to Berlin?

I submitted the tarrif document with the personal info and policy I subscribed to.

phymeon:
Good morning Ndydy. Congratulations, may Deutschland favour you. I did Mawista insurance too and I received about four sets of documents (Emergency card, Terms and condition, Tarrif) did you submit all or only the one that carries your information?

Hello all,
Just a brief advice for all who have submitted their passport for visa. Do not the book your flight tickets till you get your passport back. The consulate is swamped and it might take more than the 7 days stated on the AM email for you to get your passport back after submission. I was lucky to get mine a day before I travelled after waiting for 10 days. Saw some guys who submitted same time or even a day earlier than mine and they hadn't got their passport sent back to them yet.

You can use your German student insurance if you have one already to collect your visa. I submitted my Mawista insurance for this. I didn't buy any additional travel insurance.

Yea as long as it is after the date your visa starts from [1quote author=elnasabdallah post=70769486]Hello house, can one leave a date different from the one he send to the embassy?.say after the chosen date? [/quote]

Hello all, Thank God AM dropped today into my spam folder. Please always check your spam folder especially yahoomail users.

Funded before Interview
Visa Interview - July 19th
AM received August 20th
Heading to TU Berlin

May God grant us all success in our interviews and journey to Germany

What kind of visa are you applying for? If it is studemt visa please this is not the form.

dipole2018:
Hello guys, I'm just coming across this link >> https://videx.diplo.de/videx/desktop/index.html#start whats up with it ? Is this a new way of applying for Visa ? I have my interview date by the way for next week. Should I be concerned ? Im I to fill this form ?

Warm Regards.

Sign before interview

pappyjoicc:
do you sign the form before the interview or in the presence of the v.o?

Means of subsistence in Germany which is either Blocked account, Sponsorship Letter or scholarship

pappyjoicc:
on the visa application form the section number 13 it says what are your means of subsistence does it mean my current means of subsistence or my means of subsistence in Germany?

Congratulations God is awesome. Wishing you all the best in this new phase.

shasha25:
Finally Finally
my Am has dropped.

it's been God from application to interview to funding now my visa has been approved.


I didn't spend a dime during my application to funding my blocked account.

the miracle is heavy abeg. someone I met on social media that I have never seen or met in my life supported my dreams. He has been supporting me from day 1 and even funded my blocked account last week.
what more can I say than to thank the Almighty.

I'm so speechless right now wawuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.

I also wanna acknowledge u all most especially Smoothvee, Osas, taiwo92, immafrank, Hon. seyi, daily dollars, ebenosky, azeez, berliner, u u u and u.

Please go to the Lagos state education board and get it. Dont use a school you didn't attend certificate please. I went without mine for my interview i just got a letter of attestation from the school. I didnt even require it in the end cause when asked if i had a certificate i said No and he said i should skip that and put the next document.

Holabisi:
Good morning house,

Please concerning the primary school leaving certificate neeeded for interview..I do not have but can I get from amother primary school willing to gibe me one or should i just go without it?

Please your expert advice is needed.

I didnt have mine and when Mr Paul asked, i told him I didnt have it and he said ok. I did my interview in Lagos. I think you can get a school leaving certificate from the lagos state education board you might need to confirm this information.

diego2015:
congrats bro. Do you know any other document that can be used in place of primary school leaving certificate

Please use the date you have be given just do your enrollment and go with the admission letter for the school you have enrolled in for your interview. There are no dates anymore for this winter semester at the embassy so if you write they will issue your date to someone else and you won't be getting any date for this year.

TUNDEMI1:
I have a date for interview on 23rd August for my first admission.
Got another admission on 2nd August and deadline for enrollment is 16th August.
Please should I reapply for new interview date or what should I do, am going for 2nd admission

Fund you blocked acct before your interview it saves some time also write to the school for enrollment extension. I'd advise if you have to certify your documents do so before your interview as your originals will be with the embassy till you get a decision on your visa. For my uni TUB we enroll by just posting our certified documents, insurance and other forms to the school. So if this is your case you can do that and tell the school you are in the process of getting your visa.

ournewspoint:
Hello guys,

Here have been quite resourcesful and I appreciate you guys.

I received my admission letter July 29th, and subsequently applied for visa on 2nd August after opening a block account.

The problem is that my enrollment deadline to the school is 1st October, and my Visa appointment date is 6th of September.

Can I still be able to get my Visa to travel before 1st October since it's less than 25 days from my interview date.

What can I do, to FasTrack the visa to be issued earlier.

Thanks and anticipating a response.

Yes I did

GeneralBahdGuy:
U photocopied the handwritten letter?

Handwritten original amd 2 photocopies

flange:
Thanks for this btw was your motivation letter hand written and how many copies did you submit?

If you dont have a copy you can go without it. I dont think it is a deal breaker. As long as you have your certificate you should be alright.

walexies:
Congratulations bro, success is yours. Are we meant to go with our transcript again, what if we have no copy at all.

Interview Transcript.
Questions I was asked
Do you speak German?

What course and why?

What School and semester?

Have you been to Germany?

When and how long?

Why Germany?

Why TU Berlin?

Why not Nigeria ,US or UK? She also asked of other countries I knew where my course was being taught.

Facts about Germany?( Note that follow up questions will be asked based on what you say)

What political party does Angela Merkel belong to?

Name the countries bordering Germany?

Capital of Belgium and Denmark?

What are your plans after study?

What was your bachelor thesis?

Then she collected my prepaid envelope and WAEC card and that was the end.

Visa fee was 26500 always take extra because it changes based on exchange rate of the day.

Things to note-

Come early.

Kindly follow your checklist make sure you have all documents and photocopies as stated.

Bring extra passport photo as I was asked for one extra besides the two I put on my form.

I was asked for my primary school certificate but I told him I did not have it, then he said OK put your secondary school certificate and university cert n transcript.

I came with my old intl passport as biographical document but I didn’t put it. He asked for just baptismal card, library card, vaccination card and old school ID card . I told him I had none and he said OK and asked me to arrange the next document.

Listen to Mr P and avoid asking him questions. Everything you need is written on your checklist. He will direct you on how to arrange your documents. But it helps if you arrange it according to the checklist in 3 batches, so it’s easy for you to reach when he is directing you.

Do not carry bags there you won’t be allowed in with it. Just put all you need in a folder , bring along an extra clear folder. Because he would use it to put your arranged document prior to going into the consulate.

Be Calm and confident. Don’t fabricate, just say what you know and are sure of.

Smile and be cheerful.

Prepare well and I pray God crowns all our effort with success.

Hello I used Mawista online and got my policy document in less than 30 mins. Just use your school address as your German address. I enrolled for the student classic plus which is 37 Euro for the 1st 12 months and 60 Euro from the 13th month. They dont deduct until the start of your policy. You should also have an account or credit card or debit card they can deduct their charges monthly from.

Rimz28:
Ole I am trying to get a health insurance for my enrollment Aok said they only give to people in Germany already anyone with another suggestion of a private insurance company because they said they are the ones to issue me such that Aok is a public one

Hello please anyone heading to TU Berlin Euref Campus this winter pls PM me. Thanks

Hello I just sent you a PM check your email and reply

deuxe:
I am happy to join this forum. I have just recieved my admission letter from Technische Universitat Berlin to study masters in International Energy Law. I learnt I need to open a blocked account. Can anyone guide me on this? And is there anyone in this forum who is offered a similar admission in same school?


Thanks

To be on the safe side take a one month insurance to cover your travel period. I think that's the minimum duration most companies sell. AIICO is good or Mansard I have used both and had no issues.
I would suggest you use Lagos to be on the safe side.

Ugoerico:
MaroCruz thanks a lot,remain blessed OK.
Please shebi I wil just pay for the number of days that I want to stay in Germany, 4 days..
Secondly why I was particular confused about weda Lagos or Abuja is that I work with a Federal Govt research institute and I have got an approval and sponsorship by my institute to go and present, thus is it stil Lagos? Cos u said abuja is for govt,am I among? Or is my case among?

No i don't have. I just walked into the court building and asked the elderly man at the reception desk, he directed me to her office. It's the first office space on your left , her door is on the right. You would definitely see people around her table signing off documents and affidavits.

Dammy112:
So are you suggesting that I should go to the registrars' office? I will try and get there tomorrow to see if I can get them done. Do you have the contact of the woman or anyone you know in the registrars' office?Thank you

This shouldn't have any effect in the German embassy. It has no bearing on their decision. Anytime you purchase PTA the bank stamps your passport. If you didn't travel well I guess he has a good reason for not travelling. I don't think the embassy has any business with your PTA purchase. Don't let it bother you.

adebowale14:
Hello House,

Pls help a Friend..

I want to know if one has used his passport to purchase Personal Travel Allowance (PTA) in one of the Nigerian banks without traveling has any effect with the German embassy. The PTA bought was $4,000 on the passport with the bank stamp on it. The Person has done his interview 3 wks ago and is awaiting AM.

I went to the high court in Lagos to certify my documents on Monday. I went to the registrars office she told me the price was 200 naira per page. She also wanted to know what I required them for and which country I was going to school and if I had taken German classes lol. She wrote the price and signed on all the copies after sighthing my originals. Though she refused to certify my age declaration which was issued by same court 17 years ago. Her reason was she wasn't there when it was issued so she can't certify it. I went to the cash office and paid the fees for the certification. I was issued an official receipt for the amount paid. I took it back to the registrars office and she signed and put 2 stamps on it. In total I had 3 stamps on the document 1 from the cash office and 2 from the registrars office. It took me 30 mins to complete the process. Her office is quite busy but she attends to people quickly.

iwriterng:
Do you live in Lagos?

They are not touts! They're normal people, hustling to feed themselves. They merely serve as middle man between you and the registrar or whatever the officer is called.

And the office that certified those documents can be easily contacted, because they're real legal office.

Good luck trying to access the registrar office yourself o, most especially in Lagos. You will spend the entire day on hold.

Hello, So I set out this week to try and fund my blocked account. Went to standard chartered and after dilly dallying for 24 hrs, they refused to process my form A. The reason given was; it is going to an account in my name and not the schools name. Left them and went to Ecobank after a couple of hours I was asked to get a letter from my school stating that I needed a blocked account in Germany. Well at this point I just decided to use black and blue market funds the difference is 3.5 to 4 naira form A bank rate was 424.5 black market is 428 to 429 Bought some Euro yesterday at this rate . Please any blue market person in Germany that can offer within these rates pls contact me via PM asap thanks. If you want to fund using form A at Ecobank pls make sure you go with a letter from your school stating you need a block account and the amt should be stated. Hope this helps someone.

dailydolar:
just use the one you have for application you can show up with the main one in case it comes so you no wahala at all. Enjoy
For the form A go to bank and talk with them I hear zenith get better understanding for this one you can use any branch but if na me I will go to the regional office if not in Lagos but if in Lagos go to the head office

thank you will do as advised I appreciate

Kenthumphz:
This question has been asked and answered for the umpteenth time. It's very possible. As a matter of fact, you are wasting time waiting, go ahead and apply OK. Then when you wanna go for interview or collect your AM you can use a different one altogether so long as its an admit to a German school.

As for the A form, don't know much about it

thank you will do as advised

Please is it advisable to use one admission letter to secure an interview date and change admission letter on the day of the interview. I currently have an admission but my first choice school won't give me an admission decision till Jun 22nd. I am a bit worried because dates are filling out someone applied this morning and got July 18th. I would love to get a date in July. Since both schools resume Sept 24th and OcT 1st, so I can get my visa in good time by God's grace. I have an admission letter from HTW and a confirmation of application from TU Berlin addressed to the embassy. TU Berlim sent this letter because they are aware of our visa interview date struggles here. The letter just asks the embassy to give me an interview date in July since their decision is in Jun 22nd and that i have submitted a complete application. So do I request for an interview date attaching both letters or do I use HTW admission to get a date and then switch it when I go for the interview to the TU Berlin admission letter hopefully I get it as TU Berlin is my school of first choice? This is my current dilemma any advice will be appreciated. Please anyone who has successfully used Form A to fund their blocked account please let me know how you did this. Thanks for your continued support and information on this thread.

okpala95:
Thanks for your advise.I use your format as stated this morning at around 6:30. And I got an interview date for 13th of July. The mail came 7:50am.

Thanks for your advice.

Wow they have started giving interview dates in July already.

INCREDIBLE015:
Good, because with the htw Berlin you will get an earlier date for interview base on your enrollment deadline.

What course are you going for in TU Berlin?

MBA Energy Management