Where to get help about life in Berlin?

If I can’t answer your questions, these resources can help.

General questions

In English

You can get help from these communities and services.

Free Advice Berlin – Facebook group
Berlin EXPATS – Facebook group
Berlin4Beginners – Facebook group
/r/askberliners – Reddit community
/r/germany – Reddit community
Expatriates StackExchange – Questions and answers website

Immigration questions

Free help

Welcome Center of the Commissioner for Integration and Migration
They offer legal help about immigration. They answer in English, and many other languages. They answer a few days later.
“Working and Living in Germany” hotline
This phone hotline helps people move to Germany. They speak English.
Facebook groups
The information on Facebook is often incorrect or misleading. Don’t trust what you read.
/r/GermanCitizenship – Reddit community
The Imagine Foundation
If you are a software developer from a developing country, they can help you find a job and move to Germany. They speak English.¹

Paid help

Immigration lawyer
Use my list of English-speaking lawyers.
- Immigration lawyer hotline – 0900 1 5293 6611
  Use this number to ask quick questions. You will talk to Alexander von Engelhardt, a business and immigration lawyer in Berlin. It costs 2€ per minute.
Red Tape Translation
They offer immigration coaching. They can also come with you to the Ausländerbehorde. They have a lot of experience with visa applications. They often help me with this website.
Verfahrenshinweise zum Aufenthalt in Berlin (in German)
This internal document tells you exactly how the Berlin Ausländerbehörde works. It has better information about visa and residence permits than the official website.
Booka Local
Offers professional visa consultation. They can also go to the Ausländerbehörde with you.
List of English-speaking relocation consultants
List of English-speaking lawyers in Berlin

Apartment questions

Tenant associations (Mieterverein)
A Mieterverein protects tenants from landlords. When you are a member of a Mieterverein, you can get help from their lawyers. They can check your lease, help you with a bad landlord, get your rent reduced, and help you sublet an apartment. The membership costs 40€ to 120€ per year.² If you have a low income, it can be cheaper.³ Some unions have a waiting period before they help you.⁴ Berliner Mieterverein and Mieterschutzbund Berlin are the two biggest associations in Berlin. Berliner Mieterverein can help you in English.
Tenant counsel (Mieterberatung)
This is a free service from the city of Berlin. They have many branches. You might need to go in person. They might not speak English.
- asum Berlin – Free counselling for tenants
Lawyers
Use my list of English-speaking lawyers. If you have legal insurance (Rechtsschutzversicherung), it might pay for your lawyer. If not, a lawyer costs around 200€ per hour.
- Conny
  A legal service that helps people lower their rent. They speak English. Read my review of Conny.
Tenant counsel by Die Linke
The political party Die Linke offers free legal advice for tenants (Mieterberatung) and help clinics (Mietensprechstunde). The sessions are in different neighbourhoods.

If you get housing benefits, contact your local Sozialamt. They can help with apartment problems.

If you are an asylum seeker, contact the housing section of the Landesamt für Flüchtlingsangelegenheiten. Call +49 30 90225 1261 or write to Unterkuenfte@LAF.Berlin.de.

Don’t be afraid to defend your rights. Your landlord can’t kick you out or stop helping you because of it.

Medical questions

Use my lists of English-speaking professionals:

Legal questions

Lawyers
Use my list of English-speaking lawyers in Berlin. If you have legal insurance can help you find a lawyer, and it might pay for it. Some legal insurances have a legal hotline.
- Business and immigration lawyer hotline – 0900 1 5293 6611
  Use this number to ask quick legal questions. You will talk to Alexander von Engelhardt, a business and immigration lawyer in Berlin. It costs 2€ per minute.
Legaltech (Rechtsdienstleister)
Legal services can help you with specific legal problems. For example, Conny specialises in tenant law. They can lower your rent and many other things. I reviewed them here. Usually, their services cost nothing if you lose. If you win, they keep a part of the money you get.

If you have a low income, you can apply for legal help (Beratungshilfe) at the local Amtsgericht.⁶ You will get a certificate (Beratungshilfeschein) that pays for your legal costs. If you get Bürgergeld or Sozialhilfe, or if you are an asylum seeker, you are eligible.⁷ You will probably need to speak German.

If you have legal insurance, it covers talking to a lawyer. They usually have a legal hotline that you can call for free.

Financial questions

Tax advisors and alternatives
Tax advisors are certified tax professionals. They are legally liable for the advice they give. If they make a mistake, they pay for it. If you have complex tax questions, they are the only option.
Tax software
Tax software can help you file a tax declaration. It’s much cheaper than hiring a tax advisor.
Tax help union (Lohnsteuerhilfeverein)
A Lohnsteuerhilfeverein can help you file a tax declaration. It’s usually cheaper than a tax advisor. The cost is often based on your income.

Work questions

Working and living in Germany
Free hotline from the Office for Migration and Refugees.
BEMA
Free help for immigrants and asylum seekers. They speak English and many other languages.
BMAS Bürgertelefon
Free help for immigrants and asylum seekers. They mostly speak German.
ArbeitnehmerHilfe
Legal advice for members. Membership costs 40€ per year. You can use their help immediately after you become a member.
Your works council (Betriebsrat)
If your company has a Betriebsrat, they can advise you for free. They work for you, not your employer.
Workers union (Gewerkschaft)
If you are in a union, you can usually get free legal help, but only for work-related problems.⁵
Lawyer (Fachanwalt für Arbeitsrecht)
Hire a lawyer who specialises in employment law (Arbeitsrecht). They cost around 200€ per hour. Use my list of English-speaking lawyers in Berlin. Your legal insurance might pay for it.

Don’t be afraid to use a lawyer. Your employer can’t fire you or blacklist you because you defend your rights. It will not affect your job search.⁸

Business questions

People who can help you

Berlin Chamber of Commerce (IHK)
They offer help in English by phone, by email and in person. This service is only for businesses. They do not help freelancers.
Tax advisors
Use my list of English-speaking tax advisors in Berlin.
Business and immigration lawyer hotline – 0900 1 5293 6611
Use this number to ask quick legal questions. You will talk to Alexander von Engelhardt, a business and immigration lawyer in Berlin. It costs 2€ per minute.
List of English-speaking lawyers in Berlin
Berlin startups – Facebook group
Berlin freelancers – Facebook group

Helpful websites

Existenzgruender.de – official resource with a lot of detailed information
Make it in Germany – official advice and information for foreigners
Starting your own business – An official resource from the Ministry of Economic Affairs
List of official resources (in German)

Ask me

Write to contact@allaboutberlin.com. I can’t answer every question, but I can point you in the right direction. Please do some research first.

Sources and footnotes