Emigrating From Germany: Overview of 10 Countries
Vathanakone Prakosay · Updated on
In short: Emigrating from Germany leads to ten country guides here, from Switzerland to Thailand. Destatis lists Switzerland, Austria and Spain as the most frequent destinations in 2025. Each entry names what the guide says you must clarify first.
Which countries does this overview cover for emigrating from Germany?
This page links to ten guides for emigrating from Germany: Switzerland, Austria, Spain, France, Poland, the Netherlands, Italy, the United States, the United Kingdom and Thailand. Each guide rests on official sources with dates. Switzerland falls under its own free movement agreement, six countries under EU free movement, and three need a visa or travel authorisation depending on your purpose.
A ranking by popularity is not part of it. The only evidence for an order is the emigration data in the next section.
Where did Germans move in 2025?
The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) names Switzerland, Austria and Spain as the most frequent destinations of German citizens leaving in 2025. Press release no. 184 of 1 June 2026 gives rounded numbers of 23,000, 14,000 and 10,000 people. The weekly figure no. 24 of 9 June 2026 states finer rounded values and also lists the United States with just under 8,900 departures.
| Destination | Press release no. 184 (1 June 2026), rounded | Zahl der Woche no. 24 (9 June 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Switzerland | 23,000 | 22,700 |
| Austria | 14,000 | 13,500 |
| Spain | 10,000 | 9,700 |
| United States | not stated | just under 8,900 |
According to the same publication, the United States stood at just under 13,600 departures in 2005, a fall of 35 percent. Destatis notes that the figures come from reports to German registration offices and probably underestimate real departures slightly. For France, the United Kingdom, Poland, the Netherlands, Italy and Thailand, these two sources give no numbers.
What do you have to clarify first in each country?
Every country starts with a different hurdle. The list below shows what each guide names first; the sources and dates are in the guides.
- Switzerland: Germans enter without a visa under the free movement agreement. Work for more than 3 months needs a permit from the canton, and health insurance must be in place within 3 months of arrival. Read the guide Moving to Switzerland.
- Austria: No visa is needed. You register your address within three days of moving in, and you apply for the residence certificate within four months if you stay longer than three months. Read the guide Moving to Austria.
- Spain: You can stay up to 3 months without registering as a resident. After that you register in person in the Central Register of Foreigners and in your town's Padrón. Read the guide Moving to Spain.
- France: You can stay three months without registering as a resident. After that you need work, or sufficient resources and comprehensive health cover. Read the guide Moving to France.
- Poland: EU citizens need no visa, but two registrations: the residence with the voivode and the address with the municipality. Read the guide Moving to Poland.
- Netherlands: If you stay longer than four months, you register with your municipality within five days and take out Dutch health insurance within four months. Read the guide Moving to Netherlands.
- Italy: You need no visa and no work permit. You can stay 3 months without registering, then you register at the municipality. Read the guide Moving to Italy.
- United States: You need a visa or a Green Card. ESTA allows only trips of up to 90 days and no work. The main routes are H-1B, L-1A, E-2 and the Green Card categories. Read the guide Moving to United States.
- United Kingdom: For visits of up to 180 days you need an ETA, which costs 20 GBP. To work, you need a visa such as the Skilled Worker visa, which requires a confirmed job offer before you apply. Read the guide Moving to United Kingdom.
- Thailand: A visa is needed for any stay beyond 30 days (German Foreign Office, as of 25 October 2026). The DTV lasts five years with 180 days per entry; the O-A and O-X suit people aged 50 or older. Read the guide Moving to Thailand.
Which countries need no visa for Germans?
The guides name no visa for Germans in Switzerland, Austria, Spain, France, Poland, the Netherlands and Italy. Registration still follows, and the deadlines differ: Austria sets three days for the registration form, and the Netherlands five days if you stay longer than four months. In France and Italy the duty to register starts after three months.
Thailand, the United States and the United Kingdom work differently. There, entry and stay depend on your purpose. A longer stay in Thailand or the United States and work in the United Kingdom call for a visa or a Green Card.
What you need to bring
No single list covers all ten countries. Each guide has its own section "What you need to bring" with the documents that the authorities name. Two points apply to several destinations:
- A valid travel document. The United States does not accept the national ID card for entry, and Thailand requires a passport that stays valid for at least 6 months on arrival (German Foreign Office).
- Proof of work, resources or insurance once the stay gets longer. Which proof depends on the country and your situation.
Ask the competent office in the destination country for the current list, for example the embassy or the municipality.
Which points help you compare countries?
Every country guide answers the same questions, so you can compare along those lines: the right to stay and registration, health insurance, permission to work and recognition of qualifications, tax and pensions, and housing. The official sources behind the guides give no comparison values for living costs or quality of life, so this page does not compare them.
Requirements differ widely: the Spain guide covers the NIE and the Padrón, the Poland guide the registration with the voivode, and the Netherlands guide the 30 percent facility.
What if you move the other way?
People who come to Germany find the rules for visas, registration and citizenship in How to Move to Germany. The address registration is described separately in register your address in Germany.
Frequently asked questions
Which countries can you read about on this page?
Ten: Switzerland, Austria, Spain, France, Poland, the Netherlands, Italy, the United States, the United Kingdom and Thailand. Each has its own guide.
Where do Germans emigrate to most often?
According to Destatis, Switzerland, Austria and Spain were the most frequent destinations in 2025 (press release no. 184, 1 June 2026). The weekly figure no. 24 gives 22,700, 13,500 and 9,700 departures.
How many Germans moved to the United States in 2025?
Just under 8,900, compared with just under 13,600 in 2005 (Destatis, Zahl der Woche no. 24, 9 June 2026).
Do Germans need a visa for all of these countries?
No. The guides name no visa for Switzerland and the EU countries on the list. For a longer stay in the United States and Thailand you need a visa or a Green Card, and the United Kingdom first asks for an ETA.
Where do you find the rules for moving to Germany?
The guide How to Move to Germany covers visas, registration and citizenship for people who come to Germany.
Sources
- Destatis: Nettozuwanderung 2025 mit 235 000 Personen deutlich gesunken (press release no. 184, German), 2026 (As of: 1 June 2026)
- Destatis: Zahl der Woche no. 24 (German), 2026 (As of: 9 June 2026)
- German Foreign Office: Thailand, travel and safety advice, 2026 (As of: 25 October 2026)
- German Foreign Office: USA, travel and safety advice, 2026 (As of: 12 October 2026)
General information, not legal advice. Rules change: check the linked official pages before you act.
Author: Vathanakone Prakosay · Updated on October 25, 2026
