When it came time for former US Army soldier and longtime Heidelberger George Hall to retire, there wasn't any question he was going to stay in Germany.

Hall has lived in Germany for nearly 30 years now, and his life here - and the growing list of places he's seen - reads like an advertisement for expatriate retirement. But if retiring to Germany sounds good to you, too, the first question you need to answer is, can you?

Happy to have your money

Luckily, if you're retired, you've already cleared the biggest immigration hurdle: finding work. Since you won't be stealing away a coveted job or depending on your salary to keep yourself, Germany is happy for you to come spend your pension here - provided you have adequate means and health insurance. If you've got that square, your next step depends on whether you're a citizen of an EU country or a third-country national; ie, everybody else.

To settle in Germany, all EU citizens have to do - again, provided they can prove they can keep themselves - is register at their local Einwohnermeldeamt. For Americans, Australians, South Africans and the like, it's a little trickier, at least if you're not married to a German.

 Meeting the big two gives you a good chance of getting a residence permit. You can apply for one after you've arrived in Germany. But if you're worried about your chances, it's smart to apply for your residence permit at your nearest German consulate before you come.

You'll need to meet an additional two requirements to get your settlement permit: sufficient knowledge of German, and basic knowledge of German legal and social systems. You apply for both permits at your local Auslaenderbehoerde. (See How to get a residence permit in Germany for more information.) 

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