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Migrants struggle with German bureaucracy

12:36

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Kathrin Wesolowski
November 4, 2023

Migrants who want to settle in Germany have to deal with the country's storied bureaucracy. The process can be a frustrating one — especially given the current backlogs at government offices.

Every year, Cuban Yairan Montejo has to renew his residence permit in order to keep living in Germany. What may sound like a simple process often causes him frustration and distress: Appointments are difficult to get, and many government officials are not as understanding as he would like them to be. Will he achieve his goal of obtaining a permanent residence permit? For Catalina Fajardo, from Colombia, things are somewhat easier. The kindergarten teacher is about to come to Germany with the support of a placement agency — because skilled workers are desperately needed. But, before that can happen, she needs to pass a language test. Kathrin Wesolowski follows both of them as they navigate German bureaucracy.

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DW’s on-the-ground reporters are always close to the action, be it covering international events or zooming in on some of the quirks of daily life. Camera always in hand, they report on the changes they see taking place in Germany, Europe and around the world.

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