Moving from India to Germany (2026): Relocation Guide
Key takeaways
- Start with your pet, not your furniture. India is not on the EU’s list of approved third countries, so a dog or cat entering Germany needs a microchip, a rabies vaccination, a rabies antibody titration test (blood drawn by an EU-approved laboratory at least 30 days after vaccination, result of 0.5 IU/ml or more), and then a compulsory three-month wait from the blood-sampling date before travel. Plan roughly four to five months for pets.
- Most people moving from India are third-country nationals and need a national visa before entry. For skilled graduates the EU Blue Card is usually the fastest route, applied for at the German mission in India.
- German customs relief for household goods (Übersiedlungsgut) is claimed on Zoll form 0350. You must have lived outside the EU for at least 12 months, owned and used the goods for at least six months, and import them within 12 months of moving.
- Sea freight from Nhava Sheva (Mumbai) to Hamburg runs about 30 to 40 days port to port; add packing, customs and inland delivery on both ends.
- Once you arrive you must register your address (Anmeldung) within 14 days, and your Indian driving licence stays valid for only six months after registration.
1. Leaving India: what to close out
A move abroad from India involves two separate strands: your own departure and the export of your belongings. Deal with them in parallel, because both take longer than most people expect.
Passport and emigration clearance. Check whether your passport is stamped ECR (Emigration Check Required) or ECNR/Non-ECR. Only ECR passport holders travelling to certain countries for employment need clearance from the Protector of Emigrants through the eMigrate system, and Germany is not on that ECR list. Most graduates hold Non-ECR passports and simply clear the Bureau of Immigration desk at the airport with a valid passport and German visa. Even so, confirm your passport has at least the validity Germany requires and enough blank pages.
Your German visa. Because Indian citizens are third-country nationals, you almost always need a long-stay national (D) visa before you leave. The main routes are the EU Blue Card for university graduates with a qualifying job offer and salary, the Skilled Worker visa, the Job Seeker or Opportunity Card, a student visa, or family reunification. Apply through the German mission in India (VFS handles biometrics in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and other cities). After arrival you convert the visa into a residence permit (Aufenthaltstitel).
Tax and finances. Tell your bank you are becoming a non-resident so accounts can be redesignated (NRO/NRE) correctly, and settle any outstanding Indian income tax. Keep copies of your Form 16, PAN card and recent tax returns; German authorities and landlords sometimes ask for proof of income history.
Household goods export. Unlike an inbound move, exporting used personal effects from India is straightforward: there is no export duty on used household goods. Your international mover files the export documentation with Indian Customs at the port, along with a detailed valued inventory (packing list), a copy of your passport and visa, and the bill of lading. Choose a FIDI/FAIM-accredited mover where you can; standards and claims handling are more reliable.
Pet export from India. This is the long pole. Beyond the EU-entry requirements below, your pet needs an export No Objection Certificate and export health certificate from the Animal Quarantine and Certification Service (AQCS). The AQCS certificate is issued after an inspection shortly before departure (typically within seven to ten days of travel) and is valid only for about ten days, so it is one of the last steps. For up to two pets travelling as accompanied baggage, a DGFT licence is generally not required; larger numbers or commercial movements need a DGFT export licence. Book the AQCS appointment early.
2. How your household goods ship to Germany
For a full household, sea freight is the default. A dedicated 20-foot or 40-foot container (FCL) suits a whole flat or house; a part-load (LCL, “groupage”) shares a container and costs less but adds consolidation time at both ends. Vessels leave Nhava Sheva (Jawaharlal Nehru Port, near Mumbai) frequently, and Chennai serves the south. The main German gateway is Hamburg, Europe’s third-largest container port.
Transit time. Nhava Sheva to Hamburg is roughly 30 to 40 days port to port, with about 33 days typical for a direct FCL sailing. That is only the ocean leg. Realistically, count the full door-to-door timeline as eight to twelve weeks once you include professional packing, road transport to the Indian port, export clearance, the sailing, German import clearance and final delivery to your address. LCL adds a week or two for deconsolidation.
Air freight is far faster (a few days to a week in transit) but several times more expensive by weight, so reserve it for essentials you need immediately: a suitcase or two of clothing, laptops, important documents, a child’s comfort items. Many people fly with cabin and checked baggage for the first weeks and let the sea shipment follow.
Insure the shipment on an all-risk, replacement-value basis and photograph valuable items before packing. Do not ship prohibited or restricted goods (weapons, certain foods, plants, large cash sums), and remember that Germany taxes alcohol and tobacco even within a household move.
3. Germany customs and transfer-of-residence relief
When you move your normal residence from a non-EU country such as India to Germany, your used personal belongings can be imported free of import duty and import VAT as Übersiedlungsgut (removal goods). This relief is the reason a proper move is so much cheaper than buying everything new.
The conditions set by German Customs (Zoll) are:
- You are transferring your normal place of residence to Germany after having lived outside the EU for a continuous period of at least 12 months.
- You have owned and used the goods for at least six months before the move.
- The goods are for your continued personal use, not for sale.
- You import them within 12 months of establishing your German residence (this can be done in several consignments).
The form. The relief is claimed in writing on Zoll form 0350 (“Declaration on Removal Goods / Antrag auf Übersiedlungsgut”), submitted with a detailed inventory, your passport and visa/residence documents, proof of your foreign residence and the address deregistration abroad, and proof of your new German address. Your mover’s German clearing agent normally lodges this on your behalf, but you sign the declaration.
Note that a car can also qualify as removal goods under the same rules, but must meet German registration and emissions requirements separately. Newly bought items, second-home furnishings, and goods you cannot show you owned for six months are not covered and may attract duty and 19% import VAT.
4. Arriving: registration, residence, driving, healthcare
Anmeldung (address registration). Within 14 days of moving into your German home you must register at the local Bürgeramt/Einwohnermeldeamt. You need your passport, the completed registration form and a Wohnungsgeberbestätigung (landlord’s confirmation). The Anmeldebestätigung you receive unlocks almost everything else: your tax ID (Steuer-ID) arrives by post, and you need the registration to open a bank account, get a phone contract and apply for your residence permit.
Residence permit. Convert your entry visa into your residence title (EU Blue Card, Skilled Worker permit, etc.) at the local Ausländerbehörde. The Blue Card is popular with Indian professionals because it offers a fast path to permanent residence, family reunification, and easier EU mobility. Book the appointment early, as waiting times in big cities are long.
Healthcare. Health insurance is mandatory. Employees are usually enrolled in statutory health insurance (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung) automatically through payroll; higher earners and the self-employed can choose private cover. Sort this out in your first weeks, as proof of insurance is often required for the residence permit.
Driving licence. You may drive on your valid Indian licence (with an official German translation or International Driving Permit) for six months after establishing residence. India has no full reciprocity agreement with Germany, so to keep driving beyond six months you must exchange your licence, which for Indian holders normally means passing the German theory and practical tests plus a first-aid course and eye test. Start the process straight after your Anmeldung, because it can take two to three months.
5. Pets
This is the single most important section to read first, because the timeline drives the whole move. India is not a listed third country for EU pet entry, so the strict “unlisted country” rules apply to dogs, cats and ferrets entering Germany.
The required sequence is:
- Microchip first (ISO 11784/11785 compliant). It must be implanted before or at the rabies vaccination, or the vaccination does not count.
- Rabies vaccination after the chip.
- Rabies antibody titration (blood) test: blood drawn by an EU-approved laboratory at least 30 days after the vaccination, showing an antibody level of at least 0.5 IU/ml.
- Three-month wait: a mandatory waiting period of three months counted from the date the blood sample was taken, before your pet may enter the EU. (The wait does not apply if the titre test was done before the animal ever left the EU, which is not the case here.)
- EU animal health certificate issued by an official veterinarian, valid 10 days for entry, plus the AQCS export paperwork from the Indian side.
- Enter the EU through a Traveller’s Point of Entry and complete any required notification.
Because of the 30-day gap plus the three-month wait plus scheduling of vet, lab and AQCS appointments, realistically allow four to five months. Start your pet’s paperwork before you book anything else. Note that some EU countries also have breed restrictions; check the rules for your German state.
6. Money, banking and tax basics
Open a German bank account soon after your Anmeldung; you will need it for salary, rent and utilities. Many newcomers start with an online bank while a traditional account is set up. Redesignate your Indian accounts to non-resident status and be mindful of India’s Liberalised Remittance Scheme limits when transferring savings; keep clean records of the source of funds, as German banks may ask.
Germany taxes residents on worldwide income, and there is a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between India and Germany that prevents you being taxed twice on the same income. Your German employer withholds income tax and social contributions through payroll. If you have Indian rental income, investments or a provident fund, take professional advice in your first year, because timing your move around the tax year affects your residency status in both countries.
How Flyto handles your India to Germany move
Flyto Relocation manages the whole India-to-Germany corridor as one project rather than a series of disconnected bookings. We coordinate origin packing and export clearance at Nhava Sheva or Chennai, the ocean or air leg into Hamburg, German customs and the Zoll form 0350 Übersiedlungsgut filing, and final delivery and unpacking at your new address. Because we run our own hubs across Northern, Central and Southern Europe, your shipment stays inside one accountable network from the Indian port to your German doorstep, with a single point of contact throughout. We also plan the pet timeline backwards from your travel date so the titre test and three-month wait never derail your plans. Tell us your dates and inventory and we will build a realistic schedule and a fixed quote: get a quote.
Frequently asked questions
How long before my move should I start the pet rabies titre test?
At least four to five months. The blood sample must be taken 30 days or more after the rabies vaccination, and there is then a mandatory three-month wait from the sampling date before your dog or cat may enter the EU, so it is the longest-lead task in the whole move. See European Commission — bringing a pet to the EU.
Do I pay German import duty and VAT on my used furniture?
No, provided you qualify for transfer-of-residence relief: at least 12 months living outside the EU, goods owned and used for at least six months, imported within 12 months of the move, declared on Zoll form 0350. See German Customs — transferring residence.
Which visa do most Indian professionals use for Germany?
The EU Blue Card is the most common route for university graduates with a qualifying job offer and salary, because it offers a fast track to permanent residence. Apply at the German mission in India before you travel. See BAMF — the EU Blue Card.
How long does sea freight from India to Germany take?
About 30 to 40 days port to port from Nhava Sheva to Hamburg, with roughly eight to twelve weeks door to door once packing, clearance and delivery are included. Air freight takes a few days but costs much more.
How soon must I register my address after arriving?
Within 14 days of moving in, at your local Bürgeramt. The registration confirmation (Anmeldebestätigung) is needed for your tax ID, bank account and residence permit.
Can I keep driving on my Indian licence in Germany?
Yes, for six months after you establish residence (carry a translation or International Driving Permit). To drive longer you must exchange your licence, which for Indian holders normally requires passing the German theory and practical tests. See German mission in India — Indian driving licence.
Related moves
Sources
- German Customs (Zoll) — Transferring residence / Übersiedlungsgut
- Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) — The EU Blue Card
- European Commission — Bringing a pet to the EU from a non-EU country
- German Federal Ministry (BMLEH) — Travelling with pets: entry regulation
- Animal Quarantine and Certification Service (AQCS), India — Export of pets
- Ministry of External Affairs, India — Emigration clearance system
- German mission in India — Indian driving licence in Germany
- Make it in Germany (Federal Government portal) — visas and living in Germany
Hiring an international mover? See our full International removals to India service — Flyto’s own European hubs, vetted local partners and one English-speaking coordinator, door to door.