Apartments and rooms are hard to find in Tübingen and the surrounding area and are usually very expensive. This makes some people think about moving. But are refugees from Ukraine allowed to simply move to another town or village where rents might be cheaper? In principle, this is possible, says the Tübingen District Office. In detail, however, it is not that simple. Above all, people who want to move must observe a few rules.
Those who have only been in the country for a short time and only have a fictitious certificate according to §24 of the Residence Act can only move within the district. A residence requirement applies to these people. Within the district, however, it is sufficient to register at one citizens’ office and at the other after moving. If the move is to be made to another district, an application for redistribution must first be submitted to the foreigners authority previously responsible. In principle, the other district must agree to this. The procedure is similar if the intended new place of residence is in another federal state. In this case, however, there may be longer waiting periods before approval is granted.
It is easier for all those who already have an electronic residence title according to §24. Holders of the “plastic cards” can freely choose their place of residence throughout Baden-Württemberg. They only have to register and deregister. However, if they plan to move to another state, they too must submit an application. Those who want to move because of a job or study place or for the purpose of family reunification have a good chance that the application will be granted, informs the press office of the Tübingen district office. “We decide here on the same day, provided that the necessary documents are available,” says the authority.
Things get more complicated when refugees receive social benefits—they need approval from two job centers at once. For example, anyone who wants to have relocation costs covered by the previous job center must first obtain approval. At the same time, the job center at the new place of residence must also give its approval if, for example, a rent deposit is to be paid. “The person must obtain the assurance from both agencies separately,” says the Tübingen district office. The costs are only taken over if the authority classifies them as “reasonable”. If the new accommodation is more expensive than the old one, only the previous amount is taken over. “It is always important that the rental contract is only signed after the assurance,” says the district office.
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Umzugskartons. Foto: tünews INTERNATIONAL / Mostafa Elyasian.
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