A Germany-to-South Florida move combines U.S. immigration planning with German departure formalities. Germany is in the Visa Waiver Program and is an E-2 treaty country. The United States and Germany have an income tax treaty, an estate and gift tax treaty and a Social Security agreement. The German side of the move has its own formalities, though. Leaving may trigger exit taxation on company shareholdings, you must deregister your address, and German Abitur planning does not map neatly onto a U.S. high school. This guide sets out those points for Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. Le Strand coordinates them in one written Le Strand Landing Plan.
Which U.S. visa routes do German families use?
German families can discuss E-2, L-1, EB-5, H-1B and the employment-based green cards. Visa Waiver Program travel suits scouting trips but not the move itself.
- Visa Waiver Program (ESTA). The State Department lists Germany as a VWP country. Travellers with an approved ESTA can visit for tourism or business for 90 days or less. VWP visitors cannot work, study for credit, extend their stay or change status in the United States.
- E-2 treaty investor. The State Department lists Germany for E-1 and E-2, with the treaty in force since 14 July 1956. The E-2 fits Mittelstand owners and entrepreneurs who invest in and direct a U.S. business. See E-2 intelligence.
- L-1 intracompany transfer. This suits executives and specialists moving within a German group that has a U.S. subsidiary. See L-1 intelligence and corporate relocation planning.
- H-1B. This route serves professionals hired by a U.S. employer in a specialty occupation. See H-1B intelligence.
- EB-5 investor green card. For petitions filed on or after 15 March 2022, the USCIS Policy Manual sets the minimum at $1,050,000, or $800,000 in a targeted employment area or infrastructure project. The amounts are scheduled to adjust on 1 January 2027. See EB-5 intelligence.
Independent immigration counsel advises on the route. Le Strand sequences the move around their answer. See the U.S. immigration pathways overview.
What does leaving Germany involve?
Leaving Germany involves deregistering your address and, for some families, a possible exit tax on shareholdings. Both have fixed rules.
- Abmeldung. Under § 17 of the Bundesmeldegesetz, anyone who moves out of a German residence without taking a new one in Germany must deregister within two weeks of moving out. Deregistration can be done no earlier than one week before the move. The Abmeldebestätigung is often needed later, for example by banks, insurers and pension bodies.
- Wegzugsbesteuerung (§ 6 AStG). Under § 6 of the Außensteuergesetz, a person who has been subject to unlimited German tax liability for at least seven of the last twelve years may be taxed on unrealised gains when they move abroad. This applies if they hold, or have held within the last five years, at least 1% of a corporation. Ask your Steuerberater to establish the relevant tax-residence event and valuation date. The law allows payment in instalments on application, typically with security.
The United States and Germany have an income tax treaty and an estate and gift tax treaty, according to the IRS. They also have a Social Security agreement, in force since 1 December 1979, according to the SSA.
Questions to take to your advisers: Does § 6 AStG apply to our GmbH or other shareholdings, and how is the gain valued? Should we apply to pay any exit tax in instalments? When do we stop being German tax residents, and how does the U.S.–Germany treaty's tie-breaker apply in the move year? How are our German pensions, Riester or Rürup contracts and life insurance treated in the United States? How does the estate and gift tax treaty apply to our family's assets? Which German and U.S. reporting obligations continue?
Le Strand lists these questions with owners and dates in the Landing Plan. Your Steuerberater and your U.S. tax adviser provide the answers.
How do German school years and qualifications translate?
The calendars are a reasonable fit, but qualifications need early planning. German school years run from late summer to early summer, with exact dates set by each Bundesland. Compare the dates in your Bundesland with the receiving school's calendar before setting the move date. For 2026–27, Broward County Public Schools and the School District of Palm Beach County began on 10 August 2026, and Miami-Dade County Public Schools on 13 August 2026.
Older students need the most planning. A student in the Oberstufe working towards the Abitur will move to a system built around the U.S. high school diploma, often with Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate options. Families who want to keep a route back to German universities should decide early whether to continue German-language study. Miami-Dade County Public Schools runs International Studies programmes that include German. Those programmes are designed around the language and curriculum of the partner country.
Florida law makes a child eligible for public kindergarten if they turn five on or before 1 September. Bring the Zeugnisse with translations and the Impfpass. Bring vaccination records for a Florida health professional to complete the school-entry documentation, normally Form DH 680, or the applicable exemption documentation. Le Strand coordinates the school timetable with the housing search. Schools decide admissions and placement. See Schools & family and the South Florida education corridor.
For a later intake, confirm the receiving school's published calendar, application deadline and available places. Private-school dates vary. Le Strand places those confirmed dates alongside the home and adviser timetable.
Choosing an area in South Florida
Le Strand helps each family compare areas against its own priorities: the daily commute, the school journey, the setting it wants and the type of property. Every shortlist covers Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, and each option is compared at the address level, with the journeys that shape the family's ordinary week.
- For a short drive to Brickell offices: Brickell for apartment living, with Coconut Grove in the City of Miami and Coral Gables, including Gables Estates and Cocoplum, a few miles south-west of downtown Miami.
- Near established public and private school options: Coral Gables and Coconut Grove for established residential streets near schools in Miami-Dade County.
- For waterfront and island living: Key Biscayne, reached by the Rickenbacker Causeway from Brickell Avenue, and Miami Beach and the Venetian Islands across Biscayne Bay. Fisher Island, Star Island, Indian Creek, Bal Harbour and Surfside offer different coastal and island settings.
- For canal-front homes and boating: the Fort Lauderdale waterfront, including Las Olas Isles and Harbor Beach, in Broward County, with a central position between Miami and Palm Beach.
- For condominium living between Miami and Fort Lauderdale: Aventura and Sunny Isles Beach in Miami-Dade County.
- For more space and a quieter base: Palm Beach, Manalapan, Gulf Stream, Boca Raton and its waterfront enclaves in Palm Beach County.
See the Miami landing overview, the Fort Lauderdale landing overview and the Palm Beach landing overview.
A Florida purchase brings title work, inspections and property-specific insurance questions into the closing timetable. Le Strand coordinates these with the appointed closing and insurance professionals. The Landing Plan sets out that sequence before a contract is signed.
Which flights connect South Florida and Germany?
Miami's October published schedule includes Lufthansa routes from Frankfurt and Munich. Confirm seasonal operating dates when comparing your departure airport. For Berlin, Hamburg, Düsseldorf or Stuttgart, compare the full connecting itinerary and the transfer to your South Florida home. Germany is usually six hours ahead of Florida, apart from short periods when daylight-saving changes differ.
Route examples checked 19 October 2026. Confirm operating dates, seasonal service and connections with the airline before booking. Compare total journey time, including the transfer to your South Florida destination.
What practical steps are specific to German families?
Four practical items to plan for German families: the driver's licence, credit history, health cover and consular services.
- Driver's licence. Florida requires new residents to get a Florida licence within 30 days of establishing residency. Germany has a partial arrangement: the Palm Beach County Tax Collector lists Germany as reciprocating the skills (driving) test only. German licence holders therefore still take the knowledge test, which has been given in English only since 6 February 2026.
- Credit history. Ask the receiving bank, lender or landlord which U.S. credit records and alternative financial evidence it accepts. Bring your existing records into that conversation before committing to a lease or vehicle finance. Le Strand coordinates the document timetable with the institutions you choose.
- Health cover. German statutory or private health insurance does not replace U.S. cover once you are resident. The Landing Plan sets the date U.S. cover must start, which licensed insurance professionals then arrange.
- Consular services. The Consulate General of Germany in Miami serves German nationals in Florida, including passports and civil registration.
How does Le Strand coordinate a Germany-to-South Florida move?
Le Strand starts with a Landing Assessment. It records the household, the visa route under discussion, the Abmeldung and exit-tax questions, the school-stage decisions and the role of the Florida home. The Le Strand Landing Plan then sets out the sequence in writing, with dependencies, dates and owners.
Le Strand introduces you to independent immigration counsel and U.S. tax professionals experienced with German families where you need them. It coordinates their requirements with your Steuerberater, your notary and the property search. See also the Landing Plan, UK to Florida and the family scouting trip.
Frequently asked questions
Can Germans move to Florida on ESTA?
No. ESTA covers visits of 90 days or less for tourism or business. Living or working in Florida needs a status such as E-2, L-1, H-1B or a green card, confirmed by independent immigration counsel.
Is Germany an E-2 treaty country?
Yes. The State Department lists Germany for E-1 and E-2, with the treaty in force since 14 July 1956.
Will I pay German exit tax when I move to Florida?
It depends. § 6 AStG can apply if you hold, or held within five years, at least 1% of a corporation and were subject to unlimited German tax liability for at least seven of the last twelve years. Your Steuerberater confirms your position.
How soon must I deregister in Germany?
Within two weeks of moving out, under § 17 of the Bundesmeldegesetz, if you are not taking a new German residence. You can deregister up to one week before the move.
Can I exchange my German driver's licence in Florida?
Partly. Florida waives the driving test for German licence holders, but you still take the knowledge test, in English.
Is there a tax treaty between the U.S. and Germany?
Yes. The IRS lists an income tax treaty and an estate and gift tax treaty with Germany. A U.S.–Germany Social Security agreement has been in force since 1979.
Can my children keep studying German in Miami?
Miami-Dade County Public Schools runs International Studies programmes that include German. Admission depends on the district's own criteria.
Which airport serves Germany?
MIA's October 2026 schedule lists Lufthansa routes from Frankfurt and Munich. Confirm seasonal operating dates with the airline.
Relocation guides by country
Each guide sets out the country-specific sequence for a move to Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.
