November 2025: 15 changes affecting expats in Germany

October’s end brought another seasonal shift and the nights are drawing in, but Germany isn’t ready to slow down for Christmas just yet. There’s plenty happening in November, we give you a run down:

1. New citizenship law will take effect on October 30

This German citizenship law amendment actually came into effect on October 30. However, since it was only passed on October 8 it wasn’t possible to cover it in the October edition of our monthly changes.

From October 30, residents in Germany will no longer be eligible for German citizenship after three years of working and living in the country, only after five years.

The other major change introduced with the June 2024 citizenship reform, that international residents can apply for citizenship after five years and that EU and non-EU residents can hold dual citizenship, will remain.

2. All Saints’ Day on November 1

On November 1, workers and schoolchildren in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland will all have a day off for All Saints’ Day.

All Saints’ Day is a Christian solemnity that honours - as the name suggests - all of the saints of the church, both known and unknown, who have attained heaven. It is followed by All Souls’ Day on November 2, which is not a public holiday.

3. Federal budget comes into effect retroactively

On November 2, Germany’s federal budget for 2025 will come into effect retroactively. Until now, the 2025 budget has been operating under the “provisional budget management” clause of the Basic Law (Grundgesetz).

After the federal election in February, a draft of the 2025 budget was passed in June and the final draft passed in September. The headline is a 500-billion-euro investment in German infrastructure, including schools, hospitals, transport and bridges.

4. LinkedIn to train AI on users’ information

From November 3, LinkedIn will use its European users' data to train the company's artificial intelligence system. According to the company, this includes profile information, such as your name and information about your work and education, location, and skills, as well as any public content you have shared, such as posts, articles, and comments. Private messages will not be used.

The setting “Data for Generative AI Improvement” is enabled by default, meaning that all the above user data will be automatically used for AI training unless the setting is manually disabled. Users can go to Settings & Privacy, then Data Privacy, followed by Data for Generative AI Improvement to opt out.

5. Better conditions for freelance midwives

A new collective labour agreement for freelance midwives will come into effect in November. Under the agreement, midwives who work outside clinics are entitled to at least 74 euros per hour. The process of midwives billing their patients will also be simplified.

6. Carnival season begins in Cologne

Every year on November 11, around 70.000 carnival merrymakers come together on Cologne’s historic Heumarkt to kick off a brand new carnival season! 

At 11.11am the crowd opens the “fifth season of the year” and Cologne Carnival transforms the city centre into a wonderland of the best and brightest fancy dress. Running through to Lent, carnival season closes in Cologne on so-called “Violet Tuesday”, which this season falls on February 17, 2026.

Is 2025 the first time you will attend the merrymaking in Cologne? Check out our definitive guide to carnival!

7. St. Martin’s Day on November 11

November 11 is a busy day in Germany, it also marks Saint Martin’s Day (Martinstag). 

On Martinstag, children in Germany traditionally walk around their neighbourhood holding lanterns and singing songs. The luminous processions celebrate the life of Saint Martin, a soldier, monk and bishop born in 316 or 334 AD, and symbolise the holy light that keeps the darkness at bay.

Probably inspired by one particular story of Saint Martin unsuccessfully hiding in a barn full of geese to avoid becoming a bishop, roasted goose (Martinsgans) is served in the evening, along with other traditional foods: red cabbage, dumplings and Martinshörnchen, a pastry that is supposed to represent the hooves of Saint Martin’s horse and his mantle.

8. EU Gigabit Infrastructure Act will come into effect

On November 12, the EU’s Gigabit Infrastructure Act (GIA) will come into effect. The GIA aims to support the speedy and cost-effective development of very-high-capacity networks (also known as VHCNs or gigabit networks) across the EU. In the longer term this should improve the internet connection across Germany.

9. Ryanair scraps paper boarding passes

This month, Ryanair is going to stop issuing paper boarding passes. From November 12, anyone who books a flight with the Irish budget airline will only receive a digital boarding pass. 

These digital boarding passes will be generated in the myRyanair app, but can also be forwarded to a mobile wallet. The new system means passengers without a smartphone are excluded and may find it difficult to travel.

10. Old TV sets will no longer receive public broadcasting

From November 18, old TV sets in Germany that do not have HD reception will no longer be able to receive programmes broadcast by public broadcasters. 

This is because ZDF will join ARD in no longer broadcasting programmes in SD quality. The latest change applies to the channels ZDF, ZDFinfo, ZDFneo, 3sat and KiKA.

11. Stricter rules for “Buy now, pay later“

From November 20, there will be stricter rules for making “buy now, pay later” purchases in Germany. Customers will have to complete a credit check before making their purchase and banks will have more responsibility to inform them about the loan payback process.

The new rules are part of the wider EU Consumer Credit Directive which already took effect on October 30 and aims to reduce the risk of low-income households accumulating debt.

12. Public holiday in Saxony on November 19 

On November 19, Buß- und Bettag (Day of Repentance and Prayer is a public holiday for people in Saxony and Bavaria. While workers and schoolchildren have the day off in Saxony, only schoolchildren have the day off in Bavaria.

Buß- und Bettag is celebrated on the penultimate Wednesday before the beginning of the Protestant liturgical year on the first Sunday of Advent, which this year falls on November 30.

Buß- und Bettag does exactly what it says on the tin, it is a formal opportunity to pray and repent. Religious people in Germany will take the opportunity to pray and consider their faith. Many churches will hold special services to commemorate the day. For non-religious people, it is a nice opportunity to have a day off work.

13. Deadline for switching car insurance

If you would like to swap car insurance providers before your insurance plan renews on January 1, 2025, you have until November 30, 2025, to withdraw from your existing plan.

Some insured people have a little more time. If your current insurer will raise prices next year, you have a month’s window to cancel from the date they inform you of the price rise.

14. KulturPass valid until November 30

In 2023, the SPD-Greens-FDP coalition government introduced a culture pass (KulturPass) for young adults in Germany. Using the pass, 18-year-olds could attend cinemas, concerts and galleries, or purchase books and records for free. The pass allowed young people to make purchases or attend events to the value of 200 euros.

But in August 2025, the CDU/CSU-SPD government announced the scheme would be abolished. Young people who currently have the pass have until November 30 to use their allowance and until December 15 to collect any orders made using the allowance.

15. Christmas market season begins

Christmas market season begins in mid- to late November in Germany. In 2025, the markets in Cologne, Munich and Hanover will be the first to open their gates between November 20 and 24.

In Berlin, christmas market season officially begins on November 30, the first day of advent. Can’t wait that long, a few markets in Hamburg already open on November 1.