German mums in the UK - are we entitles to Elterngeld and Kindergeld???

[evaswaitingimpatiently]

I am a soon-to-be mum (another 5 days to go)from Germany, living in the UK. Dh is German as well, and although we live here full-time, dh still has his 1. Wohnsitz in Germany. My family mentioned that we might still be entitled to the new Elterngeld and/or even Kindergeld? Does anybody have any more information on this. One of the paragraphs says that one must have one of the "WOhnsitze" in GErmany and have been in employment before the baby - although I was in employment, it was not in GErmany but over here...Any information would be very welcome!!!!

I'm a UK mum in Germany Sadly, I don't think you'd get Elterngeld, but do ring up their info line (I think you can find it on www.bmfsfj.de) and check. I think with Kindergeld, in the EU the rule is that if your home state pays more Kindergeld or equivalent than the state you are living in, you get the difference - so that might be worth looking into. Good luck with the birth

I am a German mom in Germany, and though my dd was born in the "ante-Elterngeld-period" , I am rather sure that you will probably not get Elterngeld because you are supposed to have worked here. What about your 1. Wohnsitz? As Berolina says, Kindergeld micht be worth checking. Wish you a great birth!

Good luck Eva, hope the birth goes well. Sorry I don't know the answer. Can your mum not go round and ask for you?

Thanks for the comments! I find it really difficult getting information on these issues, as there seems to be no clear asnwer. I don't even know which places would be best to try and get information. I did ask my parents to do their best to find out, so we'll see...My 1. Wohnsitz is over here (makes it much easier with passport issues etc) but would be considering moving it to my parents' if it meant I'd be able to get some of the money!

For Kindergeld it seems you need to be registered as having a Wohnsitz here but doesn't have to be your main residence as far as I understand it:

Kindergeld

Then there's this:
"1.2 Die Familienkassen des öffentlichen Dienstes sind nur zuständig für die Festsetzung und Zahlung des Kindergeldes an Berechtigte, die der unbeschränkten Einkommensteuerpflicht unterliegen. Diese Voraussetzung erfüllen Sie, wenn Sie in Deutschland einen Wohnsitz oder Ihren gewöhnlichen Aufenthalt haben. Wenn Sie im Ausland wohnen, können Sie u. U. auf Antrag als unbeschränkt einkommensteuerpflichtig behandelt werden. Beschränkt steuerpflichtige Personen können Kindergeld unter bestimmten Voraussetzungen von der Agentur für Arbeit - Familienkasse ? erhalten."

Don't you just love reading official texts! Seems the Familienkasse is the place to ask about Kindergeld.