@jeremyjanzen @Crispius @Linux @cwebber as for #Germany, the #OpportunityCard (§20a AufenthG) is an option, tho it does require either a sponsor with significant unallocated income ( € 1.091,-- per month & person after taxes!) or equal amounts of savings (for 12 months = € 13.092 ) in a depository bank account in Germany.

• Luckily for #US citizens (= any holder of a #USA passport!) they can change their status post-entry arrival on a 90-of-180 day Schengen on-arrival visa (which requires a return ticket within said time frame and will only be issued for that one).

This is obviously #NotLegalAdvice and I'd highly recommend to seek consultation with a #lawyer like @marcel and his colleagues beforehand.

Needless to say the "Opportunity Card" is focussed on white-collar professionals and academics with a certified degree, so investing the €200 + paperwork to get accredited did help one person that I know to get that started.

• Either way, the ability for US passport holders to change status post-entry from tourist to resident and thus get a path to citizenship is something specific to Germany. If one can get hired within 90 days of entry into Germany and then file for residency permit and employment permit, that should also be an option. Tho again I do advice to seek consultation beforehand...

Other nations may have different requirements and are potentially easier to attain for people without an academic degree.

• Allegedly the #Netherlands and their #DAFTA (Dutch-American Friendship Treaty) scheme may be more accessible for some, but I don't know Dutch and can't refer to a lawyer in the Netherlands.

Needless to say that I'd see the chances of getting asylum or protected status granted as very slim right now.

• Either way I do recommend to - (if possible) - arrive directly in Germany as first point of entry into EU/EFTA/Schengen to avoid any Dublin-II situation where agencies may demand one to file for asylum at the point of entry if one has to do so at some point.

Again: "Passport Privilegue" helps a lot, or as I call it "Business Class Escape"...

@tprophet I also know several U.S. citizens doing #DAFTA [Dutch-American Friendship Treaty] which is literally providing them with near-instant residency...

And I can higly recommend checking out other options like #Germany - espechally with #SelfID legislation about to be passed this year.