Anmeldung: A step-by-step guide

One of the first things you must do when you arrive in Germany is to complete your registration “Anmeldung” at the local citizen’s office.  You’ll be required to show your Anmeldung when opening a bank account, enrolling for health insurance, setting up a local mobile plan, internet connection, and other things. The address you register with is also the address the authorities will use to send you postal mail to (a big hit in Germany). So basically, it is essential to have it. 

Important: In order to get your Anmeldung you have to have a permanent apartment address, where you can register and receive letters. To prove this, you need a confirmation by your landlord (see list of documents below). When you move into a new apartment in Germany, you need to register at the local citizen’s office within a time frame of two weeks after moving in. If you do not meet this deadline, you may be liable for an administrative fine. However, since the offices are often heavily overloaded and you usually have to wait a long time for an appointment, the responsible clerks often tend to turn a blind eye to minor delays.

As a newcomer, if you don’t have an apartment yet, you can do one of the following things:

1. Get a temporary flat/ sublet, for a few months to settle in and then look for a long-term apartment. You can book fully furnished apartments and rooms on these platforms:

• Spacest: https://spacest.com/ (filter for “You can take up residence”)

• HousingAnywhere: https://housinganywhere.com/ (filter for "Registration possible")

• spotahome: https://www.spotahome.com/ (look out for "Registration / Anmeldung" possible in the landlord policies)

• Homelike: https://www.thehomelike.com/ (filter for "Certificate of residence")

Here is a complete list of websites where you can find accommodation.

2. Live in a WG at least for a while (shared flat).

3. Register under a friend’s address.

No matter which option you choose, it is important to make sure beforehand that you can use this address for your Anmeldung. This is only possible if your friend, your flatmates or your landlord can provide you with the necessary documents (see below)!

A step-by-step guide to Anmeldung

Let’s dive in.

1. Make an appointment at the local citizens’ office as soon as you have a move in date. The exact name of the responsible authority varies somewhat depending on where you live in Germany. Here are a few examples:

• Bürgeramt Berlin

• Bürgerbüro München

• Bürgeramt Frankfurt

• Einwohnermeldeamt Hamburg

In some cities, the workload is quite high so it might take some time to book an appointment. Keep trying, as they release available appointments all the time. Especially in the mornings!

2. Once you’ve booked your appointment, you’ll get an email confirmation with an appointment number. make sure to have this information at hand when you go for your appointment.

3. Prepare the documents needed for your city registration. These may vary depending on your location and specific case. Be sure to check the website of your local citizens office to see what exactly is needed. Here are some documents you will need in any case:

• City registration form: Bring this filled out form with you. Mind the religion section. If you indicate that you belong to one of the religious communities recognized under public German law that are allowed to collect taxes from their members, you may end up paying church tax, which is around 8% of your salary. These are for example the Protestant and Catholic churches, as well as the Jewish denominations.

• Written confirmation by your landlord (“Wohnungsgeberbestätigung”): The certificate needs to contain the following information: Name and address of the housing provider and if he/she is not the owner, also the name of the owner, date of moving in, address of the apartment and names of the persons subject to registration. A rental contract is usually not accepted as a replacement for the confirmation by your landlord. In case the person renting out the place to you does not have a standard document for this, you can use this form as a template.

• Your rental contract.

• Marriage certificate: If you are married, you may need to bring your marriage certificate, translated in German by a certified translator.

• Have children? Bring the identification documents or birth certificates if your children are also moving in with you.

4. The desired day of your appointment has arrived! Double check your documents and plan enough time to get there in time. There will be a screen in the waiting room, wait until your number will appear. Once your number appears it’s your turn: Go to the desk or office mentioned next to your appointment number. Many of the staff won’t speak English, so try to come with a German speaker. The process itself takes about 5-10 minutes in total, at the end you’ll get a piece of paper, the “Meldebescheinigung“, a residence registration certificate. 

5. NOW you can get on with your business and finally receive mail, get a tax ID and apply for your residence permit.

You’ll have to do the whole process again when you move to a different apartment!

Recommendation for those of you moving to Berlin: Take a look at this detailed guide on Anmeldung in Berlin by All About Berlin.

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