HOW TO REGISTER IN GERMANY

Anmeldung / Ummeldung in Germany

THE PROBLEM(S)

You have moved to Germany and need to register (anmelden).
You have moved within Germany and need to register again (ummelden).
You do not know how to register and which forms to fill out.
All the registration forms only exist in German.
You feel lost and would like to get some assistance with the registration.

THE SOLUTION

Fill out the registration form (Anmeldung). In English. Pay. Instantly download the form.
Get detailed instructions on what to do next. Print and sign all forms!
Take them to your closest registration office in person. Registration done!

URGENT: Get the “landlord form” PDF for free, if you fill out our registration form. You need both forms to register.

Go to Registration Form

FAQ REGISTRATION / ANMELDUNG FORM

How it works

1. To register you need to fill out various forms. These forms only exists in German. All you need to do is fill out the form in English on this website. Our system will automatically transfer your data onto the original forms. No need to speak German!

2. This process requires a one-off payment. After payment with Paypal or credit card, we will immediately send you the filled-out registration form (Anmeldeformular) and the landlord confirmation form (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung). You need both forms to register!

We will also send you the filled-in broadcast license application (Rundfunkbeitrag), which is separate from the residence registration process. However, we have included it in our package to make your life easier. This is because everyone who is registered in Germany must also sign up for the broadcast license!

3. Print all forms and sign them. Make sure that your landlord signs the landlord confirmation form.

4. Make an appointment at your nearest registration office, or drop in and draw a waiting number. In some cities like Berlin you should make an appointment online. Just google “Bürgeramt or Einwohnermeldeamt and your city” to find out your nearest registration office in Germany.

5. You need to bring the following documents to the registration office: the registration form (Anmeldung), the landlord confirmation, your passport, your rental contract and your visa, if you have one. Bring your marriage certificate and your children’s birth certificates, if you want to register together with your spouse and children.

6. Download our FREE German language guide “At the Registration Office”. It provides useful words and phrases. We will also attach it in the Registration Package PDF. Let us know, if you find this helpful!

7. At the registration office, a German official will check all your documents and give you the registration confirmation (Meldebescheinigung). It is very important that you check this document has no mistakes in it. After that make sure to keep the registration confirmation in a safe place. You will need the confirmation whenever you sign a contract in Germany.

This is it! Well done. You have successfully completed your Anmeldung!

Wait – you are stuck? Why not get one of our experts to do the registration on your behalf? Just indicate this option when you fill out the registration form further below on this website!

Residence Registration FAQ

Who must register?

If you work, study or stay in Germany for more than three months, you need to register your address at a local registration office (Bürgeramt). You need to register, or at least arrange an appointment at the registration office, within two weeks of moving into your residence in Germany. You can only register if you have a rental contract.

You do not need to register if you are a tourist staying at a hostel or hotel.

Where to register?

Download our FREE guide “Registration Offices in Germany”. Here you can find information about the address, telephone number and opening times of your local registration office (in German). Just follow the website links and choose the registration office which is closest to where you live.
Alternatively, google ‘Buergeramt’ or ‘Einwohnermeldebehoerde’ and your city. Then the address of your local registration office should come up.

Filling out the Registration Form – Church tax information

On the registration form, there is a box that asks you about your religious belief. If you fill out the box then you will automatically pay church tax (up to 9% of your income tax). So leave the box for ‘Religion’ blank, if you do not want to pay church tax.

Does registration affect how much income tax I have to pay in Germany?

Yes, it does. The information you give on the registration form affects your tax class (Steuerklasse), meaning how much income tax you pay on your German salary. If you indicate that you are married and your partner lives with you in Germany, then both of you should register together and bring your marriage certificate; married couples pay less income tax in Germany. The same applies, if you have kids. Bring them and their birth certificates to the appointment.

Sharing of Personal Information

Be aware that the information you submit in the registration form will be shared with political parties, churches and other official bodies. If you do not want your information to be shared with third parties, you need to complete a form called ‘transmission barrier of personal data’ (Übermittlungsperre).

Do I need the landlord confirmation to register in Germany?

Yes, without the landlord confirmation you cannot register in Germany. In German, the landlord confirmation is also referred to as Wohnungsgeberbestätigung, Vermieterbescheinigung or Einzugsbestätigung. On the form, your landlord or rental agency confirms that you have moved into the residence, room or flat. Your landlord must sign the landlord confirmation. If this is not possible, you must discuss this with the official at the registration office.

I am moving to a new address in Germany. Do I need to register again (ummelden)?

If you move to another place within Germany, you simply have to register again. To process of ‘registering again’ is called ummelden in German.

Am I automatically deregistered from my old address if I register again in Germany?

When you fill out the registration form, make sure that you list your old address in Germany on the registration form (‘old address’). This way your previously registered address will be automatically deregistered and replaced by the new one. If you want to keep the old address as a second residence, you can indicate this on the registration form.

I’ve made a mistake on the registration form. Do I need to fill it out again?

It is no problem, if you have made a mistake on the registration form. There is no need to fill in the registration form again. For example, if you have written down a wrong postal code, or a wrong date of birth, you just cross out the wrong data with a pen. Then you clearly write down the correct data next to it. The form is not read by a computer. The form is read by a person. So if anything is unclear, the German official will clarify the data with you. It is no problem.

The field is too short. The text overlaps on my form. What do I do now?

It can happen that the text you provide in some of the fields is too long, so that it overlaps into the next field. This may happen because, for example, your street name is extremely long. If this is the case, then do the following: Cross out whatever is non-readable and write down the correct data on the form with a pen.

It’s absolutely fine to write on the form with a pen. It’s also fine, if your data is a bit longer than a field. If anything is unclear, the official at the registration office will let you know.

To make your life easier, we have included this Broadcast License application form in our registration package for you. Simply print it, sign it and send it off. The address is on the form.

What is the broadcast license (Rundfunkbeitrag)?

Every household that is registered in Germany must pay a monthly broadcast license fee. This fee is for the German public broadcasting agencies ARD, ZDF and Deutschlandradio. They produce material for the Internet, TV and radio that educates the public and seeks to provide objective news. Everyone must pay it, even if you do not have a radio, a TV or Internet. Once you register your residence in Germany, you must fill out a GEZ registration form.

This way you avoid that each member of the household must pay the fee separately.

More information how to register

HOW TO REGISTER IN GERMANY

FAQ REGISTRATION / ANMELDUNG FORM

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