Residence Registration Germany

Everyone who moves to Germany to live, work or study for more than three months must register at the local municipal office (Einwohnermeldeamt / Bürgeramt). The registration process can be challenging. It involves filling out a German registration form, making an appointment at the municipal office and having a short interview with a German official. It is very important to get the registration right; making mistakes may have severe consequences.

Update: You can now register and re-register digitally on the authority’s official website.


Your Options

BERLIN

MUNICH

COLOGNE

HAMBURG

DUSSELDORF

If you have any questions about this process, you can always get one of our experts to help you. In our FAQ we answer many questions you might have.

Work Visa Germany
Digital solution – start the residence registration process online
  • Fill out registration form online
  • Official authority website
  • Fill out everything in English (in some cities)
Work Visa Germany
Get an expert – Let us help to get
you registered
  • Download our English registration package
  • Get an expert to check your registration form
  • Get support with making an appointment
  • Call us, if you have any questions

Official Registration
Form

We use the official registration forms (only available in German) of the authorities and fill them out for you. You don’t have to speak German.

Wohnungsgeberbestätigung

Einzugsbestätigung refers to a written confirmation by your landlord in Germany which confirms that you have moved into a German residence.

Broadcast License –
Rundfunkbeitrag

Every household that is registered in Germany must pay a monthly broadcast license fee (Rundfunkbeitrag). We fill out the official application form. 

Digital solution: Fill out registration form

Have you just arrived in Germany? Welcome! Remember to register at your local municipal office. According to German law, you must register within 1-2 weeks of your arrival.

Update: You can now register and re-register digitally on the authority’s official website. We do not offer this service anymore.


Get an expert: We will help you register in Germany

We understand that German bureaucracy can seem confusing, especially to those that speak little German.

So why not get one of our experts to help you with the registration process? One of our experts will check your registration form in terms of completeness and help you make an appointment at the municipal office. If there are any questions during your registration interview, you can give us a call.

We know how important it is to get everything right with your registration. If you forget some information on your registration form, this may have severe consequences. So if you are in doubt, get an expert.

How it works

  1. Fill out the form online.
  2. Make a one-off payment with Paypal or credit card.
  3. Download our registration package.
  4. Do you want one of our experts to check your registration form for completeness within 48 hours? Then please send a copy or photo of your passport and a copy of your tenancy contract to us. For this, simply reply to the email you will get after you have made the purchase. If you have not received this email, please contact us.
  5. Your personal expert will email you to ask, if you need help with making an appointment at your local municipal office.
  6. Take the forms and relevant documents to your personal interview at your local municipal office. Call us, if you have any questions during your appointment. More information will be provided by your personal expert.
  7. If all documents are complete, the German official will give you a registration confirmation. Well done.

Why get an expert?

Getting an expert makes sure that you do not make any mistakes during the registration process in Germany. This can easily happen as the process is complex and the forms only exist in German.
If you mistakenly give the wrong information on the registration form, this may have a series of consequences. This is because this information you provide in your registration will influence, for example, how much income tax you will pay in Germany. If you register together with your spouse, you are automatically in tax class 4/4 and possibly receive a much lower salary. Information can be changed at the finance office retrospectively, but this is time-intensive and you may need to wait until the tax year has finished.

Main advantages

  1. Get an expert to check your registration form in terms of completion
  2. Get support with making an appointment at the registration office
  3. Call us, if you have any questions during your appointment at the registration office

How much does it cost?

Getting an expert to help you register is only 69 €. You can pay with Paypal or credit card.

Frankfurt

FAQ – Residence Registration / Wohnsitz anmelden


Table of Contents

What is ‘Anmeldung’?

‘Anmeldung’ refers to the process of registration in Germany. It is mandatory for individuals studying, working, or planning to reside in Germany for more than three months. To complete the registration, there are two important documents required:

  1. Registration Form (Anmeldeformular): You need to fill out and sign the registration form, providing your personal information and details about your residence in Germany.
  2. Landlord Confirmation Form (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung): Your German landlord must also fill out and sign this form, confirming your tenancy and providing relevant information about the property.

To simplify the registration process, our website offers a convenient option. By filling out the registration form on our platform, we automatically provide you with both the completed registration form and an empty landlord confirmation form. You can then pass the landlord confirmation form to your landlord for them to fill in the required details. In case your landlord is unable to complete the form, it is advisable to discuss this directly with the German official at the registration office (Bürgeramt / Meldeamt).

How to register in Germany?

Once you have completed the registration form (Anmeldeformular) and obtained the landlord confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung), you will need to visit a local registration office in Germany, commonly known as ‘Bürgeramt,’ ‘Meldeamt,’ or ‘Einwohnermeldebehörde.’

At the registration office, you will meet with a German official who will review your documents. Present the official with your filled-out registration form, landlord confirmation, rental contract, and your passport. If applicable, also provide your visa documentation. The official will verify the information and if everything is in order, they will issue you an immediate registration confirmation (Meldebescheinigung). It is important to carefully review the document for any spelling errors or inaccuracies. Safely store the registration confirmation as it holds significant importance.

You can do the registration with our help right here on our website:

It takes 1-3 minutes. No need to speak German.

Why pay and fill out the form on this website?

  1. EASY: We give you detailed instructions on how to register in Germany.
  2. ONLINE: You can fill out the registration form in English. Online. We will translate it and send you the German version via email instantly.
  3. ENGLISH SUPPORT: You have our 24/7 support team to guide you through the steps.

What happens after you fill out the form on this website?

Simple. We send you detailed instructions.
These include:

  1. You print out the form.
  2. You sign the form.
  3. Make an appointment at your local registration office.
  4. Go to the appointment with the registration form filled in by us and the other necessary documents (you will receive the list from us). To make sure you have no problems we will send you our German Language Guide: “At the Registration Office”.
  5. You will receive the registration certificate.

Done.

Note: Of course you do not have to use our service. You can also download the German version of the registration form on your local German registration website and fill it out by hand. However, if you do not speak German, you can pay a small fee to use the registration form in English on our website. The fee helps us to continue running our website, so we can continue to help English-speakers navigate in the German world of bureaucracy. Please note that we cannot do the registration FOR you. We simply provide the form and explain the steps to you. We have so many happy customers that we offer a money-back-guarantee, see the next section.

Who must register?

If you want to study, work or live in Germany in general, everybody have to register yourself in the city you are living in. By that, the German government wants to ascertain the identity of all German residents and their housing. Therefore, one of the first steps after your arrival in Germany is to go to the local registration office (Einwohnermeldeamt) or to the citizen service center (Bürgeramt) in your city. Both serve the same purpose: to allow people who want to stay in Germany to register themselves. Below everything is explained that you will need to know about registration.

Can I register several people on one registration form?

Yes. You can register up to four people on one registration form (Anmeldeformular).

When to register my residence?

The nationality of the citizen does not matter when it comes to registering, which means anyone who wants to stay longer than 3 months in Germany must declare if they are moving in or out of an apartment in any city.

All Germans, EU citizens and non-EU citizens must comply. Regardless of whether you are studying, working or just doing an internship, everyone has the same duty. Normally you must register your residence within 14 days after moving in.

If you don’t yet have a fixed address, registering can be tricky, as one of the documents required to register is a confirmation of residence signed by your landlord. In some municipalities, it may be possible to have this filled out by the proprietor of your temporary accommodation, but usually you will be unable to register until you have a rental contract. If you are uncertain, check with your citizens’ office.

How to register, if you don’t speak German?

No worries, that is exactly why we have created our registration package. Using our online form, you do not need to be able to read the German official registration form. To date, there are no official English translations of these forms. If you use our service, we will automatically translate everything for you. In short, you fill out the form in English and we will send the German original version to you – with your data on it. You will also receive instructions and this guide to help you.

In theory, all German officials should have basic English skills. This is not always the case.

Some tips from previous users include: If you call an information hotline and the official does not speak English, simply call again, hoping someone else will pick up. You can also ask to be transferred to someone who speaks English (“Könnten Sie mich bitte mit jemandem verbinden, der Englisch spricht?”). Alternatively, ask a friend to call them on your behalf.

You can always go to your local registration office in person to ask for help. However, be aware that there may be long waiting times, if you have not made an appointment. Make sure to bring all necessary documents. And, ideally, bring a German-speaking friend.

Why do I need to register my residence?

Registering is compulsory for all citizens by law. Remaining unregistered, giving incorrect details or registering late are not permitted. If you do not register correctly, you could be fined up to 1.000 euros. Once you register, you receive a document that confirms your registration (‘Anmeldebescheinigung‘ or ‘Anmeldebestätigung‘).

You need this document to sign contracts in Germany, applying for residence permit, study at a german university, opening a bank account ,ect.

Where do I register? How to find my registration office?

If you use our registration form on this website, you will get the address of your responsible German registration office in our step-by-step guide.

To find out, which German registration office is responsible for you, do this:

To find out where your nearest registration office is located in your city:
Google ‘your city (+ district) + Bürgeramt’ or ‘your city + district + Einwohnermeldebehörde’.

Bürgeramt and Einwohnermeldebehörde are both two official terms that mean the same thing, namely ‘registration office’ or ‘municipal office’.

Once you google it, the address should immediately appear on Google, or in one of the first few search results.

If you want to deregister in Berlin, Cologne, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt a.M., Hamburg, or Munich use our reregistration form. Then you don’t need to look up the registration office. We have already printed the address on our step-by-step guide.

Here is a list of major German registration offices / municipal offices (Einwohnermeldeämter)

‘Aachen’
Verwaltungsgebäude Bahnhofplatz
Hackländerstraße 1
52064 Aachen
‘Bonn’
Stadthaus Bonn
Berliner Platz 2′
Bonn
Tel. 0228 770
‘Bremen’
Pelzerstraße 40
28195 Bremen
Tel. 0421 36188666
‘Cologne’
Bürgeramt
Ludwigstraße 8,
50667 Köln,
Tel. 0221 / 221-0
‘Dortmund’
Dienstleistungszentrum (EWO)
Südwall 2-4
44135 Dortmund
Tel. 0231 5013331
‘Dresden’
Hoyerswerdaer Str. 3
01099 Dresden
Tel. 0351 4886655
‘Dusseldorf’
Abteilung Standesamt – 33/2
Inselstraße 17
40479 Düsseldorf
Tel. 0211 89-91
‘Frankfurt am Main’
Zentrales Bürgeramt Frankfurt am Main
Zeil 3, 60313 Frankfurt am Main
Tel. 069 115
‘Hamburg’
Bezirksamt Hamburg-Mitte – Kundenzentrum
Caffamacherreihe 1-3, 20355 Hamburg
Tel. 040 428280
‘Hannover’
Bürgeramt Bemerode – Hannover
Bemeroder Rathauspl. 1, 30539 Hannover
Tel. 0511 16833102
‘Heidelberg‘
Bürgeramt Altstadt – Abmeldung Wohnsitz
Bergheimer Str. 69
69115 Heidelberg
Tel. 06221 58-17000
‘Karlsruhe’
Bürgerbüro K8 – Karlsruhe
Kaiserallee 8, 76133 Karlsruhe
Tel. 0721 115
‘Leipzig’
Bürgeramt Leipzig Südwest-Zentrum
Bismarckstraße 39 04249 Leipzig
Tel. 0341 123-0
‘Mannheim’
K7 – Bürgeramt
Fachbereich Bürgerdienste
68159 Mannheim
‘Munich’
Landeshauptstadt München – HA II Bürgerangelegenheiten
Ruppertstr. 19
80337 München
Tel. 089 23396000
‘Mönchengladbach’
Vitus-Center Eingang E
Goebenstraße 4-8
41061 Mönchengladbach
Tel. 02161 250
‘Nuremberg’
Einwohneramt Nürnberg
Äußere Laufer G. 25
90403 Nürnberg
Tel. 0911 2310
‘Saarbrücken’
‘Bürgeramt City’
Gerberstraße 4
66111 Saarbrücken
Tel. 0681 9050
‘Stuttgart’
Bürgerbüro Mitte – Schwabenzentrum B4
Eberhardstraße 39
70173 Stuttgart
Tel. 0711 21693740
‘Wiesbaden’
Bürgerbüro Wiesbaden
Dotzheimer Straße 6-8
65185 Wiesbaden
Tel. 0611 313344

Various Registration Offices in Berlin, central telephone hotline 030 115

‘Charlottenburg – Wilmersdorf’
Wilmersdorfer Str. 46,
10627 Berlin
in den Wilmersdorfer Arcaden
‘Lichtenberg’
Bürgeramt 2 (Lichtenberg)
Normannenstr. 1 – 2
10367 Berlin
‘Marzahn – Hellersdorf’
Bürgeramt Marzahner Promenade
Marzahner Promenade 11
12679 Berlin
‘Mitte’
Bürgeramt Rathaus Mitte
Karl-Marx-Allee 31
10178 Berlin
‘Neukölln’
Bürgeramt Rathaus Neukölln
Donaustr. 29
12043 Berlin
‘Pankow’
Bürgeramt Pankow
Breite Str. 24A – 26
13187 Berlin
‘Reinickendorf’
Bürgeramt Rathaus Reinickendorf
Eichborndamm 215
13437 Berlin
‘Steglitz-Zehlendorf’
Bürgeramt Steglitz-Zehlendorf
Kirchstr. 1/3
14163 Berlin
‘Tempelhof-Schöneberg’
Bürgeramt Tempelhof-Schöneberg
Tempelhofer Damm 165
12099 Berlin
‘Treptow-Köpenick’
Bürgeramt I in Köpenick
Alt-Köpenick 21
12555 Berlin

What happens at the registration office in Germany?

In bigger German cities like Berlin, Munich and Cologne, the registration offices are often crowded. Most cities require you to make an appointment beforehand. However, if you urgently need your registration confirmation (Meldebescheinigung), you can usually drop in and draw a waiting number. Make sure to arrive before opening time and bring a few hours time. Once it is your turn, you go and see an official in a one-on-one meeting. The official will check all your documents. If everything is fine, you immediately receive your German registration confirmation. Make sure to keep this document in a safe place.

What documents do you need for your residence registration in Germany?

To successfully register in Germany you need the following documents:

  1. The filled-out registration form (Anmeldeformular)
  2. Filled-out landlord confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung)
  3. Tenancy agreement / rental contract
  4. Your passport or ID
  5. Your Visa/ Residence Permit, only if you have one
  6. If you want to register together with your spouse or your child, it is advisable (not obligatory!) to bring your marriage certificate and children’s birth certificates

Note: if you are registering multiple people at the same time (i.e. your partner or children), make sure to bring all of their documents as well. It is acceptable to have one proof of residence certificate for more than one person.

Can you register without using the German registration form?

No, you need the relevant form from the residents’ registration office for your city. There is no standard form in Germany. Each city uses its own. We use the correct forms for the cities of Berlin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg and Munich and fill them out for you.

What is a Meldebescheinigung?

A German Meldebescheinigung means ‘registration confirmation’. It is a document that confirms that you are registered as a resident in Germany. You get this once you have successfully registered in Germany. You need this document to open a bank account, to sign any kind of legal contract, become a gym member etc. This document is extremely important, do not lose it. If you lose your Meldebescheinigung, you must contact your local registration office to get a new one.

What is Ummeldung?

If you move within Germany, then you must register again. The process of registering again is called ‘Ummeldung’ in German. So if, for example, you move from Berlin to Munich, or move within the same city, then you must register again. You simply need to repeat the process of registering (Anmeldung).

How do I get my “Anmeldebestätigung” (registration confirmation)?

‘Anmeldebestätigung, Meldebescheinigung, Anmeldebescheinigung ‘ is an official German document that confirms that you have registered in Germany. This document is very important because it is written proof that you are resident in Germany.

Note that the registration certificate does not automatically grant expats the right to live and work in Germany. You may also need to apply for a residence permit. Please note that you do automatically receive a registration confirmation at your appointment at the local Einwohnermeldeamt.

If all of your documents are in order, you will be provided with a registration certificate straight away. Your tax ID, a different document which you need to start a job or take out a pension, will be posted to you separately.

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

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 (‘‘Bisherige Anschrift’’). 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

More than 15.750+ happy customers //Our “Money-Back-Guarantee”

There is a lot of confusing information about German registration online. How do I know that I can rely on the answers provided on here?

Our information is based on the experiences of +15.750 happy users, and personal interviews conducted with German officials in 16 different registration offices all over Germany (last updated in February 2020).

We are here for you. You can always reach us either by email or live chat, if you have any questions.

We also have colleagues users feeding us with live information about changes in bureaucratic procedures all the time. Of course, there is no guarantee for anything when it comes to the German ‘living organ’ called bureaucracy.

That’s why we offer you our money-back-guarantee.

Our guarantee to our users: You only pay once you are actually registered*. You can find out if you are successfully registered by receiving a registration confirmation letter.

*If you have not successfully registered or received the required confirmation from the German registration office at your appointment you can claim your money back (proof needed). Please get in touch with us by providing your name, email address, customer/invoice number, a short explanation of the situation and attachment of the proof/documents.

If you had problems and want to claim your money back, please visit this page.

Warranty terms:
The guarantor is Expat Services UG (haftungsbeschränkt), Almstadtstr. 25, 10119 Berlin. The guarantee period is 45 days after purchase. If you do not get your registration confirmation at the local Bürgeramt. The guarantee is valid in Germany. The payment will be refunded within 7 days, the credit on the account/credit card can take several weeks and depends on the payment processor. The legal rights of the consumer remain unaffected by the guarantee and are not limited by the guarantee.

How much does the residence registration from Expats.de cost? Which cities are supported?

We offer our service for a single payment of 19,90€ for singles and 24,90€ for families. We currently offer our service for:

For other cities the service can be booked for an additional fee of 75,00€.

Our goal is to make your residence registration as easy as possible. We are always available to answer your questions.

Note: Of course you do not have to use our service. You can also download the German version of the registration form on your local German registration website and fill it out by hand. However, if you do not speak German, you can pay a small fee to use the deregistration form in English on our website. The fee helps us to continue running our website, so we can continue to help English-speakers navigate in the German world of bureaucracy. Please note that we cannot do the deregistration FOR you. We simply provide the form and explain the steps to you. We have so many happy customers that we offer a money-back-guarantee, see the next section.