The first weeks in a new country are exhausting. You have many tasks, and it is often unclear what comes first. Some things have a fixed deadline, while others can wait. This article gives you a timeline for your first 30 days. After reading it, you will know which tasks matter in which week, which documents you need and how to avoid common problems.
Before you start: get your documents ready
Many appointments with public offices and companies follow a similar pattern. You will often be asked for the same papers. So set up a folder, both on paper and digitally. You will often need these documents:
- Passport or national ID card (Personalausweis)
- Visa or residence permit (Aufenthaltstitel), if you have one
- Rental contract (Mietvertrag)
- Landlord confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung): a form on which your landlord confirms that you have moved in
- Employment contract or university admission letter
- Birth certificate and marriage certificate, if you are coming with your family
Some offices require translations of certificates. Ask the responsible office beforehand which form they accept.
Days 1 to 3: arriving and booking appointments
In the first few days, the main goal is to be reachable and to book important appointments early.
- Phone: A prepaid SIM card is often the easiest solution at the start. You usually do not need a German bank account for it. However, you must identify yourself with an ID document to activate it. More on this under Choosing a mobile plan.
- Appointment at the citizens' office (Bürgeramt): The Bürgeramt is your city's office for registering your home address. In many large cities, appointments are scarce. So book right away, ideally even before you move in, if that is possible.
- Write down meter readings: When you move in, take a photo of the electricity meter and, if there is one, the gas meter. You will use these numbers later to sign up for electricity and gas.
- Order internet: It can take several weeks until a home internet connection works. If you order early, you will wait less. You can find tips under Internet at home.
Week 1: health insurance and energy
Health insurance is mandatory in Germany. You should be insured from day one. If you are employed here, you usually choose a public health insurance fund (gesetzliche Krankenkasse) and tell your employer. Students, self-employed people and other groups have their own rules. Read Getting health insurance for more.
You should also sign up for electricity. If you do not sign your own contract, you automatically get electricity from the local default supplier (Grundversorger). Default supply (Grundversorgung) means: you have electricity, but the rate is often more expensive than other offers. You can switch later. More under Signing up for electricity. If your home is heated with gas, the same applies to gas: Signing up for gas. Ask your landlord whether electricity or gas is already included in the rent. This is the case in some homes.
Week 2: registering your address and sorting out your residence status
Address registration (Anmeldung) is the most important task at the start. As a rule, you must register at the Bürgeramt within two weeks of moving in. After registering, you receive the registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung). This is a document that confirms your address. Many other places want to see this document, for example banks. All the steps are explained under Registering your address.
If you cannot find an appointment within the deadline, do not just wait. Ask the Bürgeramt what you can do. Procedures differ from city to city.
If you come from a country outside the EU, your right of residence is a key issue. The responsible office is the immigration office (Ausländerbehörde). This is the office for residence and visas in your city or district (Landkreis). Check how long your visa is valid. Take care of an appointment early, because waiting times can be long here too. Which documents you need depends on your situation. You can find general information under Sorting out your residence permit. For your personal case, contact the Ausländerbehörde or a counselling centre for migrants (Beratungsstelle für Migranten).
Week 3: bank account and household obligations
With the Meldebescheinigung, you can usually open a current account (Girokonto). A Girokonto is a normal account for your salary, rent and payments. Your employer needs your account number (IBAN) to transfer your salary. Steps and tips can be found under Opening a bank account.
Around this time, you will often also get a letter from the Federal Central Tax Office (Bundeszentralamt für Steuern) with your tax identification number (Steuer-Identifikationsnummer). Your employer needs this number. It normally arrives automatically after your Anmeldung. If it has not arrived after a few weeks, read Getting your tax ID.
The broadcasting fee (Rundfunkbeitrag) must be paid for every home in Germany. This is a fee for public radio and television, charged per home and not per person. If someone in your home already pays, for example in a shared flat (Wohngemeinschaft), you do not have to pay again. Otherwise, register soon after moving in: Registering for the broadcasting fee.
Now is also a good time to look at insurance. Personal liability insurance (private Haftpflichtversicherung) is not mandatory, but very common. It pays if you accidentally cause damage to other people. Whether you need contents insurance (Hausratversicherung) depends on how much your furniture and appliances are worth.
Week 4: family, language and getting around
If you have children, you may be able to receive child benefit (Kindergeld). You apply at the Family Benefits Office (Familienkasse). It is part of the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit). Whether you are entitled also depends on your residence status. Do not apply too late, because Kindergeld is only paid retroactively for a limited period. More under Applying for child benefit.
Plan your German course as well. Good language skills help with public offices, at work and in everyday life. Information about courses and the integration course (Integrationskurs) can be found under Learning German.
If you want to drive, check your driving licence. Licences from EU countries generally remain valid. A licence from another country is usually only valid for a limited time, often six months from your move to Germany. After that, you must have it converted. This can take a while, so start early: Checking and converting your driving licence. If you have a car, you need car insurance (Kfz-Versicherung) before you can register it.
What can safely wait
Not everything has to happen in the first month. You can also do these things later:
- apply for a credit card
- sign a fixed mobile phone contract instead of prepaid
- find a cheap way to send money to your home country
- understand the Schufa. The Schufa is a credit agency, meaning a company that collects data on your payment behaviour. You build a good score over months by paying your bills on time.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
- Looking for a Bürgeramt appointment too late. Book on your very first day.
- Forgetting the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung. Without this form, registration is usually not possible. Ask your landlord for it when you receive the keys.
- No name on the letterbox. Important mail such as your tax ID comes by post. Put your name on the letterbox and the doorbell.
- Not opening letters. Letters from public offices often have deadlines. Open all letters and get help if you do not understand something.
- Signing contracts without understanding them. Pay attention to the contract term and the notice period. Ask questions before you sign.
- Not keeping copies. Keep a copy or photo of every application.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most important task in the first 30 days?
Registering at the Bürgeramt. Many other steps, such as your bank account and tax ID, depend on it. It is also important that you have health insurance from the very beginning.
Can I open a bank account without a Meldebescheinigung?
This is possible at some banks, but not at all of them. Ask the bank directly which documents it requires.
What do I do if I cannot get an appointment at the Bürgeramt?
Check for available appointments several times a day, because appointments are often cancelled. Also ask the office directly. Some cities have other solutions, for example open consultation hours without an appointment.
Where can I get help if I am stuck?
Many cities have free counselling centres for migrants. They help you with forms and general questions about residence. Your city administration can tell you where the nearest centre is.