We all know that the German Bureaucrazy is a not so easy to understand for the internationals, but the very first word you will come across after arriving Germany is “Anmeldung”. Don’t panic! It’s pretty simple.

Anmeldung is the process of registering your address/apartment in Germany. Everyone living in Germany must have a registered address, which is the first requirement. This has to be done in 14 days after arrival, which means you must have rented an apartment with a valid contract. After Anmeldung, you will get Anmeldebestätigung or Meldebescheinigung, which is the proof of address used to do further procedures like getting insurance, university registration, residence permit or so.

How to do Anmeldung?

Firstly, you need to book an appointment with your Bürgeramt or Einwohnermeldeamt. In smaller cities in Germany you often cannot book an appointment online and you need to go there and take a number and wait. In cities like Berlin, you have several Bürgeramts and you can do your Anmeldung in any one of them. Getting an appointment is difficult as the slots are filled quickly. You can get an online appointment through the Bürgeramt website. If you get an appointment after 4 weeks or later (which is quite usual), you can also try going to the Bürgeramt directly, early in the morning to get an appointment. In some cases, if you are lucky, you might get an appointment on the same day or earlier than your online appointment. If you haven’t got an appointment within 14 days of your arrival, you can go the Bürgeramt, explain your situation and get an appointment later (which they will mostly agree). They also release cancelled appointments every morning between 7 and 8. By checking the page frequently you can get an appointment on the same day. 

Documents needed for Anmeldung

– Valid Passport or national ID

– Wohnungsgeberbestätigung (which comes with a contract, ask for one if it is not there in the contract) signed by the owner of the flat (Hauseigentümer or Wohnungsgeber) which is not always the landlord (Vermieter). Especially if you rent an apartment in a WG it is important to check with the Hauptmieter if he is also just renting the flat form someone. In that case he is mostly not allowed to sign your Wohnungsgeberbescheinigung. 

– Registration form (in German)

The forms are in German and the officials also speak only German. If you have difficulties in filling the form or understanding German, you can book a Buddy in MyHelpBuddy to help you in the process. Once you submit all the documents, the official will register your address and you can paste your name in the post box. You will receive a proof of registration and this will be used for all further processes.