The first official task in Germany is the Anmeldung, the registration of your address. A bank account, a residence permit appointment and several smaller errands depend on it, so the order of steps matters more than speed on any one of them.

Step 1: register your address

DAAD says that once you have found a room or flat, you go to the Einwohnermeldeamt, the residents’ registration office, within two weeks. Everyone who moves into accommodation in Germany must register, and must update the registration when moving within a city.

Bring:

  • your ID card or passport, with visa where required
  • your tenancy agreement or a confirmation from your landlord that you have moved in

DAAD adds that extra documents, such as a certificate of matriculation, are sometimes required. Your university’s international office can tell you what the local office wants. In larger cities there are several Bürgerämter, and you usually go to the one in your district.

You receive a registration certificate. DAAD names it as the document needed for opening a bank account, getting a library card or applying for a parking permit. It also says you cannot open a bank account until you have registered.

Step 2: the residence permit (non-EU students)

Students from the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland do not need a residence permit. Everyone else reports to the Ausländerbehörde, the foreigners’ office, according to DAAD. A student permit is tied to the course of study.

DAAD lists these documents:

  • passport, with visa where required
  • certificate of matriculation
  • registration certificate
  • proof of sufficient funds
  • health insurance
  • a fee of up to 100 euros, best paid in cash
  • possibly passport photographs, the tenancy agreement and a health certificate

The permit is a chip card and can take several months to be ready. It is usually issued for up to two years. Renewal depends on regular study: the foreigners’ office checks that you take exams and gain credit points. If you are still arranging cover, see health insurance in Germany.

Step 3: a bank account

DAAD says a German bank account makes it easier to handle rent and insurance, and that most banks offer free current accounts for students. Paying by debit card or smartphone is common, though people in Germany also pay in cash frequently, especially for small amounts. If you opened a blocked account to show funds for your visa, that is a different account for a different purpose. See how a blocked account works.

Step 4: a driving licence check

If you plan to drive, DAAD says EU and EEA licences normally remain valid. Other licences remain valid only for stays of up to six months in Germany, sometimes with a German translation or an international licence. After six months you will most likely need a German licence. The Bürgeramt handles this.

A sensible order

  1. Confirm your accommodation and get the landlord’s confirmation or tenancy agreement.
  2. Register the address within two weeks.
  3. Open a bank account with the registration certificate.
  4. Book the foreigners’ office appointment with the full document list.
  5. Keep copies of every certificate.

Everything above depends on having an address, so the apartment search guide comes first for most newcomers. The student visa guide covers what happens before you travel.

SGC helps organise documents for your application. We do not register addresses or issue permits, and each office applies its own appointment and fee rules.

Official resources