Your first 30 days in Berlin: a step-by-step plan

Before you start

• A place to stay whose landlord or main tenant will sign a move-in confirmation
• Your passport (and visa, if you needed one)

Documents you need

• Passport or national ID card

  required

• Landlord's move-in confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung)

  required

• Registration form (Anmeldung)

  required

• Registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung)

  You receive it at the Bürgeramt and need it for later steps

  required

• Employment contract or admission letter

  optional

• Proof of health insurance

  required

• Digital biometric photo (QR code) for the residence permit

  optional

Step by step

1. 1

   Step 1: Days 1-3: Move into accommodation where you can register

   Your first address matters less for its location than for one document: the landlord's or main tenant's move-in confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung). Under section 19 of the Federal Registration Act, the person who provides the flat must confirm your move-in within two weeks. Hotels and hostels fall under special rules (section 29): the duty to register there only starts after a stay of several months, so do not count on a move-in confirmation for a short hotel stay. Ask any landlord before you book, and get the confirmation signed on the day you move in.

   More on options and pitfalls: temporary accommodation in Berlin and landlord confirmation.

2. 2

   Step 2: Days 1-14: Register your address (Anmeldung)

   You must register within two weeks of moving in (section 17 Federal Registration Act). In Berlin you book an appointment at any Bürgeramt through the Service Berlin appointment portal. Bring your passport or ID card, the move-in confirmation and the completed registration form. Registration is free, and you receive the registration certificate at the appointment.

   Practical points:

   • Online registration in Berlin only works with a German ID card or the German eID card for EU citizens with an activated online function. A residence permit card cannot be used, so most people arriving from abroad register in person.
   • Someone else can register for you with a power of attorney and the form you have signed yourself.
   • For your first registration in Berlin, you may be asked for civil-status documents, such as a marriage certificate if you register as a couple.

   Appointments can be scarce. Book as soon as you know your move-in date and check the portal regularly for newly released slots. See Anmeldung in Berlin and Bürgeramt appointments in Berlin.

3. 3

   Step 3: Week 1: Make sure your health insurance is in place

   Health insurance is compulsory for everyone living in Germany. If you are employed and earn up to €77,400 a year (2026 threshold), you are normally insured in the statutory system: you choose a statutory insurer (Krankenkasse) and give your employer the membership confirmation. In 2026 the general contribution rate is 14.6% plus an additional rate set by each insurer (2.9% on average), shared equally with your employer.

   If you are self-employed, a student or not working, the rules differ, and you should arrange cover before or immediately on arrival. Read health insurance before you sign anything.

4. 4

   Step 4: Weeks 1-3: Open a bank account

   You will need a German or SEPA account for salary, rent and most contracts. Banks usually ask for your passport and registration certificate. If a bank refuses you, remember that anyone lawfully resident in the EU has a legal right to a basic account (Basiskonto); once your application is complete, the bank has ten business days to decide, according to BaFin. Compare several providers neutrally; see opening a bank account.

5. 5

   Step 5: Weeks 2-6: Receive your tax ID and pass it to your employer

   After your first registration, the registration office forwards your data to the Federal Central Tax Office (BZSt), which assigns your tax identification number (Steuer-ID) and sends it by post to your registered address. It is never given out by phone. Put your name on the mailbox, because the BZSt notes that letters can otherwise fail to arrive.

   Your employer needs the number for payroll, so pass it on as soon as it arrives. If it has not arrived three months after registration, you can send the BZSt a copy of your ID and your registration certificate, or request a new notification through its online form. See tax ID.

6. 6

   Step 6: Weeks 1-4: Apply for your residence permit (non-EU citizens)

   If you entered with a national visa, your visa is valid only for the period printed on it. If you entered visa-free under section 41 of the Residence Ordinance (for example as a US, UK, Canadian or Australian citizen), you must apply within 90 days of entry.

   In Berlin, residence permits are handled by the Landesamt für Einwanderung (LEA). For many purposes, including employment, studies and family reasons, you now apply online: you upload documents, pay the fee (for example €100 for a first permit in 2026) and receive a PDF confirmation. LEA then invites you to an appointment or asks for more documents, which can take a while. The Welcome Center Berlin advises applying early; when you apply in time, the confirmation generally serves as proof that your stay remains lawful while LEA decides.

   Bring a digital biometric photo: since 14 July 2025, LEA no longer accepts paper photos for electronic residence permits. Use a certified photo studio that gives you a QR code, or the photo terminal at LEA (€6). See residence permit at LEA Berlin. EU citizens do not need this step; see EU citizens in Germany.

7. 7

   Step 7: Day 1 onward: Get a German SIM card

   A local number makes appointments, banking and deliveries easier. Since 1 July 2017, providers must check your identity against a document such as a passport before activating a prepaid SIM card, so bring your passport when you buy one. See mobile phone and SIM.

8. 8

   Step 8: Week 1: Sort out your transport ticket

   For daily travel, most residents use the Deutschlandticket, a monthly cancellable subscription valid on local and regional transport across Germany. It costs €63 per month in 2026; the federal states' transport ministers have set a price of €66.80 from 1 January 2027. For occasional trips, a single ticket for Berlin zones AB costs €4.00 (2026). See Deutschlandticket and public transport in Berlin.

9. 9

   Step 9: Weeks 2-4: Set up your household

   Once you live in your own flat or share a flat:

   • Broadcasting fee. €18.36 per month per dwelling (2026), regardless of how many people live there. If a flatmate already pays for the dwelling, you do not pay again. See broadcasting fee.
   • Personal liability insurance. Not compulsory, but the Verbraucherzentrale calls it the most important insurance besides health insurance; good policies cost about €50 to €80 a year. See liability insurance.
   • Electricity and internet, if not included in your rent. See electricity and gas and internet at home.
   • Save the emergency numbers: 112 for fire and ambulance, 110 for police, and 116117 for the non-emergency medical on-call service. See emergency numbers.

Why the order matters

If you cannot find a flat with registration

Free advice in Berlin

Watch out

Common mistakes

• Waiting for a permanent flat before registering. Register at your temporary address if you live there, and re-register when you move.
• Not putting your name on the mailbox, so the tax ID letter is returned.
• Starting work before health insurance and, for non-EU citizens, permission to work are in place.

Tips

• Book a Bürgeramt appointment before you arrive if you already know your move-in date.
• Keep a folder with several copies of your registration certificate; many offices want to see it.
• When you move again within Berlin, you register the new address within two weeks in the same way.

Frequently asked questions

Editorial answers written by our team, based on the sources below.

Official links

In your plan

• Register your address at the Bürgeramt (Anmeldung)Add to plan
• Open a German bank accountAdd to plan

Sources

Written and checked by HomiStart editorial against the official sources below. Next scheduled check: 3 Jan 2027.