Your first 30 days in Hamburg: 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

• Original birth and marriage certificates

  Hamburg asks for them when you register after moving from abroad.

  required

• Registration confirmation (Meldebestätigung)

  You receive it at your appointment and need it for later steps.

  required

• Employment contract or admission letter

  optional

• Proof of health insurance

  required

Step by step

1. 1

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

   What matters most about your first address is one document: the landlord's or main tenant's move-in confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung). Ask any landlord before you book whether they will sign it, and get it signed on the day you move in. A rental contract does not replace it. See finding a flat in Hamburg for the longer-term search.

2. 2

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

   Book an appointment at any Hamburg Service location for residents' affairs through the link on hamburg.de or by calling 115. New slots are released daily at 7:00 and 10:00. If you move from abroad, everyone moving in must attend in person, with original passports and civil-status certificates (birth and marriage certificates, with apostille and sworn translation if needed). The fee is €16 per person or once per family (2026). You receive your registration confirmation on the spot.

   See registering your address in Hamburg.

3. 3

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

   Health insurance is compulsory. Employees join a statutory insurer (or private insurance if eligible) from their first working day; students before enrolment. In 2026 the statutory contribution is 14.6% of gross pay plus an average additional rate of 2.9%, shared between employer and employee. Your employer, university and the immigration authorities need your membership certificate. See health insurance.

4. 4

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

   Salary, rent, the Deutschlandticket subscription and the broadcasting fee all run through a German or SEPA account. Banks may ask for your registration confirmation, so it helps to register first. See opening a bank account.

5. 5

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

   After your registration, the Federal Central Tax Office sends your tax identification number by letter to your registered address. Put your name on the mailbox. Give the number to your employer so your payroll tax is calculated correctly. See tax ID.

6. 6

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

   In Hamburg you apply online first, through the service "Residence Permit Hamburg", which also determines the responsible office: the Hamburg Welcome Center for most skilled workers, students and trainees, or your district's foreigners' affairs office. The office then offers you an appointment; in 2026 the Welcome Center estimated about 8 to 10 weeks from application to appointment offer for a first permit. Apply before your visa expires, or within 90 days of visa-free entry. See applying for a residence permit in Hamburg.

7. 7

   Step 7: Day 1 onward: Get a German phone number

   A German SIM card makes it much easier to deal with banks, landlords and authorities. Providers must check your identity, so bring your passport. See mobile phone and SIM.

8. 8

   Step 8: Week 1: Sort out your transport ticket

   Download the hvv switch app. Single tickets for Hamburg AB cost €4.10, or €3.81 in the app, and a day ticket €8.20 (2026). For regular travel, subscribe to the Deutschlandticket (€63 a month in 2026); in Hamburg you only pay for the days you have it in the first month. See public transport in Hamburg.

9. 9

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

   • Broadcasting fee: €18.36 a month per dwelling (2026); register or give the contribution number of the flatmate who already pays. See broadcasting fee.
   • Waste: learn the four bins (black residual, blue paper, yellow recycling, green organic) and where the glass containers are. See waste and recycling in Hamburg.
   • Electricity and internet: read the meters on move-in day and order internet early. See electricity and gas and internet at home.
   • Liability insurance: consider personal liability insurance. See liability insurance.
10. 10

    Step 10: If you have children: start childcare and school early

    • Kita: apply for the Kita voucher online (up to six months before care should start); five hours a day including lunch are free from age one. See childcare and Kita in Hamburg.
    • School: school is compulsory. For children who still need to learn German, contact the school information centre (ZSJ, 040 428 99 22 11) for a placement; otherwise apply directly to a school. See schools in Hamburg.

Numbers to save on day one

Where to get help in Hamburg

Watch out

Common mistakes

• Booking temporary accommodation without checking that the landlord will sign the move-in confirmation.
• Forgetting original birth and marriage certificates with apostille or translation for the Anmeldung.
• Waiting for an appointment before submitting the residence permit application; in Hamburg you apply online first.
• Buying single tickets every day instead of the Deutschlandticket.

Tips

• Check for Anmeldung appointments at 7:00 and 10:00, when new slots appear, and book at any location.
• Keep a folder with originals, translations and scans of all your documents.
• Put your surname on the mailbox and doorbell on day one.

Frequently asked questions

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

Official links

In your plan

• Register your address (Anmeldung)Add to plan
• Apply for your residence permit onlineAdd to plan
• Book your appointment for registering your addressAdd to plan
• Join a German health insurerAdd to plan
• Save the emergency and on-call numbersAdd to plan
• Open a German bank accountAdd to plan
• Receive your tax ID and pass it onAdd to plan
• Get a German SIM cardAdd to plan

Sources

Written and checked by HomiStart editorial against the official sources below. Next scheduled check: 6 Jan 2027.