Register in Germany and obtain a tax ID
Register your permanent residence in Germany immediately and obtain your tax ID
Anyone moving into an apartment or taking up a residence in Germany must register with the registration office on location. This is also required in order to apply for a long-term electronic residence permit at the immigration office and to obtain a tax ID. The registration certificate is a prerequisite for many other relocation steps such as opening a bank account, registering with a school or kindergarten, registering a car, and a lot of itmes more.
After entering the country, expatriates and professionals from abroad should go to the registration office immediately. Only with a permanent residence and a registration certificate you can apply for a residence permit at the immigration office. Thus, especially for third-country nationals, it is very important to go to the registration office promptly. The immigration officals will not grant an appointment unless you have already registered a permanent residence in their area of responsibility.
Immediately after entering the country, temporary living in a furnished apartment or a boarding house is a good option, as these are always registrable, unlike hotels and Airbnb.
Employers require you to register so that a pay slip can be generated using ELSTAM data, but this is only possible with your tax ID, which you automatically receive by post when you register. Anders Consulting can also assist you in finding a tax advisor who is familiar with international tax law if, for example, you earn additional world income or have real estate abroad while residing in Germany.
In addition to your passport, you will need the completed registration form and a confirmation of move-in, or housing provider confirmation, for the registration. Also the family status certificates such as certificates of birth and marriage with certified translation and legalization or apostille are required to be registered as a family. Exception India: There is neither a legalization nor the Apostille in use; the original English certificate is recognized. In some municipalities the registration can be done in power of attorney by the relocation professionals of Anders Consulting. If not, an accompanied appointment is provided because communication in English does not work well everywhere at the registration offices.
More tips for the arrival in Germany can be found here.
So the relocation service for a registration has a high value for all expatriates, skilled workers and professionals coming from abroad. The service list shows how to save time and avoid problems:
Service list residential registration
Fixed price 120,00 Euro plus VAT
Registering your residence in Germany made easy!
“The obligation to register a residence immediately after moving into a home is typically German. But be careful: no registration address, no residence permit. The responsible foreigners authority can only be determined on the basis of the registered place of residence.
The registration certificate is also indispensable for opening a bank account, dealing with the tax office and many other stages of settling in. Therefore, always carry at least a copy together with your passport if you come from a third country and live and work here in Germany.
You should also ensure at the same moment of the registration that the correct name is written on the letterbox and that it is also emptied regularly. If, for example, the mail from the bank or the letter with the tax ID is returned, the mail is sent to verify the address, there is a risk of a lot of inconvenience. A deregistration is only necessary if one moves abroad or gives up a secondary residence. Conclusion: Immediately register at one of the approximately 5,100 registration offices if you have a fixed address. Even if you are living in temporary accommodation for more than 3 months.
And if, after registration, you receive mail informing you of your tax ID: File it carefully and forward a copy of the tax ID to your employer immediately. By the way, the registration has nothing to do with the social security number – this is created when you become a member of a health insurance. You’ve got a Friend in Germany!”
Downloads about registration and the registration form
Relocation flash: 10 facts worth knowing about registration and residence
1. In Germany, it is a legal requirement to register with the competent registry office at the address of residence. When registering in Hamburg, for example, the office is called “Einwohnermeldeamt”, when registering in Berlin “Bürgeramt” and in Munich “Kreisverwaltungsreferat”
2. Foreigners can and should register as soon as they intend to stay in Germany for more than 3 months, even if you have rented a furnished flat only and for a limited time. Airbnb and many other platforms are unsuitable as accommodation for registration, because you do not get a confirmation of move-in
3. In many municipalities the possibility has been created in the immigration office to do the registration at the time when applying for the electronical residence permit (“elektronischer Aufenthaltstitel”, “eAT”)
4. The registration must take place in most municipalities within one week after moving in. In the states of Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Schleswig-Holstein and Saxony you have 14 days
5. In order to confirm the registration address, a certificate of move-in from the landlord, or housing provider confirmation, must be presented at the time of registration. As a rule, the confirming landlord must also be listed in the owner’s register of the municipality. The certificate should be given to the tenant when the apartment hand-over takes place
6. A late registration is an administrative offense. The fines can be up to 500,00 Euro
7. Depending on the municipality, there is an obligation to be present during the registration. Even German citizen who have lived abroad for some time must then register in person upon their return
8. Without a confirmation of registration it is not possible to open a bank account, to import and register a car and to carry out some other legal acts for settling in
9. A tax ID and a tax class are created when the registration is done. The tax ID is necessary for the employer to issue correct pay slips
10. In bigger cities it can sometimes take weeks to get a registration appointment. So either book appointment early or hire Anders Consulting
Subject to errors and changes. Status: Spring/Summer 2021
