Registration
If you live in Germany, you will need to register at the Einwohnermeldeamt (residents' registration office). This applies regardless of your country of origin or the type of residence title that you hold.
You must also acquire a tax identification number. Here you will find everything you need to know about your first few days in Germany.
Einwohnermeldeamt (residents' registration office)
You should waste no time in applying for your residence permit once you have arrived in Germany. To this end, you not only need to provide proof of receiving a specific job offer from a German employer, but also verify that you have living quarters. Oftentimes, a furnished flat that you rent by the month is sufficient until you have found your own flat.
To prove to the authorities that you do in fact have a place of residence, you will need to show your official registration document. This equally applies to EU citizens. You can receive this registration by going to the Einwohnermeldeamt (residents' registration office) as soon as you move in and present a confirmation from your accommodation agency. This agency is typically your landlord. If you live in a single room in a shared flat, the landlord can also be the main tenant of the flat. This confirmation must specify the date you moved in and your address.
This confirmed registration allows you to prove to other authorities that you are a legal resident in Germany.
Good to know: The Einwohnermeldeamt (residents' registration office) is not referred to as such everywhere. In Biberach, you formally register at the Bürgeramt, which is located in the town hall at Marktplatz 7/1. If you live in Mettenberg, Ringschnait, Rißegg or Stafflangen, you can also contact the respective local administration office.
Counselling centres
Living in a new city brings with it a host of questions, particularly right at the beginning. It’s therefore good to know that the answer is just a few clicks away.
From waste disposal, to formal recognition of foreign marriages and child protection laws, you can find the right contact for every subject matter here.
Ausländerbehörde (immigration service)
In addition to registering at the Einwohnermeldeamt (residents' registration office), citizens of non-EU countries must also register at the Ausländerbehörde (immigration service) as this is the only place where you can apply for your residence permit.
To obtain the residence permit, you need to produce a certificate of valid residence (= see “Einwohnermeldeamt (residents' registration office)).
Tax identification number
Anyone who lives and works in Germany is assigned a tax identification number. This number is automatically sent to you and remains valid for life.
When you initially move to Germany, the Meldebehörde (registry office) (i.e. the Einwohnermeldeamt (residents' registration office) or the Ausländerbehörde (immigration service)) automatically sends your data to the Bundeszentralamt (federal central tax office). You therefore do not need to take care of this yourself. The Bundeszentralamt then sends you your tax identification number by post in a matter of a few weeks.