Register in Dusseldorf: Step-by-step guide

Register in Düsseldorf in 3 easy steps! We'll walk you through each of them and explain all the documents you'll need to become a resident.

Bas

5 minute read

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Updated on 5 Aug 2024

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Moving

The city registration is the last step towards making your stay in Dusseldorf official! Thankfully, it’s a lot more simple than the paperwork hoops you’ve been jumping through to get to Germany in the first place. Why? Well, because we’ve prepared an easy 3-step plan to get your registration with the Bürgerbüro dealt with as swiftly as possible! And that’s a good thing because you need to register soon after you move in. Let’s let Dusseldorf know you’re on your way.

Your registration with the city makes you an official resident of the city of Dusseldorf. You can register as soon as you move into your home, but you need to complete the process within 2 weeks of your move-in date. And that’s a good thing because it opens up a number of important opportunities that you will need access to sooner, rather than later. So, as soon as you’ve found your place in Düsseldorf, you’ll need to think about your registration as well. Once you successfully complete the process, you’ll be eligible to receive 2 very important documents: your Tax-ID (Steueridentifikationsnummer) and proof of residency (Anmeldebestätigung). Sounds fancy? That’s because they’re pretty important, so let’s take a look at why.

Registration Certificate (Anmeldebestätigung)

This document is an official confirmation of the fact that you actually live at your address. Make sure to keep the document safe as well as close at hand. You’ll need to provide this document whenever you make use of a service that requires proof of residency. You get an Anmeldebestätigung once, whenever you register at a new address. If you at some point need a more recent one, you can request a Meldebestätigung that proves you still live at that address and you can request a new one at any time. You’ll need to submit your Anmeldebestätigung whenever you:

• Want to open a German Bank account
• Apply for a visa- or residence permit
• Enter into Utilities or internet contracts
• Want to get a German (mobile) phone number

Tax-ID (Steueridentifikationsnummer)

Another very important result of your registration is that you’ll receive your own unique Tax-ID. This Steueridentifikationsnummer makes sure the German tax authority taxes you appropriately if you start working in Germany. So, if you’re in Germany to work, or even to earn a little money as a result of an internship, you’ll need this number to make sure you’ll be paying the correct amount of taxes. You could work without it, but you’d be taxed at an increased rate which definitely doesn’t outweigh the effort of your registration!

As soon as you’ve scored a place in any of Düsseldorf’s many neighbourhoods, it’s time to set our 3-step plan in motion! Let’s kick it off

Even though we live in modern times, where even many of the bureaucratic processes are available online, you’ll still have to personally make your way to the local Bürgerbüro city registration office to complete your registration. But, before you do that, there are some things you can prepare well in advance, while you’re still abroad and planning and budgeting your cost of living in Düsseldorf. Additionally, we’ve made a list of everything you’ll need to bring along with you. Easy peasy.

The first thing to do is to make sure you actually have an appointment to attend once you arrive in Düsseldorf! However, if it’s a busy period, scheduling an appointment might only be possible for dates anywhere from 3-6 weeks in the future. Remember, you need to register within 2 weeks of moving in. That means it’s a great idea to schedule your appointment from well in advance of your arrival in the country.

Thankfully, Düsseldorf does allow you to schedule an appointment for your Anmeldung online! Once you arrive on this page, click ‘Anmeldung in Düsseldorf (pro Person)’ once for each of the people you want to register. Next, click ‘Termin vereinbaren’ on the right side, and you’ll be shown the availability of timeslots and locations. I suggest using Google Maps to check which of the offices is closest to your new Düsseldorf home address or, depending on the urgency, which office has the best availability with regards to your moving schedule. That was easier than you thought, wasn’t it? Don’t forget to put a reminder in your calendar!

Now that your appointment is probably at least a few weeks away, you’ll have plenty of time to gather all the necessary documentation! We’ve already made you a little Anmeldung document checklist!

• Identification: A valid ID, passport or valid passport replacement documentation for foreign citizens. You’ll need these for everyone relocating to Düsseldorf with you.
• Residence permit: Non-EU/EEA citizens will need to bring their current residence documentation.
• Registration Form (Anmeldeform): You’ll need to fill in the registration form and bring it with you to your appointment. Unfortunately, these documents are only available in German and must be filled in in German as well. Sorry, legal requirement! So, please have a german friend help you with filling it in! If that’s not possible, we recommend you use an online translator like Deepl.com. Don’t forget to sign it once you’re done!
• Supplement to the registration form (Optional): If you’ve somehow managed to have more than one home in Germany, you will need to fill in a supplemental form, in which you declare which of your homes is your main residence.
• Civil status certificate: On your first registration in Munich, you might need to present some official certificates, like a marriage certificate or birth certificate. If your certificates are in an uncommon language, make sure you also have it officially translated!
• Move-in Confirmation: You’ll need a written and signed move in confirmation, supplied to you by your landlord. It’s a relatively simple document where the landlord confirms and agrees that you’ve moved into their property. The documents list your basic info and the address you’ve moved into and the landlord’s signature. Make sure you bring the original!
• Declaration of consent from an absent guardian (optional): If you’re under 18, you’ll need written consent and a photocopy of the ID of your legal guardian, confirming that they consent to you living alone. This is necessary when you’re for example moving to Munich for an internship.

Almost done! All that’s left is the actual appointment! Make sure you’re well on time, even if you have a set time slot. In fact, make this a habit for any appointment in Germany! In some cases, you may be assigned a number when you arrive (Vorgangsnummer), so pay attention to the numbers called out or shown on screen. If you miss your number, you may need to plan a new appointment! Once you arrive there on time, all you have to do is wait your turn and present your documents to the clerk.

In most cases, all you have to do is wait! It will take anywhere from 2-4 weeks for you to receive your shiny new documentation by mail. So make sure that your mailbox has a nice, legible sticker with your name on it, so the Deutsche Post people know where to deposit your shiny new tax id number and registration documents! Welcome to Düsseldorf!

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