Berlin · Anmeldung
Register your address (Anmeldung) in Berlin
Your Anmeldung is the first official step after moving to Berlin: you register your home address at the Bürgeramt and walk out with a registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung). You're legally meant to do it within 14 days of moving in, and almost everything that follows — tax ID, bank account, residence permit, even a phone contract — depends on it.
Free. The appointment itself takes ~10 minutes; the wait to get one is the hard part.
What you need to bring
- Passport or national IDRequired
How to get it: Issued by your home country. Renew at your country's embassy or consulate in Germany — appointments can take weeks, so check the expiry early.
- Wohnungsgeberbestätigung (landlord move-in confirmation)Required
Ask your landlord — they must provide it
How to get it: Your landlord (or main tenant if you sublet) must fill and sign it — they are legally required to. Most city websites offer the form as a PDF; bring the signed original.
- Completed registration form (Anmeldeformular)Required
How to get it: Download from your city's website (search '<city> Anmeldung Formular') or pick it up at the Bürgeramt. Fill it in before the appointment to save time.
- Marriage certificate (if registering a spouse)If applicable
How to get it: From the registry office (Standesamt) where you married, or your home country's authority. Foreign certificates often need a certified translation or apostille.
- Birth certificates (if registering children)If applicable
How to get it: For a child born in Germany: the Standesamt of the birthplace issues it (the hospital sends the paperwork). For Elterngeld, ask for the special 'für Elterngeld' copy. Foreign certificates may need a certified translation.
Can you do it online?
Online Anmeldung is rolling out city by city via BundID — we open your city/state portal where available.
Open the official portal ↗What usually comes next
Good to know
- You can only register once you've physically moved in — you need a Wohnungsgeberbestätigung (move-in confirmation) signed by your landlord, who is legally obliged to provide it.
- No fixed address yet? Some people register at a temporary or friend's address first, but only with that person's signed confirmation — never invent one, it's a punishable offence.
- Book the appointment the moment you have a move-in date; in the busiest cities the next free slot can be weeks away. Check the booking portal early in the morning when cancellations appear.
- Bring the original Wohnungsgeberbestätigung and every family member's passport — clerks routinely turn people away for a missing document.
Frequently asked questions
What do I need for Anmeldung in Berlin?
You'll need 3 key documents: Passport or national ID, Wohnungsgeberbestätigung (landlord move-in confirmation), Completed registration form (Anmeldeformular). Berlin's Bürgeramt appointments are the scarcest in Germany — book the moment you have an address.
Can I do Anmeldung online in Berlin?
Online Anmeldung is rolling out city by city via BundID — we open your city/state portal where available.
Which office handles Anmeldung in Berlin?
Register your address (Anmeldung) in Berlin is handled at the local level in Berlin. The exact office and any forms are linked from the official source on this page, and the Amtly app opens the right Berlin / Berlin portal for you.
Checklist last verified 2026-06-11. Rules vary by office and change over time — always confirm with the official source linked above.