Hamburg · Newcomer guide
Settling in Hamburg
Hamburg runs most services through its central hamburg.de portal, which often lets you start online. Work through the steps below — each guide lists the exact documents to bring.
Typical monthly cost in Hamburg: ~€1.980 (rent + essentials). See the full city guide →
When you arrive
Register your address (Anmeldung) in Hamburg
Anmeldung
Read the guide→Get your tax ID & tax class in Hamburg
Steuer-ID / Finanzamt
Read the guide→Open a bank account in Hamburg
Girokonto
Read the guide→Sign up for health insurance in Hamburg
Krankenversicherung
Read the guide→Apply for a residence permit in Hamburg
Aufenthaltstitel
Read the guide→Find a place to live in Hamburg
Wohnungssuche
Read the guide→Get a SIM or phone contract in Hamburg
Handyvertrag
Read the guide→As you settle in
Meet Amtly
Track your move to Hamburg in your pocket
The free companion app for German bureaucracy. Get a personal arrival plan, track every Termin with the exact documents to bring, and scan papers into a private on-device vault. Available in English, Deutsch and 中文.
- 🗺️A plan tailored to your persona, city and Bundesland
- 📅Appointment reminders with the right document checklist
- 🔒On-device document vault — your papers never leave the phone
- 💬Ask Amtly + a community of internationals who've done it