How-To: Anmeldung in Hamburg in English

Although a simple administrative step, doing your Anmeldung in Hamburg is a little challenge when not speaking any Germany. This English guide makes it extra-clear for you.

What is the Anmeldung in Germany?

The Anmeldung is one of the most important administrative steps for anyone moving to Germany. It is the process of registering your current address with the local authorities and must be done in person at the nearest Bürgeramt or customer service center to your place of residence. The German government expects you to at least make an appointment for your Anmeldung within your first two weeks of arriving in Hamburg. Although this rule isn’t strictly enforced, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Once you have done your Anmeldung, you will be given a residence registration certificate called a Meldebescheinigung. While it might look like nothing more than a printed piece of paper, this document is extremely important. You need a Meldebescheinigung in order to open a bank account, get German health insurance, apply for a residence permit, enroll in university, get a mobile phone number and obtain a tax ID number.

This registration process can be an anxious experience for anyone moving to Germany. This is why we’ve put together this English Anmeldung guide for Hamburg if you can’t speak German yet.

What documents are needed for the Anmeldung in Hamburg?

As you will discover with every encounter with German bureaucracy, there is always a long list of documents that you need to bring with you. The Anmeldung is no exception. Before you leave your home, make sure you print these documents and bring them with you to the appointment:

• Registration form or Meldeschein – Filled out and signed. This form contains all of your personal details, address details, document details, etc. You can use Appmeldung for free to completely fill in the Hamburg Anmeldung form in English so you don’t make any mistakes. Click here to register one person in Hamburg. Click here to register two.
• Confirmation form from landlord or lady, or Wohnungsgeberbestätigung. This document is a statement from your landlord that you have moved in at the address. In the case of sublet or flatshare, the main tenant can also fill this in. You can find this form online here, and an English guide here.
• Official photo identification for every registering person – either an identification card or passport.
• An administration fee of €12. Bring cash; German government offices don’t expect to be able to take credit cards until 2051. 

The following people might be asked for additional documents:

• Married or partnered couples will be asked for their original marriage certificate.
• Divorcees will be asked for their original divorce decree.
• Widowed persons will be asked to produce their original spouse’s death certificate.
• Holders of an electronic residence permit (eAT) will need to show their residence permit.
• People who are in Germany on a visa must bring their residence permit.

Booking an Anmeldung appointment im Hamburg

You can book an appointment online at any customer service centre, or Kundenzentrum. You can find your nearest customer service centre by entering your home address in this authority finder.

Once you’ve found the appropriate center, you can book an appointment by following these steps:

• Follow this link.
• Click on Hier Starten.
• Click on Einwohnerwesen.
• Check the box next to “Ich habe die Datenschutzhinweise gelesen und stimme zu.”, then Weiter.
• Next, enter all of your personal information.
• Then, choose a customer service center and appointment time. 
• For a more visual guide in English on how to do this, check out this link.

Once you have completed the booking, you will receive an appointment number via email. Bring this number, along with all of the necessary documents with you to the customer service center.

Getting an Anmeldung appointment fast in Hamburg

In Hamburg, as in the rest of Germany, there’s a massive demand for Anmeldung appointments, which means you probably won’t get an appointment for a few weeks. This can be problematic if you urgently need an appointment in the next day or two. There are a few hacks to get around this:

• Check the booking system at 8 am. Many people cancel appointments last minute and you can find open appointment slots first thing in the morning. Keep refreshing the page, or use a browser extension that can detect changes on the page. 
• Call and see if any spots are available. Hamburg has a dedicated hotline to handle appointments. Call 040 115 and see if someone can accommodate you.

Attending the appointment

Arrive at the customer service center on time with all the necessary documents. A few things to keep in mind:

• During the Anmeldung process, you’ll be asked to state your religion. Officially, it’s a good idea to say that you’re not religious at all, as the faithful get slapped with a German church tax of between 8% and 9% of their income. Appmeldung automatically opts you out of it.
• If you moved to Hamburg to work, it’s a good idea to mention it during the appointment so that the city worker can request a German tax ID for you.
• City workers are obliged to do your Anmeldung process in German even if they can speak English. It’s just for liability purposes in case something gets mistranslated. If the language barrier makes you uncomfortable, you can bring someone with you to translate.

FAQ – Anmeldung in Hamburg in English