'The First 90 Days in Germany: A Checklist for Registration, Bank

It’s easier to approach your first few months in Germany as a series of interdependent steps: address, registration, bank account, health insurance, doctors, utilities, housing, school or daycare, and then the documents for a residence permit. The most common mistake is to put off the first administrative step, which causes subsequent steps to get stuck in a cycle of dependency.

In Germany, many processes depend on a confirmed address and appointments booked in advance. A bank may ask for your Anmeldung; an insurance company may ask for a bank account to deduct premiums; the Ausländerbehörde may ask for proof of insurance and income documents; and a school or daycare may ask for your residential address. Therefore, it’s better to plan your first 90 days not on the principle of “I’ll figure it out when I get there,” but rather as a short-term project.

Main Steps to Follow

In short, a safe sequence of steps looks like this:

Find an address where you can register.
Make an appointment at the Bürgeramt to register (Anmeldung).
Obtain your Meldebescheinigung and Steuer-ID when they arrive.
Open a Girokonto or temporarily use an available digital solution.
Get health insurance.
Register with primary care physicians and gather medical records.
Set up phone, internet, and utility services.
Start the process of enrolling in school, daycare, or language courses.
Register with the Ausländerbehörde if you need to apply for or renew a residence permit.
Put together a folder of documents and keep digital copies.

The process won’t be exactly the same in every city. But if you take care of your registration and insurance early on, most of the subsequent issues will become easier to handle.

The First Week: Address and Registration

Anmeldung—registration of residence at the Bürgeramt or Einwohnermeldeamt. As a general rule, when moving into an apartment, you must register within two weeks of moving in. In practice, in large cities, available appointment slots may not be immediately available, so it’s important to at least make an appointment as early as possible and keep proof of your attempt.

For registration, you usually need:

passport or other identification document;
a visa or residence permit, if applicable;
A “Wohnungsgeberbestätigung” from the landlord or host;
a completed registration form, if the city requires it in advance;
Documents for family members, if the entire family is registering.

The key document is the “Wohnungsgeberbestätigung.” Without it, the Bürgeramt will often refuse to register your address, even if you have a lease or a reservation. If you’re living in temporary housing, find out in advance whether the owner or the primary tenant is willing to provide confirmation for registration. Airbnb or apartments aren’t always suitable: it all depends on the landlord’s consent and the rules of the specific accommodation.

After registering, you’ll receive a Meldebescheinigung. Your Steuer-ID usually arrives by mail later. Employers, banks, and accounting departments often ask for it.

Bank: Don’t delay opening an account

You’ll need a checking account for your salary, rent, insurance, cell phone service, utility bills, and recurring payments. Sometimes the bank will ask for your registration, tax ID number, employment contract, or residence permit. Requirements vary not only between banks but also between branches.

A practical approach:

Start by looking for a bank that’s convenient for your place of residence or employer;
If one branch of Sparkasse or another bank turns you down, try another branch or a different bank;
Keep your passport, visa, Meldebescheinigung, employment contract, or university admission letter handy;
If you need a temporary solution, consider digital services like Revolut, but check whether the account is suitable for receiving your salary, paying rent, and handling insurance payments.

A digital account can help you get started, but it doesn’t always replace a full-fledged German Girokonto. For long-term living, it’s better to have an account that your employer, landlord, and insurance company will accept without question.

Health Insurance and Doctors

In Germany, it is mandatory to have health insurance. For most employees, students, and family members, statutory health insurance (GKV) is suitable, but for the self-employed, high-income earners, and certain other groups, there may be options between GKV and private health insurance (PKV). It’s best to make an informed choice: switching between the systems isn’t always straightforward.

What to do in the first few weeks:

Choose a health insurance provider (Krankenkasse) or confirm your private insurance if it’s appropriate for your status;
Submit a bank account for insurance premium deductions if you’re paying the premiums yourself;
Keep your membership certificate (Mitgliedsbescheinigung) or proof of insurance (Versicherungsnachweis);
Find a family doctor who accepts new patients;
For your family, look for a pediatrician, gynecologist, dentist, and any other necessary specialists separately.

If you have any chronic conditions, bring medical records, a list of medications, diagnoses, and test results. It’s best to have German or English translations of key documents. Specialists may have long wait times for appointments, so don’t wait until your condition worsens.

Communication and the Internet

A local phone number is needed for appointments, banks, deliveries, insurance, and two-factor authentication. At the beginning, it’s easier to buy a prepaid SIM card, for example from Aldi Talk or another carrier. Identification is usually required to activate the SIM card.

You should sign up for home internet right after moving into your permanent residence. Installation can take weeks, especially if a technician is needed. Until your connection is set up, check out temporary options: a mobile router, a data plan with a large data allowance, your landlord’s internet, or a coworking space.

Housing and Utility Contracts

After moving into your permanent apartment, check which contracts are already included in the lease and which ones you need to set up on your own. Most often, you’ll need to set up electricity separately, and sometimes gas, internet, and the Rundfunkbeitrag.

Mini-checklist for moving in:

Prepare a handover report (Übergabeprotokoll) with meter readings;
Take photos of the apartment’s condition and any defects;
Find out who your electricity provider is and whether you can switch to another one;
learn the rules for sorting trash and the Müllkalender;
put your name on the mailbox and doorbell;
Keep the contact information for the property management company, the building superintendent, and the landlord.

Neighbors and house rules in Germany are often more important than they seem. It’s best to familiarize yourself right away with the rules regarding quiet hours, laundry, trash, bicycles, and parking so you don’t start your life in the building with a conflict.

Children: School, Daycare, Youth Welfare Office

If you’ve arrived with children, don’t wait for all the adult paperwork to be finalized. School and daycare may take time, especially in large cities.

For daycare (Kita), check the local registration system. Some cities have a “Kita-Navigator” or similar portal, while in others you’ll need to contact the facilities directly or reach out to the Jugendamt. There may not be any spots close to home, so it’s best to apply to several options at once.

When it comes to schools, the rules vary by federal state and city. Sometimes, after registration, you’ll receive a letter about the school in your area; sometimes the School Authority (Schulamt) assigns parents to a school; and sometimes you have a choice. For children who don’t speak German, there may be preparatory classes, a “Willkommensklasse” (welcome class), or separate language support.

Prepare the following:

passports and birth certificates for the children;
Registration;
vaccination records, especially proof of the MMR vaccine;
report cards, school transcripts, and translations, if available;
Custody documents, if the family structure is non-traditional.

Residence Permit and the Ausländerbehörde

If you arrived on a national D visa or need to apply for a residence permit (Aufenthaltstitel) after entering the country, register with the Foreigners’ Registration Office (Ausländerbehörde) immediately after receiving your address—or sooner, if the city allows it. In large cities, the wait for an appointment can be long.

The list of required documents depends on the reason for your stay: work, study, family reunification, self-employment, job search, or another reason. Typically, you may need:

passport and a valid visa;
Registration;
a biometric photo;
A Mietvertrag or proof of housing;
health insurance;
an employment contract, university admission letter, or proof of income;
proof of funds;
Marriage certificates or children’s birth certificates with translations, if applicable.

Don’t wait until the last week of your visa’s validity. If the deadline is still far off, save your appointment confirmation and check the Ausländerbehörde’s website to see how your city issues a Fiktionsbescheinigung or a confirmation of timely application.

Documents: Organize Everything in One System

The first few months will be easier if all your documents are kept in one place. Create a digital folder and a physical folder.

Useful sections:

passports, visas, residence permits;
Registration (Anmeldung) and letters from the Bürgeramt;
Lease agreement, landlord’s confirmation, move-in inspection report;
banking documents;
Health insurance and medical documents;
Employment contract, pay stubs, university correspondence;
children’s documents;
Letters from the Finanzamt, Ausländerbehörde, Jobcenter, or other agencies.

It’s best to open every official letter right away. In the German bureaucracy, deadlines are often calculated from the date of receipt or the date on the letter, and missing a deadline can cost you money, a deadline, or your right to appeal.

90-Day Plan

Period	Main Task	What Not to Put Off
Days 1–7	Address, SIM card, registration	Landlord’s confirmation, appointments at the Bürgeramt
Days 8–21	Registration, bank account, insurance	Registration certificate, checking account, health insurance
Days 22–45	Doctors, Internet, Utility Contracts	Family doctor, electricity, trash collection schedule
Days 30–60	Children, school, daycare, courses	Youth Welfare Office, School Authority, daycare portals
Days 30–90	Residence Permit and Long-Term Documents	Foreigners’ Registration Office, Proof of Income, Insurance

Common Mistakes

Move into a place where you cannot register.
Waiting for a “permanent apartment” and not registering at your temporary residence, even though registration is possible.
Do not make an appointment at the Bürgeramt if there are no available slots nearby.
Relying on just one bank and not exploring alternatives.
Taking out insurance without understanding whether it’s suitable for a visa, work, or study.
Don’t look for a doctor until you urgently need a prescription.
Sign up for internet service only after you’ve used up your mobile data allowance.
Start the residence permit application a few days before your visa expires.
Don’t ignore letters from government agencies.

FAQ

Can you register (Anmeldung) at temporary housing?

Yes, provided you actually live there and your landlord is willing to issue a landlord’s confirmation. Without this confirmation, registration is usually not possible.

What should you do if there are no available appointments at the Bürgeramt?

Check the website regularly, especially in the morning; look for available slots at neighboring Bürgeramts within the same city; and save confirmation of your booking attempts. In some cities, canceled slots become available for the coming days.

Is it possible to open a bank account without a residence permit?

Sometimes, yes—especially if you have a passport, a visa, an Anmeldung, and an employment contract or educational documents. But banks’ requirements vary. If you’re turned down at one place, that doesn’t mean you’ll be automatically turned down everywhere.

Do you need insurance before getting a residence permit?

Yes, valid health insurance is usually required both for residency and for obtaining a residence permit (Aufenthaltstitel). The type of insurance must correspond to your status.

When should you look for a doctor?

Do this immediately after taking out insurance. It’s best to look for a family doctor and a pediatrician in advance, before any urgent issues arise.

What’s most important during the first 90 days?

Don’t lose track of the sequence: registered address, Anmeldung, bank account, insurance, and residence permit documents. The rest of the everyday matters are easier to handle once this foundation is in place.