Anmeldung at the Bürgeramt: the German you need

The Anmeldung is the registration of your address at the local Bürgeramt (in some towns the Bürgerbüro or Einwohnermeldeamt). The German you need is short: Ich möchte mich anmelden (I'd like to register), Ich habe einen Termin um zehn Uhr (I have an appointment at ten) and Hier ist meine Wohnungsgeberbestätigung (here is my landlord's confirmation). Bring your passport or ID card, that confirmation and the filled-in form, answer a few questions about your move, and you leave with a Meldebescheinigung, the proof of your address.

#What is the Anmeldung and why do you need it?

Everyone who moves into a flat in Germany registers their address with the local registration office, Germans included. The federal registration law (the Bundesmeldegesetz) asks you to do this within two weeks of moving in. The details of how you book and what you bring are up to each city, so your city's website is always the final word.

The Anmeldung matters because so much depends on it. Banks usually ask for your registration, the Ausländerbehörde wants to see it, and if you are new to Germany your tax ID (die Steuer-ID) is sent to your registered address. If you move within Germany you register again at the new address, and before you leave the country you deregister, which is called die Abmeldung.

These are the words you will see on the website, the form and the counter:

#How do you book a Termin at the Bürgeramt?

In most cities you book the appointment (der Termin) online through the city's website, and in large cities it can take a while to find one. Book the earliest appointment you can get and keep the booking confirmation. Some cities now let you register online as well, so check that first. If you prefer to call, these sentences cover the whole conversation:

Calls to public offices follow fixed patterns, and phone calls in German shows how to open, spell your name and close politely.

#What documents do you need for the Anmeldung?

The list differs a little from city to city, but these are the usual ones:

1. Your passport or ID card (der Reisepass, der Personalausweis). If you come from outside the EU, bring your visa or residence permit too, if you have one.
2. The Wohnungsgeberbestätigung, filled in and signed by your landlord or, if you sublet, by the main tenant (der Hauptmieter). The law requires them to give it to you.
3. The registration form (das Anmeldeformular), which many cities let you download and fill in at home.
4. Certificates for your family, such as a marriage or birth certificate, if you register a spouse or children with you. Ask your office whether it needs translations.

#What will the clerk ask you at the Bürgeramt?

The conversation at the counter is short and polite, always with Sie. It usually sounds like this:

The clerk may also ask whether this is your only home: Ist das Ihre einzige Wohnung? Your main home is die Hauptwohnung; a second flat, for instance near your work, is die Nebenwohnung.

The form asks about your religion, because in Germany members of some churches pay church tax (die Kirchensteuer) through their salary. Answer truthfully:

The fields on the form

#What happens after the Anmeldung?

In most offices the clerk prints your Meldebescheinigung on the spot. Keep it safe and make a copy, because you will need it for the next steps:

• A bank account. Many banks ask for proof of address; opening a bank account in Germany walks you through it.
• Your residence permit, if you need one. The Ausländerbehörde usually wants your registration; see the German for the Ausländerbehörde.
• Your tax ID. If you are registering in Germany for the first time, it usually arrives by post a few weeks later. Your employer needs it.
• Letters. Soon after you register, official letters start to arrive, such as one about the Rundfunkbeitrag, the broadcasting fee paid per household. Reading official German letters explains their vocabulary.

#Which phrases help when something goes wrong?

Things do not always go smoothly. A missing paper or a question you did not catch is normal, and staff deal with it every day. These sentences keep the conversation going:

#How does Linota help with the Anmeldung?

Linota has a mission set at the Bürgeramt shortly before it closes: you answer the clerk in your own German, typed or spoken, and get feedback on every reply. Before your real appointment you can also describe it in Prepare a situation and get what to say, what to ask and what to expect. If the form confuses you, scan it with the camera, tap any word to see its meaning in that line, and save the ones you want to keep.

#The short version

• Register within two weeks of moving in, at the Bürgeramt of your new town.
• Bring your passport or ID, the signed Wohnungsgeberbestätigung and the form.
• Open with Ich möchte mich anmelden and know your moving-in date.
• Keep the Meldebescheinigung: banks and the Ausländerbehörde will ask for it.
• If you are unsure, ask the clerk to repeat it slowly. Nobody minds.

Next, prepare for the flat itself with German for a flat viewing, or browse everything about life in Germany.

This post teaches the German for the situation. It is not legal, tax, medical or financial advice, and rules change: for your own case, ask the office, your employer, a doctor or a qualified adviser.