Guide to German authorities

for EU citizens

www.eu-gleichbehandlungsstelle.de
What?
Residence
Registering your place of residence
Deregistering your place of
residence (if you are moving
abroad)
Residence permit – NOT necessary
for EU/EEA nationals
Residence card – for family
members from third countries
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Which authority?
Registration office
(Einwohnermeldeamt or
Bürgeramt) for your place of
residence
Registration office
(Einwohnermeldeamt or
Bürgeramt)
Foreigners authority
(Ausländerbehörde) for your
place of residence
When? Please note You will receive
Within 14 days after You (or a proxy) must appear Registration certificate
entering the country, if in person. Bring confirmation (Meldebestätigung)
you are moving to with you from your landlord (no charge)
Germany that you have moved in
(Einzugsbestätigung)
Up to 14 days after Not necessary if you are Deregistration certificate
moving out moving within Germany (Abmeldebestätigung) (no
charge)
Sections 2 to 4 of the Freedom
of Movement Act/EU
(Freizügigkeits-gesetz/EU)
apply to entry and residence
After entering the Only for EU citizens’ family Residence card
country (with visa) members who are third- (Aufenthaltskarte)
country nationals! For periods
of residence longer than three
months!
What? Which authority? When? Please note You will receive
Housing
Social housing Housing office A certificate is required Only possible up to a certain Certificate of eligibility for
(Wohnungsamt) for your place before you can access income threshold, which social housing (WBS-
of residence: to obtain a social housing! depends on the Land (federal Bescheinigung) (valid for 1
certificate of eligibility or an state) in question, e.g. Berlin year)
RlvF scheme certificate
Housing benefit (Wohngeld) Housing office Housing benefit is Depends on your income, the Housing benefit award
(Wohnungsamt) for your place granted from the month size of your household, the letter (Wohngeld-bescheid)
of residence in which you submit the amount you pay in rent (valid for 1 year)
application

3 www.eu-gleichbehandlungsstelle.de
What? Which authority?
Working
Work permit NOT required by EU/EEA nationals
Recognition of foreign professional The competent authorities can
qualifications include, authorities at Land
(federal state) level, chambers
of crafts, or the IHK-Fosa:
please use the Recognition
Finder
Tax identification number Federal Central Tax Office
(Bonn)
Social insurance card Deutsche Rentenversicherung
(Sozialversicherungsausweis), a Bund and regional providers
document stating your pension (tool for finding providers and
insurance number service hotline)
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When? Please note You will receive
Before taking up work Whether recognition is Certificate of recognition
required depends on the type (Anerkennungs-
of occupation (see the bescheinigung)
Recognition Finder)
This is automatically sent Notify your employer of your Tax identification number
to you after you register tax identification number (Steuer-ID)
your residence with the
registration office
This is sent to you when Present it to (new) employers Document stating your
your employer first pension insurance number
registers you; issued
automatically at birth to
people born in or after
2005
 Which authority?
What?
Working
Health insurance No authority exists in this
case! Please see the list of
statutory health insurance
funds
Setting up a business Various authorities: please see
this guide to the relevant
authorities
5 www.eu-gleichbehandlungsstelle.de
When? Please note You will receive
Once you have taken up Register with the health Health insurance card
work in Germany insurance fund of your choice
and/or once you have
moved to Germany
The guide is also available as
an app
What? Which authority? When? Please note You will receive
Unemployment benefit/social assistance
Unemployment benefit Employment Agency (Agentur Register as a jobseeker 3 Register as a jobseeker + apply Unemployment benefit I
(Arbeitslosengeld) für Arbeit) for your place of months before your for unemployment benefit award letter
residence contract ends or as soon (both can be done online); (Arbeitslosengeld I –
as possible after learning please note the eligibility Bescheid)
that you are to become requirements
unemployed
Unemployment benefit II Jobcentre for your place of Claimants capable of work Unemployment benefit II
(Arbeitslosengeld II, also known as residence who are in need (see the award letter
Hartz IV) eligibility requirements) (Arbeitslosengeld II –
Bescheid)
Social assistance (Sozialhilfe) Municipal social benefits Claimants not capable of work Social assistance award
(under Book XII of the Social office (Sozialamt) for your who are in need letter (Sozialhilfe-Bescheid)
Code) place of residence

6 www.eu-gleichbehandlungsstelle.de
What? Which authority? When? Please note You will receive
Families/children
Child benefit (Kindergeld) Family Benefits Office Apply for child benefit as Please note: With effect from Child benefit award letter
(Familienkasse) for your place soon as you become 1 January 2018, child benefit (Kindergeldbescheid)
of residence resident in Germany. It can only be backdated for six
can take several months months! This is based on the
In cross-border cases (e.g. if for applications to be date when the application was
the family is living apart), the processed! submitted.
office responsible depends on
the country of origin: Cross-border cases:
- Belgium, Bulgaria, e.g. when living and working
Luxembourg, Netherlands, in different countries, or if the
Hungary family is living apart in
- France, Switzerland, Czech different countries
Republic
- Austria, Latvia. Slovakia,
Greece, Croatia
- Poland
- all other EU/EEA countries
- Orphans and children who do
not know where their parents
are: North Bavaria Family
Benefits Office, respectively

7 www.eu-gleichbehandlungsstelle.de
What? Which authority?
Families/children
Parental allowance (Elterngeld) / Parental Allowance Office
parental leave (Elterngeldstelle) for your
place of residence; you should
apply for parental leave from
your employer
Registering with a child day care Youth welfare office
centre (Jugendamt) for your place of
residence (find your local
office)
School (registration) Local education authority
(Schulamt) for your place of
residence; registration takes
place at the school itself
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When? Please note You will receive
Applications for the Please note: The parental Parental allowance award
parental allowance can allowance can only be letter (Elterngeldbescheid)
be submitted from your backdated three months from
child’s birth until three the date when the application
months afterwards; is submitted! Information on
applications for parental the parental allowance
leave can be submitted to
your employer until one
week after the birth
Seek information from Information on how to For example: a child day
the youth welfare office register your child with a child care centre voucher (Berlin)
well in advance day care centre
You will normally be sent Primary school: your child
a registration invitation must be 6 years old on a
by the local education specific date, which varies
authority well in advance from one Land (federal state)
(primary school) to another. Information is
available from the local
education authorities
What?
Families/children
Births / marriage / divorce
Which authority? When? Please note You will receive
Registry office (Standesamt) For example to register Birth certificate, marriage
for your place of residence the birth of a child, document
marriage

What? Which authority? When? Please note You will receive

Pensions
Claiming your pension German Statutory Pension At least three months You can also submit your Pension award letter
Insurance (Deutsche before retirement claim online (Rentenbescheid)
Rentenversicherung) for your
place of residence

9 www.eu-gleichbehandlungsstelle.de
What? Which authority?
People with disabilities
Severely disabled person’s pass Pension office
(Schwerbehindertenausweis) (Versorgungsamt) for your
place of residence
What? Which authority?
Naturalisation
Naturalisation Naturalisation / nationality
authority (Einbürgerungs-
/Staatsangehörigkeits-
behörde) (ask for information
from the municipal or county
administration for your place
of residence, or the foreigners
authority (Ausländerbehörde))
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When? Please note You will receive
Degree of disability: 50% or Pass
more; the pass allows you to
access certain advantages in
relation to work, taxation,
local transport, for example
When? Please note You will receive
After you have been It is possible to retain your Certificate of naturalisation
lawfully resident in previous nationality; and German passport (cost:
Germany for 8 years naturalisation requirements around €250, around €50
for minor children)
www.eu-gleichbehandlungsstelle.de
What? Which authority?
Miscellaneous
Vehicle registration (registration, Vehicle registration office
changes to your registration, (Kfz-Zulassungsstelle) for your
deregistration) place of residence
Certification Official certification:
Bürgeramt (office rendering
administrative services for the
public) or Rathaus (town/city
hall) for your place of
residence. Public certification
(of a signature, e.g. for
contracts): notaries
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When? Please note You will receive
As soon as the vehicle Vehicle registration offices Registration document
which is to be used is provide information online (Kfz-Zulassungs-
there (plan on the process about what documents to bescheinigung)
taking around 2-3 weeks) bring with you (depending on
the vehicle)
Official certification: this Certified copy (cost: around
certifies that a copy is a true 5 – 10 euros)
copy of the original. Bring the
original and the copy with you
www.eu-gleichbehandlungsstelle.de
 You can also find the authority you require using these sites:

Link to a general tool for finding authorities: https://www.behoerdenfinder.de/opencms/searchjs.do

Local information on authorities: https://handbookgermany.de/en/local-information.html

Publication information Publisher Disclaimer

Federal Government Commissioner for Migration, Refugees Federal Government Commissioner for Migration, Refugees Reasonable care has been taken in compiling this information.
and Integration and Integration No liability is accepted for its accuracy, currentness or
Office for the Equal Treatment of EU Workers Berlin, March 2018 completeness.

12 www.eu-gleichbehandlungsstelle.de