Police registration
In principle, all people who come to Germany and wish to stay for longer than three months must register their residential address with the authorities after two weeks at the latest. Even if you move within Germany, you must always inform the authorities of your new address.
Important: This registration has nothing to do with registering as an asylum seeker or registering with the immigration authorities. You must do this in addition. You can find out how to register as a refugee in the chapter on registering as an asylum seeker.
And if you want to know exactly: There is even a law on registration in Germany, the Federal Registration Act (Bundesmeldegesetz - BMG).
What do I need to know?
Who has to register and when?
All people who move to Germany or relocate within Germany must register or re-register at the residents' registration office (often called the Bürgeramt or Bürgerbüro ). Registration within two weeks is mandatory. If you register too late or not at all, you may have to pay a fine.
When you register, you will receive an "official confirmation of registration". Keep this document in a safe place. You can use it to prove - even without your ID - that you are registered in a municipality or city in Germany, i.e. that you are resident there.
What do I need to bring with me to register?
You must register in person at the Residents' Registration Office or Citizens' Registration Office. You can find the address of your residents' registration office or citizens' registration office at melderegister-auskunft.de.
You must bring your ID (identity card, residence permit, residence document, etc.) and - if available - your passport or passport replacement documents with you to register. You must also fill out a registration form. You can obtain the form directly from the residents' registration office.
In some cities / municipalities, you will also need a so-called "landlord's confirmation of moving in" for the registration. This is a document in which your landlord confirms that you are a tenant in their home. Sometimes your birth certificate or marriage certificate is also required for registration. If you have these documents, bring them with you to the registration office as a precaution.
What is stored at the registration office?
The Residents' Registration Office or Citizens' Registration Office stores your "personal data" in the official register of residents. Personal data is your full name, your new address, your date of birth and your marital status.
What do I have to do if I move house?
If you have moved within Germany, you must register with the residents' registration office or citizens' registration office in the new town or municipality. You must do this within 2 weeks of your move. You will then receive a new registration confirmation. Your new address will also be entered in your documents (e.g. residence permit, identity card, etc.).
The new registration office/citizens' office will inform the office previously responsible for you of your new address. Therefore, you do not have to deregister at your old registration office or citizens' registration office.
You can also live in several apartments. In this case, you must inform the Residents' Registration Office which apartment is your main residence and which is your secondary residence. Main residence means that you spend most of your time there.
If you leave Germany, you must deregister at the Residents' Registration Office at your last German address.
What other tasks does the registration office have?
The more than 5,000 residents' registration offices in Germany's cities and municipalities have many tasks. They take care of the registration, de-registration and re-registration of people and issue identity cards and children's ID cards. The residents' registration offices also have to provide information from the register of residents when someone makes an inquiry to the register of residents or "residents' registration office inquiry" (EMA inquiry). This type of request can be used to find out which residential address someone is registered with. This can be useful, for example, if you are missing friends or family members or if you want to find debtors or customers who have moved away.
Private providers also offer this service, although they often charge extra for it. You can find a list of reputable private providers on melderegister-auskunft.de. The registration offices/citizens' registration offices also charge a fee, although this varies from municipality to municipality. Even if the person you are looking for is not found, you still have to pay the fee. The processing time varies from authority to authority. Sometimes it only takes a few days, but sometimes several weeks.
Can I ask for my place of residence to be kept secret?
You can apply for an "information block" in accordance with §51 of the Federal Registration Act at your local registration office. This means that - with the exception of the authorities - nobody is allowed to ask for your "personal data" (name, date of birth, home address, marital status). For such an information block, you must prove that there is a risk to you through information from the population register. This may be the case, for example, if you are being persecuted by someone or work in an area where many people are threatened (e.g. in the fight against racism). The information block is valid for two years and can be extended on request. It costs nothing. The residents' registration office will normally inform you before the block is automatically lifted.
What other population registers are there?
In addition to the register of residents for private individuals, there is a commercial register in every district court. There you will find information on local companies if they are subject to compulsory registration. If you own a company or are self-employed, you can register yourself in the commercial register. This costs fees. However, you do not have to register in the commercial register if you are a sole trader.
Important
If you are being persecuted or work in a profession in which you are potentially at risk, you can apply to your local registration office for an information block in accordance with §51 of the Federal Registration Act. Your address is then secret and cannot simply be queried by third parties.
Upon arrival in Germany, individuals seeking to stay longer than three months must comply with the compulsory registration process. This involves registering their residential address with the authorities within two weeks, as stipulated by the Bundesmeldegesetz (Federal Registration Act).
Even if you relocate within Germany, it's essential to inform the authorities of your new address, maintaining your registration obligations.
Source: handbookgermany.de
