The 10 questions everyone new to Berlin asks
The German version of this page has been changed, this translation has not. Please rely on the German page.
Almost everyone who is new to Berlin asks the same ten questions – usually in exactly this order, because one step depends on the one before: no home, no registration; no registration, no tax ID; no health insurance, no residence title. Here are the short answers. Each links to the detailed page with legal bases and sources.
1. I have found a home – what do I need from the landlord? A Wohnungsgeberbestätigung (landlord's confirmation of residence) (§ 19 Bundesmeldegesetz). Without this document the Bürgeramt (citizens' office) will not accept your registration. The rental contract alone is not enough. Ask for it as soon as you move in, also in the case of a sublet. More: Finding a home and tenancy law.
2. How and by when do I register? Within 14 days of moving in at the Bürgeramt (§ 17 Abs. 1 BMG). Registration is free of charge. You book appointments for all Berlin Bürgerämter centrally via service.berlin.de; the district does not matter. Anyone who misses the deadline commits an administrative offence (§ 54 BMG, fine of up to 1.000 Euro possible). More: Housing and registration.
3. Where do I get my tax ID? You do not apply for it anywhere: the Steuer-Identifikationsnummer (tax identification number) arrives automatically by post once you are registered. There is no official statement on how long this takes. If it has still not arrived three months after registration, contact the Bundeszentralamt für Steuern (Federal Central Tax Office) (copy of your ID and of the registration certificate). More: Social insurance, tax ID and bank account.
4. Can I open a bank account before everything else is done? Yes. Every person who is lawfully resident in the EU is entitled to a Basiskonto (basic account) – even without a fixed address, without a Schufa entry (credit record) and with a residence status that is still unclear. Banks may not refuse the account then. For studies or the Chancenkarte (opportunity card) you additionally need a Sperrkonto (blocked account) as proof of funding. More: Bank account and Studying in Berlin.
5. Which health insurance "counts" for the residence title? Health insurance is compulsory for everyone who lives in Germany. Employees choose a statutory health insurer within two weeks of starting work (§ 175 SGB V); after that the employer's reporting office registers them itself. Self-employed people must arrange it themselves, either voluntary statutory or private. Without health insurance you often do not get a residence title. Caution with short titles: anyone with a residence permit for twelve months at most often does not fall under the statutory fallback insurance (§ 5 Abs. 11 SGB V). More: Health insurance: compulsory, statutory or private.
6. How do I get an appointment at the Landesamt für Einwanderung (LEA, State Office for Immigration)? For titles for employment (skilled workers, EU Blue Card, Chancenkarte) you file the online application at berlin.de/einwanderung – an appointment request via the contact form does not replace the application. After submitting and paying you receive a PDF confirming that your previous title continues to apply. The LEA then gets in touch with the appointment. For other titles, appointments are arranged via the contact form of the responsible department. More: Extending your residence title and Entry and first steps.
7. My visa or title expires before the LEA decides – what now? If you applied before it expired, your previous title automatically continues to apply until a decision is made (§ 81 Abs. 4 AufenthG). As proof, the LEA issues a Fiktionsbescheinigung (provisional residence document) when you attend in person (13 Euro, minors 6,50 Euro). According to the Serviceportal Berlin, with this fiction (under § 81 Abs. 4) you may travel and re-enter. Two exceptions: with a Schengen visa of category C there is no Fiktionsbescheinigung, and a fiction under § 81 Abs. 3 AufenthG (application without a previous title) entitles you neither to re-enter nor to work. Anyone who applies only after expiry has no automatic continuation – get advice immediately. More: Fiktionsbescheinigung.
8. The LEA has not replied for months – can I do something? Yes. If an authority does not decide on an application "without sufficient reason within a reasonable time", you can file an Untätigkeitsklage (action for failure to act) at the administrative court three months after the application (§ 75 VwGO). If the authority has a valid reason for the delay, the court stays the proceedings and sets it a deadline. There is no official statistic on how long the LEA usually takes. Whether a lawsuit makes sense in your case is for a lawyer to assess; with low income, Beratungshilfe (legal advice aid) helps. More: Finding a lawyer and paying for legal help.
9. I do not have a TV – do I still have to pay the Rundfunkbeitrag (broadcasting fee)? Yes. The fee applies per home, not per device: 18,36 Euro a month, no matter how many people live there and whether there is a radio or a TV. One person per home registers with the Beitragsservice (broadcasting fee office) without delay (§ 8 RBStV); in shared flats one registration is enough. Exemption is available only on application, for example with Grundsicherungsgeld (basic income support) or BAföG (student financial aid). More: Broadcasting fee and official mail.
10. Do I have to have my degree recognised – and where? It depends on the profession. For regulated professions (doctor, nurse, teacher, pharmacist) always; otherwise you may not work. For non-regulated professions (IT, commercial occupations, business administration) only if your residence title requires it, for example as a skilled worker. Responsible bodies: for university degrees the Zentralstelle für ausländisches Bildungswesen (ZAB, Central Office for Foreign Education) in Bonn, for crafts the Handwerkskammer Berlin (Berlin Chamber of Crafts), for many IHK professions the IHK FOSA (IHK Foreign Skills Approval) in Nürnberg. Advice beforehand from the IQ Netzwerk Berlin. Start early – the procedure takes time. More: Recognition of foreign qualifications.
EU citizens do not need a residence title; questions 6 to 8 do not apply to them. Registration, tax ID, bank account, health insurance, broadcasting fee and recognition apply to them just the same.
Not sure whether this route fits you or what comes first? We assess your situation for free and name the right contact points.
Reply by email, usually within two working days. Free, no legal advice in individual cases.
- Ask for the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung (landlord's confirmation of residence) when you move inHave it signed by the landlord or main tenant (§ 19 BMG). Without it, step 2 is not possible.
- Book a Bürgeramt (citizens' office) appointment and registerWithin 14 days of moving in (§ 17 Abs. 1 BMG), centrally via service.berlin.de/terminvereinbarung. Bring your passport, the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung and the registration form. You receive the Meldebestätigung (registration certificate).
- Open a bank account, choose a health insurerA Basiskonto (basic account) is possible at any time. Employees choose a statutory health insurer within two weeks of starting work (§ 175 SGB V); self-employed people decide on voluntary statutory or private insurance.
- Wait for the tax IDIt arrives automatically by post at the registered address. After three months without a letter: ask the Bundeszentralamt für Steuern (Federal Central Tax Office).
- Register for the Rundfunkbeitrag (broadcasting fee) or apply for exemptionWithout delay after moving in, at the Beitragsservice (broadcasting fee office) (§ 8 RBStV), one person per home.
- Apply for your residence title at the LEA in good timeWell before your visa expires: online application for employment titles, otherwise the contact form. An application before expiry secures continuation (§ 81 Abs. 4 AufenthG). If needed, a Fiktionsbescheinigung (provisional residence document); after three months without a decision, consider an Untätigkeitsklage (action for failure to act) (§ 75 VwGO).
- Start recognition if your profession requires itAdvice from the IQ Netzwerk Berlin, then application to the ZAB, the Handwerkskammer Berlin or the IHK FOSA.
- There are no official figures on actual waiting times for Bürgeramt or LEA appointments or on the usual processing time for residence titles. Figures in weeks or months circulate only on private advice sites and are deliberately not adopted here.
- For employment titles, an appointment request via the LEA contact form does not replace the online application (LEA Berlin). Only a filed application secures continuation under § 81 Abs. 4 AufenthG.
- Holders of a Schengen visa of category C do not receive a Fiktionsbescheinigung in Berlin (Serviceportal Berlin). A fiction under § 81 Abs. 3 AufenthG does not entitle you to re-enter and does not permit gainful employment.
- Whether an Untätigkeitsklage succeeds in an individual case depends on whether the authority has a "sufficient reason" for the delay (§ 75 VwGO). This page is general information, not legal advice; the assessment is for a lawyer.
- Third-country nationals with a residence permit of twelve months at most often do not fall under the statutory fallback insurance (§ 5 Abs. 11 SGB V) and have to take out private insurance. Get neutral advice before signing a contract.
- EU citizens and their family members do not need a residence title (freedom of movement); questions 6 to 8 do not apply to them.
In depth · Legal basis, figures and practice – for counsellors and professionals
Purpose and evidence basis of this page
This page bundles the ten questions that come up most often in counselling sessions and on the large information portals for newcomers, and answers them solely with information that has already been checked against primary sources on the linked topic pages of this portal, supplemented by two further sources accessed on 1 November 2026 (§ 75 VwGO, Serviceportal Berlin on the Fiktionsbescheinigung). It does not replace the topic pages but arranges them in the chronological order that follows from their mutual dependencies: Wohnungsgeberbestätigung (landlord's confirmation of residence) (§ 19 BMG) → registration (§ 17 BMG) → automatic issue of the tax ID (§ 139b AO, enforced by the BZSt) → health insurance → residence title (§ 81 AufenthG).
Registration and fine
The registration obligation under § 17 Abs. 1 BMG applies to every person who moves into a home, regardless of nationality and residence status. § 54 Abs. 2 BMG threatens a fine of up to 1.000 Euro for a registration that is not made, not made correctly or not made in time; the actual fining practice of the Berlin Bürgerämter is not officially documented. Electronic registration of residence requires a German ID card with eID function or an electronic residence title and is therefore usually not yet open to new arrivals.
Basic account
The entitlement to a Basiskonto (basic account) follows from the Zahlungskontengesetz (ZKG, Payment Accounts Act) and, according to the Verbraucherzentrale (consumer advice centre), is open to every person lawfully resident in the EU, including people without a fixed address or with an unclear residence status. Basic accounts are in part comparatively expensive; current price lists should be checked.
Health insurance and short titles
Under § 5 Abs. 11 SGB V, the fallback compulsory insurance for third-country nationals applies only with a Niederlassungserlaubnis (settlement permit) or a residence permit limited to more than twelve months, provided that its issue is not subject to the requirement of securing one's livelihood under § 5 Abs. 1 Nr. 1 AufenthG. For first-time employees above the compulsory insurance threshold (2026: 77.400 Euro) and holders of a residence permit under § 18d AufenthG, § 9 Abs. 1 Nr. 3 and 6 SGB V opens a voluntary joining option within three months.
Continuation and Fiktionsbescheinigung
§ 81 Abs. 4 Satz 1 AufenthG: if an application for extension or for issue of a different title is made in time, the previous title is treated as continuing until the decision. Satz 2 excludes the Schengen visa under § 6 Abs. 1 AufenthG; the Serviceportal Berlin confirms that holders of a C visa are not issued a Fiktionsbescheinigung. According to the Serviceportal (retrieved 01.11.2026), travel abroad and re-entry are possible with a fiction under § 81 Abs. 4; a fiction under § 81 Abs. 3 (application from lawful residence without a title) does not entitle to re-entry and does not permit gainful employment. Fee under § 47 AufenthV: 13 Euro, minors 6,50 Euro; personal attendance required, main residence in Berlin. Note: the topic page "Extending your residence title" (as of 25.09.2026) still assessed the travel question as not evidenced; the Serviceportal statement cited here is more recent.
Untätigkeitsklage (action for failure to act)
§ 75 Satz 1 VwGO permits the action, in derogation from § 68 VwGO, if an objection or an application for an administrative act has not been decided on the merits "ohne zureichenden Grund in angemessener Frist" (without sufficient reason within a reasonable time). Satz 2: the action cannot be brought before three months have passed since the objection was lodged or the application was made, unless a shorter period is required because of special circumstances of the case. Satz 3: if there is sufficient reason why no decision has yet been made, the court stays the proceedings until a deadline set by it, which can be extended. Satz 4: if a decision is made within this deadline, the main matter must be declared settled. For the issue or extension of a residence title, the application at the LEA is the decisive start of the period. There is no confirmed information on the duration and success rate of Untätigkeitsklagen against the LEA; the LEA publishes no statistics on processing times.
Rundfunkbeitrag (broadcasting fee)
§ 2 Abs. 1 RBStV: one fee per home, owed by the occupant; amount according to the Verbraucherzentrale 18,36 Euro per month. Duty to notify without delay under § 8 Abs. 1 RBStV. Exemption only on application (§ 4 RBStV), among others for Grundsicherungsgeld, Grundsicherung im Alter (basic income support in old age), BAföG; recipients of Arbeitslosengeld I (unemployment benefit I) or Wohngeld (housing benefit) are not exempt, for them a hardship application under § 4 Abs. 6 RBStV may be considered.
Recognition
Whether recognition is required depends on whether the profession is regulated. The ZAB at the Secretariat of the Kultusministerkonferenz (Conference of Education Ministers) (Bonn, no public counter) is responsible for assessing academic degrees, the Handwerkskammer Berlin for craft professions, the IHK FOSA in Nürnberg for many IHK professions. Since 1 January 2026 Berlin has had several parallel recognition advice services within the IQ Netzwerk instead of one central body; details on the topic page on recognition.
- What is “The 10 questions everyone new to Berlin asks” about?
- Housing, registration, tax ID, bank account, health insurance, Landesamt für Einwanderung (State Office for Immigration), Fiktionsbescheinigung (provisional residence document), broadcasting fee, recognition of qualifications: short answers in the right order, with links to the detailed pages.
- Which deadlines and figures matter?
- 14 days after moving in: Registering your residence at the Bürgeramt (§ 17 Abs. 1 BMG)
- without delay after moving in: Registering the home with the Beitragsservice (broadcasting fee) (§ 8 Abs. 1 RBStV)
- 2 weeks after starting employment: Choice of a statutory health insurer by employees (§ 175 Abs. 3 SGB V)
- before the visa or title expires: Application for issue or extension at the LEA, so that the previous title is treated as continuing (§ 81 Abs. 4 Satz 1 AufenthG)
- 3 months after registration: Point from which you should ask the Bundeszentralamt für Steuern (Federal Central Tax Office) about your tax ID (bzst.de, Praxis des Bundeszentralamts für Steuern)
- What should I do first?
- Ask for the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung (landlord's confirmation of residence) when you move in: Have it signed by the landlord or main tenant (§ 19 BMG). Without it, step 2 is not possible.
- Book a Bürgeramt (citizens' office) appointment and register: Within 14 days of moving in (§ 17 Abs. 1 BMG), centrally via service.berlin.de/terminvereinbarung. Bring your passport, the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung and the registration form. You receive the Meldebestätigung (registration certificate).
- Open a bank account, choose a health insurer: A Basiskonto (basic account) is possible at any time. Employees choose a statutory health insurer within two weeks of starting work (§ 175 SGB V); self-employed people decide on voluntary statutory or private insurance.
- What should I watch out for?
- There are no official figures on actual waiting times for Bürgeramt or LEA appointments or on the usual processing time for residence titles. Figures in weeks or months circulate only on private advice sites and are deliberately not adopted here.
- For employment titles, an appointment request via the LEA contact form does not replace the online application (LEA Berlin). Only a filed application secures continuation under § 81 Abs. 4 AufenthG.
- Holders of a Schengen visa of category C do not receive a Fiktionsbescheinigung in Berlin (Serviceportal Berlin). A fiction under § 81 Abs. 3 AufenthG does not entitle you to re-enter and does not permit gainful employment.
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