A first-week checklist for moving to Düsseldorf

The German system rewards doing things in the right order. Some forms unlock other forms; some appointments need documents you have not received yet. The checklist below puts the moves into a sensible sequence so that nothing blocks anything else for long.

Before you arrive

The work you do from your old country saves you the most time.

• Visa or entry route. Confirm whether you need a national visa, an EU Blue Card or visa-free entry. See visas.
• Temporary accommodation. Book the first 2–6 weeks somewhere with a real Düsseldorf address. A serviced apartment, a co-living slot, or a friend who will sign a Wohnungsgeberbestätigung. Hotels usually will not sign.
• Documents. Pack originals plus apostilles for: birth certificate, marriage/divorce certificate, university diploma, professional certificates, driving licence. Bring several biometric photos.
• Money. Have a working international card. A neobank (N26, Wise, Revolut) is the simplest bridge until you have a German account.
• Health insurance for the trip. A short-term travel policy covers you until German cover starts. The Ausländerbehörde will not accept it long-term.
• Translate documents that are not in German. Sworn translations from the country of origin are usually accepted in Germany.

Day one

1. Get a working German SIM. A prepaid card from a supermarket, an electronics store or any phone shop. You will need a working number for almost every appointment.
2. Buy a 24-hour transport ticket and learn one or two routes — from your accommodation to the Hauptbahnhof, and to the Bürgerbüro of your district.
3. Sign up for an online bank that accepts foreign addresses (N26, Wise, Revolut). You can switch to a German bank later.
4. Sleep. The bureaucracy waits for nobody, but it does wait for tomorrow.

Week one

• Book your Anmeldung appointment. Slots in central Bürgerbüros are usually a few weeks out; widen your search to all districts. See Anmeldung.
• Ask the landlord for a Wohnungsgeberbestätigung. Have it signed and stored as a PDF and on paper.
• Buy a Deutschlandticket if you will be commuting locally. It pays for itself within a week.
• Pick a public health insurance fund and start the application online. Approval can take a few days but is needed before your employer can finalise your contract.
• Start the apartment search if your accommodation is short-term. Düsseldorf rentals move fast.

Week two

The Anmeldung is the keystone. Once it is done, the rest of the paperwork chain opens up.

1. Go to the Anmeldung appointment with passport, Wohnungsgeberbestätigung, the filled form and (for families) marriage and birth certificates with translations.
2. Collect the Meldebescheinigung — keep the original safe.
3. Open a real German bank account. Most banks need the Meldebescheinigung and a passport. See banking.
4. Forward the Meldebescheinigung scan to your employer's HR. They start the social-insurance registration.
5. Wait for two letters: your Steuer-Identifikationsnummer from the federal office, and your registration with the broadcasting fee (Beitragsservice). Both usually arrive within 2–4 weeks.

By the end of the first month

• Tax ID forwarded to HR. Without it your first payslips may be taxed at the highest bracket; once you provide it, refunds flow.
• Health insurance card arrives in the post. Carry it for doctor visits and pharmacy prescriptions.
• Pay the broadcasting fee by setting up a direct debit (cheapest option).
• Personal liability insurance (Privathaftpflicht) for €5–10 a month. Quick to take out, broadly recommended. See insurance.
• Replace temporary cards. A German Girocard makes everyday payments and ATM withdrawals smoother than a foreign card.

Within 90 days

• Residence permit appointment at the Ausländerbehörde for non-EU citizens. Send the email with your scanned documents as soon as you have the Meldebescheinigung; appointments are weeks out.
• Driving licence — if you intend to keep your foreign licence longer than six months, start the Umschreibung early. See driving licence.
• German class — book a course at the VHS or a private school. The longer you wait the harder it is to start. See learning German.
• Long-term apartment, signed contract, deposit transferred.
• Update your Anmeldung when you move into the new flat. Same form, same offices.

Things that can wait

• Contents insurance (Hausrat) once your furniture is worth more than a few thousand euros.
• Disability cover (Berufsunfähigkeit) for working-age employees. Worth getting before any health condition is on record.
• Vereine / clubs for sport, music or language exchanges. The fastest way to meet people once the paperwork settles.
• A Steuererklärung in the spring of the following year. Most employees get refunds.

Common pitfalls

• Hotels and short-term lets that will not sign the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung. Ask before you book.
• Booking the Anmeldung in only one Bürgerbüro. Widen the search across the city.
• Foreign health policies presented as long-term cover. The Ausländerbehörde wants German GKV or a recognised PKV policy.
• Letting the tax-ID letter sit in the post tray. It is the document HR is waiting for.
• Ignoring the broadcasting-fee letter. The fee is owed regardless; ignoring it does not make it go away.

Related reading: Anmeldung, visas, banking, health insurance.