Living in Germany
German government forms, field by field
Germany runs on paper. The forms are free and public — what nobody gives you is a translation of what each field wants, and which box quietly costs you money for years. That's what these pages are.
Your city's Bürgeramt / Einwohnermeldeamt (Meldebehörde)
The Anmeldung form, field by field
Anmeldung bei der Meldebehörde (Meldeschein / Anmeldeformular)
Everyone who moves into a home in Germany — including EU citizens, students and people staying only a few months.
Open the walkthrough →Signed by your Wohnungsgeber (landlord or main tenant), handed in at the Bürgeramt
Wohnungsgeberbestätigung — the landlord confirmation
Wohnungsgeberbestätigung (Vermieterbescheinigung)
Everyone registering an address in Germany — it is the document the Anmeldung fails without.
Open the walkthrough →Familienkasse (part of the Bundesagentur für Arbeit)
The Kindergeld form (KG 1), field by field
KG 1 — Antrag auf Kindergeld, plus Anlage Kind
Parents living in Germany with children in their household — including non-EU parents holding a residence permit that qualifies.
Open the walkthrough →The Elterngeldstelle of your federal state (not a federal office)
The Elterngeld application, field by field
Antrag auf Elterngeld (Basiselterngeld, ElterngeldPlus, Partnerschaftsbonus)
Parents living in Germany who reduce their working hours after a birth.
Open the walkthrough →Your city's Ausländerbehörde (immigration office)
The Aufenthaltstitel application, field by field
Antrag auf Erteilung / Verlängerung eines Aufenthaltstitels
Non-EU citizens applying for, or extending, a German residence permit — including Blue Card, skilled worker and family reunion permits.
Open the walkthrough →The German embassy or consulate responsible for where you live
The national visa application (VIDEX), field by field
Antrag auf Erteilung eines nationalen Visums (VIDEX)
Anyone applying from abroad for a German visa for longer than 90 days — work, Blue Card, study, job search, family reunion.
Open the walkthrough →Beitragsservice von ARD, ZDF und Deutschlandradio
The Rundfunkbeitrag forms, field by field
Rundfunkbeitrag — Anmeldung, Abmeldung, Befreiung und Ermäßigung
Every household in Germany. The letter arrives on its own shortly after your Anmeldung, because the registration office passes on new addresses.
Open the walkthrough →Bundesamt für Justiz, applied for online or through your Bürgeramt
Applying for a Führungszeugnis, field by field
Antrag auf Erteilung eines Führungszeugnisses
Anyone whose employer, professional body or a foreign authority asks for proof of no criminal record — very common in healthcare, education, childcare, security and public-sector jobs.
Open the walkthrough →The Gewerbeamt (trade office) of the municipality where the business operates
The Gewerbeanmeldung form (GewA 1), field by field
GewA 1 — Gewerbe-Anmeldung
Anyone starting a commercial activity in Germany — but NOT most freelancers, who register with the tax office only.
Open the walkthrough →Depends on the profession and the federal state — chambers, state authorities or professional bodies
The recognition application, field by field
Antrag auf Feststellung der Gleichwertigkeit (Anerkennung ausländischer Berufsqualifikationen)
Anyone whose profession is regulated in Germany (health care, teaching, law, many crafts), and anyone who wants a formal comparison of a foreign qualification to strengthen applications.
Open the walkthrough →How to use these pages
- 1. Download from the authority. Each page links to the office that issues the form. We never mirror the PDFs — a stale government form gets rejected at the counter.
- 2. Read the field table first. Fields are listed by their printed German label, with what it means, what to write, and what goes wrong there.
- 3. Collect the attachments before you write. Most rejections are missing documents, not wrong answers.
- 4. Keep a copy of everything you send, including the date. It is the only thing that helps when a file goes quiet.
Filling an official form online instead?
More German offices now run the same form as a web form. Our free browser extension fills your details into official portals the same way it fills job applications — you review every field before anything is submitted.
Get the free extensionReceived a letter you can't read?
The TiG Desk app scans a German official letter and tells you who sent it, what it asks you to do, and the deadline — then reminds you before it runs out.
About TiG DeskCommon questions
Do you host the PDF forms here?
No, deliberately. German authorities revise their forms without notice, and an out-of-date copy is worse than none — a Behörde can reject it. Every page links to the issuing authority's own download page instead.
Can I fill German official forms in English?
The labels are German, but almost everything you write is names, dates and numbers, which you enter in Latin script exactly as they appear in your passport. Only genuine free-text fields need German, and most of these forms have none.
Is this legal advice?
No. These are practical walkthroughs of what each field means. Individual legal advice on your case is regulated in Germany and has to come from a lawyer or an authorised advice centre — several of which are free.
What if the form I need isn't here?
Start with the authority that issued it — every German authority publishes its own forms with a Merkblatt (explanatory leaflet) alongside. If you have the letter but not the meaning, the TiG Desk app reads a scanned letter and tells you what it asks for and by when.
Practical guidance on filling in forms — not legal advice, and not a submission service. Forms and requirements change; always check the issuing authority's own page before you send anything.