North Rhine-Westphalia · Newcomer guide
Settling in Aachen
Aachen (home to RWTH) has a big international student community and sits on the Belgian–Dutch border, so offices are used to newcomers; it uses the NRW state portals. Work through the steps below — each guide lists the exact documents to bring.
When you arrive
Register your address (Anmeldung) in Aachen
Anmeldung
Read the guide→Get your tax ID & tax class in Aachen
Steuer-ID / Finanzamt
Read the guide→Open a bank account in Aachen
Girokonto
Read the guide→Sign up for health insurance in Aachen
Krankenversicherung
Read the guide→Apply for a residence permit in Aachen
Aufenthaltstitel
Read the guide→Find a place to live in Aachen
Wohnungssuche
Read the guide→Get a SIM or phone contract in Aachen
Handyvertrag
Read the guide→As you settle in
Exchange your driving licence in Aachen
Führerschein umschreiben
Read the guide→Claim child benefit (Kindergeld) in Aachen
Kindergeld
Read the guide→Get a public transport ticket in Aachen
Deutschlandticket
Read the guide→Register as a freelancer in Aachen
Freiberufler anmelden
Read the guide→File an income-tax return in Aachen
Einkommensteuererklärung
Read the guide→Register a car (Kfz-Zulassung) in Aachen
Kfz-Zulassung
Read the guide→Apply for parental allowance (Elterngeld) in Aachen
Elterngeld
Read the guide→Apply for housing benefit (Wohngeld) in Aachen
Wohngeld
Read the guide→Meet Amtly
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The free companion app for German bureaucracy. Get a personal arrival plan, track every Termin with the exact documents to bring, and scan papers into a private on-device vault. Available in English, Deutsch and 中文.
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