Berlin · Newcomer guide
Settling in Berlin
Berlin's Bürgeramt appointments are the scarcest in Germany — book the moment you have an address. Work through the steps below — each guide lists the exact documents to bring.
Typical monthly cost in Berlin: ~€2.030 (rent + essentials). See the full city guide →
When you arrive
Register your address (Anmeldung) in Berlin
Anmeldung
Read the guide→Get your tax ID & tax class in Berlin
Steuer-ID / Finanzamt
Read the guide→Open a bank account in Berlin
Girokonto
Read the guide→Sign up for health insurance in Berlin
Krankenversicherung
Read the guide→Apply for a residence permit in Berlin
Aufenthaltstitel
Read the guide→Find a place to live in Berlin
Wohnungssuche
Read the guide→Get a SIM or phone contract in Berlin
Handyvertrag
Read the guide→As you settle in
Meet Amtly
Track your move to Berlin in your pocket
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.
- 🗺️A plan tailored to your persona, city and Bundesland
- 📅Appointment reminders with the right document checklist
- 🔒On-device document vault — your papers never leave the phone
- 💬Ask Amtly + a community of internationals who've done it