North Rhine-Westphalia · Newcomer guide
Settling in Dortmund
Dortmund and the wider Ruhr area share many North Rhine-Westphalia state portals, and appointments are usually quicker than in Cologne or Düsseldorf. Work through the steps below — each guide lists the exact documents to bring.
When you arrive
Register your address (Anmeldung) in Dortmund
Anmeldung
Read the guide→Get your tax ID & tax class in Dortmund
Steuer-ID / Finanzamt
Read the guide→Open a bank account in Dortmund
Girokonto
Read the guide→Sign up for health insurance in Dortmund
Krankenversicherung
Read the guide→Apply for a residence permit in Dortmund
Aufenthaltstitel
Read the guide→Find a place to live in Dortmund
Wohnungssuche
Read the guide→Get a SIM or phone contract in Dortmund
Handyvertrag
Read the guide→As you settle in
Exchange your driving licence in Dortmund
Führerschein umschreiben
Read the guide→Claim child benefit (Kindergeld) in Dortmund
Kindergeld
Read the guide→Get a public transport ticket in Dortmund
Deutschlandticket
Read the guide→Register as a freelancer in Dortmund
Freiberufler anmelden
Read the guide→File an income-tax return in Dortmund
Einkommensteuererklärung
Read the guide→Register a car (Kfz-Zulassung) in Dortmund
Kfz-Zulassung
Read the guide→Apply for parental allowance (Elterngeld) in Dortmund
Elterngeld
Read the guide→Apply for housing benefit (Wohngeld) in Dortmund
Wohngeld
Read the guide→Meet Amtly
Track your move to Dortmund 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