North Rhine-Westphalia · Newcomer guide
Settling in Essen
Essen is part of the Ruhr region; many services run on the same NRW state portals, and the cost of living is lower than in the big western cities. Work through the steps below — each guide lists the exact documents to bring.
Typical monthly cost in Essen: ~€1.550 (rent + essentials). See the full city guide →
When you arrive
Register your address (Anmeldung) in Essen
Anmeldung
Read the guide→Get your tax ID & tax class in Essen
Steuer-ID / Finanzamt
Read the guide→Open a bank account in Essen
Girokonto
Read the guide→Sign up for health insurance in Essen
Krankenversicherung
Read the guide→Apply for a residence permit in Essen
Aufenthaltstitel
Read the guide→Find a place to live in Essen
Wohnungssuche
Read the guide→Get a SIM or phone contract in Essen
Handyvertrag
Read the guide→Extend your residence permit in Essen
Aufenthaltstitel verlängern
Read the guide→As you settle in
Exchange your driving licence in Essen
Führerschein umschreiben
Read the guide→Claim child benefit (Kindergeld) in Essen
Kindergeld
Read the guide→Get a public transport ticket in Essen
Deutschlandticket
Read the guide→Register as a freelancer in Essen
Freiberufler anmelden
Read the guide→File an income-tax return in Essen
Einkommensteuererklärung
Read the guide→Register a car (Kfz-Zulassung) in Essen
Kfz-Zulassung
Read the guide→Apply for parental allowance (Elterngeld) in Essen
Elterngeld
Read the guide→Apply for housing benefit (Wohngeld) in Essen
Wohngeld
Read the guide→Find a daycare place (Kita) in Essen
Kita-Platz
Read the guide→Enrol your child in school in Essen
Schulanmeldung
Read the guide→Apply for German citizenship in Essen
Einbürgerung
Read the guide→Apply for permanent residence (Niederlassungserlaubnis) in Essen
Niederlassungserlaubnis
Read the guide→Get a German driving licence (driving school) in Essen
Führerschein / Fahrschule
Read the guide→TiG Desk — free iPhone app
The letters that come with your move to Essen, read for you
Photograph an official letter and TiG Desk tells you who sent it, what you have to do and by when — then keeps the document on your phone and reminds you before the deadline. Free, and it works without an account.
Filling the form on a computer? TiG Pilot explains every German field while you fill it, in your browser.
- 📷Photograph a letter — sender, deadline and what to do
- 🗂️Every document in one place, kept on your phone
- ⏰Reminders before a Frist, not after it
- 🇩🇪German terms shown alongside, because that is what the clerk says