Saarland · Newcomer guide
Settling in Saarbrücken
Saarbrücken is the capital of the Saarland on the French border, so offices are used to cross-border newcomers; the Saarland runs its own compact set of state portals and living costs are among the lowest in western Germany. Work through the steps below — each guide lists the exact documents to bring.
Typical monthly cost in Saarbrücken: ~€1.490 (rent + essentials). See the full city guide →
When you arrive
Register your address (Anmeldung) in Saarbrücken
Anmeldung
Read the guide→Get your tax ID & tax class in Saarbrücken
Steuer-ID / Finanzamt
Read the guide→Open a bank account in Saarbrücken
Girokonto
Read the guide→Sign up for health insurance in Saarbrücken
Krankenversicherung
Read the guide→Apply for a residence permit in Saarbrücken
Aufenthaltstitel
Read the guide→Find a place to live in Saarbrücken
Wohnungssuche
Read the guide→Get a SIM or phone contract in Saarbrücken
Handyvertrag
Read the guide→Extend your residence permit in Saarbrücken
Aufenthaltstitel verlängern
Read the guide→As you settle in
Exchange your driving licence in Saarbrücken
Führerschein umschreiben
Read the guide→Claim child benefit (Kindergeld) in Saarbrücken
Kindergeld
Read the guide→Get a public transport ticket in Saarbrücken
Deutschlandticket
Read the guide→Register as a freelancer in Saarbrücken
Freiberufler anmelden
Read the guide→File an income-tax return in Saarbrücken
Einkommensteuererklärung
Read the guide→Register a car (Kfz-Zulassung) in Saarbrücken
Kfz-Zulassung
Read the guide→Apply for parental allowance (Elterngeld) in Saarbrücken
Elterngeld
Read the guide→Apply for housing benefit (Wohngeld) in Saarbrücken
Wohngeld
Read the guide→Find a daycare place (Kita) in Saarbrücken
Kita-Platz
Read the guide→Enrol your child in school in Saarbrücken
Schulanmeldung
Read the guide→Apply for German citizenship in Saarbrücken
Einbürgerung
Read the guide→Apply for permanent residence (Niederlassungserlaubnis) in Saarbrücken
Niederlassungserlaubnis
Read the guide→Get a German driving licence (driving school) in Saarbrücken
Führerschein / Fahrschule
Read the guide→TiG Desk — free iPhone app
The letters that come with your move to Saarbrücken, 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