Online registration (Anmeldung) portal in Berlin is accessible to anyone who resides or intends to stay in Berlin for more than six months.
Berlin, the vibrant capital of Germany, has introduced a digital process for registering and deregistering residences last October. However, the scope of this digitalisation is limited for foreign residents, with most newcomers required to follow the traditional in-person process at the Bürgeramt (citizen's office).
For first-time registrations in Germany, physical attendance is mandatory. Foreign residents moving to Germany for the first time cannot register their address fully online. To do so, they must book an appointment at the Bürgeramt, bring all relevant documents such as their national passport, residence permit, and any documents for all persons moving to the address, if applicable.
On the other hand, EU citizens with an EU passport featuring an electronic ID (eID) and a BundID account can register their address digitally, provided they are moving from one German address to another. This digital registration is currently limited to internal moves and not available for first registrations.
The process at the Bürgeramt is quick, taking around 10 minutes, and a registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung) is issued upon completion. It is free, but a small fee (10-15€) may apply for a printed certificate.
The city's digitalisation efforts have not extended to non-German or non-EU citizens, or those without a functioning eID. As a result, less than 10% of people who needed to register or change their address in Berlin have done so online since last autumn.
The city aims to offer appointments within 14 days, but Berlin's citizens' offices are experiencing a high number of daily appointments due to worker shortages, with the average waiting time currently around 30 days.
The All About Berlin website offers a tool to find an appointment for Anmeldung specifically. As of the end of 2024, there were 993,295 foreign residents registered in Berlin, making up more than a quarter of the city's population.
Despite the limited digitalisation, Berlin boasts over 350 digital services, but they are not widely used by the city's residents, according to Martina Klement, State Secretary for Administrative Modernization and Digitalization.
[1] Berlin.de, "Anmeldung," accessed June 20, 2023. [https://berlin.de/anmeldung/](https://berlin.de/anmeldung/) [2] Berlin.de, "Anmeldung für Ausländer," accessed June 20, 2023. [https://berlin.de/anmeldung-fuer-auslaender/](https://berlin.de/anmeldung-fuer-auslaender/) [3] Berlin.de, "Meldebescheinigung," accessed June 20, 2023. [https://berlin.de/meldebescheinigung/](https://berlin.de/meldebescheinigung/) [4] Berlin.de, "Anmeldung mit AusweisApp," accessed June 20, 2023. [https://berlin.de/anmeldung-mit-ausweisapp/](https://berlin.de/anmeldung-mit-ausweisapp/) [5] Berlin.de, "BundID," accessed June 20, 2023. [https://berlin.de/bundid/](https://berlin.de/bundid/)
Although the digital process for registering and deregistering residences in Berlin is limited for foreign residents, those who are EU citizens with an EU passport featuring an electronic ID (eID) and a BundID account can use the digital registration for internal moves. Conversely, first-time registrations for foreign residents in Germany require physical attendance at the Bürgeramt and cannot be completed online.
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