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City Registration (Anmeldung)

Register your new home address with the local authority after moving, get the registration certificate and the tax or citizen number that follows. Deadlines, offices and whether registration exists at all vary by country.

Curated by Raaya · Last reviewed Oct 2026

Steps

  1. Check if and when you must register

    1 day

    Most European countries expect you to register your home address with the local authority soon after moving in. The registration certificate is then asked for when you get a tax number, open a bank account, join health insurance or apply for residence documents. Before you move, check the deadline, which office handles it and whether you need an appointment.

    Country specifics: Germany, within two weeks of moving in at the Bürgeramt or Einwohnermeldeamt (Anmeldung). Austria, within three days (Meldezettel). Netherlands, within five days at the gemeente if you stay more than four months (BRP). Belgium, within eight days at the commune. Denmark, within five days (CPR). Switzerland, usually within 14 days at the Gemeinde, depending on the canton. Italy, declare your residence at the Comune (anagrafe). Spain, register on the padrón at the ayuntamiento. Sweden and Norway, register with the tax agency if you stay at least a year (Sweden) or six months (Norway). France, the UK and Ireland have no general address registration; you prove your address with a lease or bills.

    Tip: Put the deadline in your calendar the day you get your keys.

    Online
    europa.eu
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  2. Get proof of your new address

    2 days

    Collect the document that proves you live at the address. In most countries this is your signed lease or a property deed, and many also want a separate confirmation from the landlord or the main occupant if you sublet or live with someone.

    Country specifics: Germany requires a landlord confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung), which the landlord must give you; a lease alone is not enough. Austria uses the Meldezettel form, signed by the accommodation provider. Netherlands, bring the rental contract or written permission from the main occupant with a copy of their ID. Spain, bring the lease or the owner's authorisation, sometimes with a recent utility bill. Italy and Belgium may send an officer to check that you actually live at the address.

    Tip: Ask the landlord for the confirmation at the key handover so you are not waiting on it later.

    Lease Agreement (Mietvertrag / huurcontract / contrato de alquiler)Landlord Confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung)
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  3. Prepare your registration file

    1 day

    Put everything for the appointment in one folder, with originals and copies. Fill in the registration form in advance if your city publishes one; it saves time at the counter.

    Country specifics: German cities publish the Anmeldeformular online, often with an English guide. Dutch municipalities may ask for a legalised or apostilled birth certificate for your first registration. Spanish EU-citizen registration certificates need proof of work, self-employment or sufficient funds and health cover. Non-EU citizens should bring their visa or residence permit everywhere.

    Tip: Register family members at the same appointment and bring their documents too.

    • Passport or national ID card for every person you register
    • Signed lease, deed or written permission from the main occupant
    • Landlord confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung in Germany, Meldezettel signature in Austria)
    • Completed registration form, if your city publishes one
    • Visa or residence permit (non-EU citizens)
    • Marriage and birth certificates when registering a spouse or children, with translations if asked
    • Proof of deregistration from your previous address, if your old country requires it
    Valid Passport or National ID CardRegistration Form (Anmeldeformular / Meldezettel)Birth and Marriage Certificates (family members)
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  4. Book an appointment at the registration office

    1 day

    Book a slot at the office that handles registration for your address. In large cities slots can be booked out for weeks, so book as soon as you know your move-in date and check other branches in the same city for earlier dates. Some cities and countries let you register fully online with an electronic ID.

    Country specifics: Germany, book at any Bürgeramt in your city; some cities offer online Anmeldung with the eID function of the German ID card. Austria, online with ID Austria or in person at the Meldeamt. Netherlands, book with your gemeente; larger cities have international centres for newcomers. Spain, ask for cita previa at the ayuntamiento. Denmark, register on borger.dk with MitID or at Borgerservice. Belgium, the commune contacts you or you book with the population service.

    Tip: If you cannot get a slot before the deadline, keep proof of your booking attempts.

    Where
    Local registration office (Bürgeramt / gemeente / ayuntamiento / commune) · Bring your ID or passport, lease, landlord confirmation, completed form and residence permit if you have one. Registration usually takes 10 to 20 minutes and the certificate is often printed on the spot.
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  5. Attend the appointment and register

    1 day

    Go to the office with your folder. The clerk checks your identity and address documents and records you in the population register. Check every detail on the printout before you leave, especially the spelling of your name and the date you moved in.

    Country specifics: Germany, you receive the registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung) at the counter, and the tax ID (Steuer-ID) follows by post. Netherlands, you are registered in the BRP and get your citizen service number (BSN). Spain, you receive the certificado de empadronamiento, and EU citizens apply separately for the registration certificate with their NIE. Italy, the anagrafe confirms residence after a check of your address. Austria, you get the stamped Meldezettel or Meldebestätigung.

    Tip: Ask for two copies of the certificate; banks, employers and schools often keep one.

    Valid Passport or National ID CardLease Agreement (Mietvertrag / huurcontract / contrato de alquiler)Landlord Confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung)Registration Form (Anmeldeformular / Meldezettel)
    Attach my documents

  6. Pay any certificate or card fee

    1 day

    Registering your address is free in many countries, but extra certificates, residence cards and some EU-citizen registration certificates carry a fee. Under EU law, a registration certificate for an EU citizen may not cost more than a national identity card does in that country.

    Country specifics: Germany, the Anmeldung itself is free. Spain, the EU-citizen registration certificate has a small state fee paid in advance with form 790. Belgium, the commune charges for the residence card. Netherlands, the first BRP registration is free, but extracts cost a small fee. Austria, the Meldezettel registration is free.

    Tip: Keep the payment receipt with your certificate in case of questions later.

  7. Collect the numbers that follow registration

    2 days

    Registration usually unlocks a personal number you will need for work, tax, banking and healthcare. Some arrive by post automatically, others need a separate application.

    Country specifics: Germany, the Federal Central Tax Office (BZSt) posts your tax ID (Steuer-ID) to your registered address within a few weeks. Netherlands, the BSN is issued at registration. Spain, foreigners need an NIE. Italy, the codice fiscale comes from the Agenzia delle Entrate. Ireland, apply for a PPS number through MyWelfare. UK, apply online for a National Insurance number if you have the right to work. Denmark, you get a CPR number and a health card. Sweden, registration gives you a personnummer.

    Tip: Give your employer the number as soon as you have it to avoid emergency tax rates.

    • Watch your mailbox for the tax ID or confirmation letter
    • Apply for any number that is not automatic (NIE, codice fiscale, PPS, National Insurance number)
    • Give the number to your employer or payroll
    • Open a local bank account with your registration certificate
    • Register with health insurance or the public health service
    • Store a scan of the certificate and the number in a safe place

  8. Update your address everywhere

    1 day

    Once you are registered, tell everyone who sends you post or bills. Missing letters from the tax office or your insurer can lead to fines or lost deadlines.

    Country specifics: Germany, the broadcasting fee office (Rundfunkbeitrag) contacts every household; register or confirm who pays. If you leave Germany, deregister (Abmeldung) within two weeks. Netherlands, address changes in the BRP are passed to many public bodies automatically. Austria, deregister when you move out. In countries without registration, update your address with your bank, employer and tax office yourself.

    Tip: A paid mail-forwarding order with the postal service catches letters for the first months.

Documents you'll need

Valid Passport or National ID CardEU/EEA and Swiss citizens can use a national ID card; others need a passport. Bring it for every person you register.
Lease Agreement (Mietvertrag / huurcontract / contrato de alquiler)Must show your name, the full address and the move-in date. A sublease or written permission from the main occupant usually works if the main tenant signs it.
Landlord Confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung)Required in Germany: the landlord or property manager confirms you moved in. Austria uses a similar signature on the Meldezettel. Other countries usually accept the lease.
Registration Form (Anmeldeformular / Meldezettel)Many cities publish the form online; fill it in before the appointment. Some offices complete it for you at the counter.
Birth and Marriage Certificates (family members)Needed when you register a spouse or children, and in the Netherlands sometimes for your own first registration. Foreign certificates may need an apostille and a sworn translation.

Official sources

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General guidance, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Rules change; confirm with the official source before you act.

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