Word on the street is that the Bürgerämter are suddenly accepting postal registrations of address (Anmeldungen). Whoa! This is a big step forward, right? Well, sort of. If you’re new in Berlin, it won’t apply to you. Here’s why.
A big thanks to Victoria from Expat Mgmt for spilling the beans and for the workers at Bürgeramt Wedding for filling in some details. The citizens’ registration offices (Bürgerämter) in Berlin are letting people register their addresses by post until the end of the year. You pop a copy of your passport or European ID card, the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung from your landlord and the filled-out and signed registration form into an envelope and part with 80 cents for postage. This is a huge development and will free up hundreds of appointments for other matters. But there are some exceptions to the rule, and we think you’re likely to be disappointed.
- You should only send your documents to the Bürgeramt in your new district. Each district has its own say on whether it will process registrations from other districts, and some have decided not to. If you’re moving to Weißensee, for example, the Bürgeramt in Schöneberg won’t register your address by post. Will they send your application on to Weißensee? Who knows. Don’t risk it.
- You can only complete this process by post if a Bürgeramt in Berlin has already seen your original passport or ID document. So basically, it works for re-registration if you don’t have a German identity document. If you’re a foreigner and you’re new to Berlin, you’ll still have to show up in person.
If you have to visit the Bürgeramt to register your address, you can take a translator with you. If you want to make sure you’ve got your papers in order for your upcoming adventure, book a coaching and we’ll take you through it all online. Finally, if you’re getting geared up to relocate, download our checklist for moving to Berlin.
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