Your First Weeks in Germany: The 10 Steps After Landing

The flight is booked, the visa is in your passport — now what? The first weeks in Germany decide how smooth your start becomes, and several steps depend on each other in a fixed order. This is the checklist we walk through with every student we accompany.

The 10 steps, in the right order

• 1. Get a SIM card / eSIM with a German number — many registrations require one.
• 2. Move into your accommodation and get a written confirmation from your landlord (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung) — you need it for step 3.
• 3. Register your address at the Bürgeramt (Anmeldung) — usually required within two weeks of moving in. Book the appointment online early; slots are scarce in big cities.
• 4. Open a regular bank account (Sparkasse, Deutsche Bank, Commerzbank, N26 and others) — you need the Anmeldung for most banks.
• 5. Activate your blocked account so the monthly payout (~€992, as of 2026) starts flowing to your new German account.
• 6. Activate your student health insurance (or convert your incoming cover) — the university needs proof for enrolment.
• 7. Complete enrolment (Immatrikulation) at your university and get your student ID and semester ticket.
• 8. Book your appointment at the immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) for your residence permit — do this early, waiting times of several weeks are normal.
• 9. Register for the broadcasting fee (Rundfunkbeitrag) — one fee per household, roughly €18/month; shared flats split it.
• 10. Get liability insurance (Haftpflichtversicherung, a few euros per month) — not mandatory, but every German has it for good reason.

What can go wrong

• No Anmeldung appointment for weeks: look at neighbouring district offices of the same city — any of them works.
• Bank wants the Anmeldung, Anmeldung needs housing: this is why accepting a hostel 'address' does not work — you need a real tenancy for registration.
• Missing the residence-permit deadline: your visa is usually valid for 3–6 months; the permit application must be filed before it expires.

Students we place do not walk these weeks alone: we prepare the appointment list before departure and stay reachable on WhatsApp until enrolment and residence permit are done. That is the part of the journey where most agencies have long disappeared.