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National rules are summarised from the sources linked below. Appointment systems and accepted documents are set by each city, so confirm them with the office for your address.
At a glance
- Germany
- 2 weeks after moving in; landlord confirms
- Spain
- No deadline in sources; 3-month decision, then positive silence
- Italy
- Set by the Comune (Arezzo: 20 days)
- Netherlands
- 5 days after arrival if staying over 4 months
Your checklist
First steps
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Four registers, one idea
In all four countries you register at a local office for the place where you actually live. The register is an address record. It is not a residence permit, a work permit or a tax-residence decision.
The differences are in the deadline, the proof the office wants, how quickly you get a result, and what the registration unlocks next.
Germany: two weeks and a landlord confirmation
Under § 17 of the Bundesmeldegesetz you register within two weeks of moving in. Under § 19 the housing provider must confirm your move-in, so a lease alone may not be enough. The federal online service needs a compatible electronic ID and is not open to everyone.
If you leave a dwelling without taking another in Germany, you must deregister within two weeks of moving out, and no earlier than one week before departure. The tax ID arrives separately by post after a first registration.
Spain: local proof and a three-month decision
The national INE resolution says anyone living in Spain registers in the municipality where they habitually live. The municipality may ask for proof of your right to occupy the home, and registration made with the required documents takes effect immediately and cannot be backdated.
The general decision period is three months, after which positive silence applies. Non-EU foreigners without long-term residence must renew every two years. The sources we reviewed give no filing deadline.
Italy: the Comune decides the route
Residence registration is handled by the Comune of your home. ANPR offers an online service for eligible changes, but not for every first arrival from abroad. Some Comuni, such as Milan and Arezzo, ask every adult household member to sign or confirm.
Arezzo states a 20-day deadline, but that is a local rule, not a national one. The sources we reviewed give no national deadline, so ask your Comune.
Netherlands: four months and five days
If you will live in the Netherlands for longer than four months, you register in the BRP, and Government.nl says to do so within five days of arriving. Registration is in person and usually by appointment.
You receive a BSN at registration if you do not have one. Amsterdam gives it during the visit, while The Hague and Rotterdam say registration is usually processed within about four weeks. Short stays use the RNI instead.
Common questions
Which of the four has a fixed national deadline?
Germany (two weeks after moving in) and the Netherlands (five days after arrival when staying over four months). For Spain and Italy the sources we reviewed state no national filing deadline; Arezzo’s 20 days is a local Italian rule.
Does any of them give me the right to live in the country?
No. All four are address registers. Immigration permission, where needed, is a separate process.
Which one needs the landlord’s written confirmation?
Germany requires it by law (§ 19 BMG). In the other three countries the accepted proof of address is set locally.
Do all four give me a tax number?
No. Germany posts a tax ID after first registration and the Netherlands issues a BSN at registration. In Spain and Italy the NIE and the codice fiscale are separate procedures.
Official sources
Read this first
- Bundesmeldegesetz § 17: Anmeldung, AbmeldungTwo-week registration duty and deregistration
- Bundesmeldegesetz § 19: housing provider confirmationHousing provider confirmation
- INE resolution of 30 January 2015 on padrón management (BOE)Documents, decision period and renewal
- ANPR: change-of-residence serviceOnline change-of-residence service
- Government.nl: when to register in the BRPFour-month threshold and five-day rule
- Comune of Arezzo: residence-change instructionsExample of a local 20-day rule and household signatures
Rules can vary by nationality, work or study status, and city. Confirm your route with the official authority before you act.