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This guide covers Hamburg’s city procedure for people moving to Hamburg from abroad. It is not a substitute for the national residence route or the current city service page.
At a glance
- Scope
- Move to Hamburg from abroad, generally for more than three months.
- Attendance
- Personal attendance is required for the people being registered.
- Fee
- Hamburg currently lists €16; confirm the live amount before the appointment.
- Legal basis
- § 17 and § 19 Bundesmeldegesetz
- Deregistering when leaving Germany
- Within two weeks of moving out
Your checklist
First steps
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Hamburg has a specific route for arrivals from abroad
Hamburg separates the move-from-abroad service from ordinary address changes. The city page describes the route for people who will live in Hamburg for more than three months, so start there if this is your first German address.
Anmeldung records the address. It does not grant a visa, residence permit or work permission; check the national route for your nationality and purpose separately.
Book before travelling to the office
The service is handled through the responsible Hamburg residents’ affairs office and the city asks people to make an appointment. Keep the booking confirmation and check the office address, opening conditions and accepted identity documents on the live page.
A city appointment does not replace an immigration appointment. Non-EU movers may need an additional appointment with the foreigners authority.
Bring housing proof and everyone who must register
Prepare the official Wohnungsgeberbestätigung and identity documents for every person being registered. A rental agreement is not automatically a substitute for the housing-provider confirmation.
Foreign civil-status records may be relevant to the wider residence file. Ask the city or the responsible national authority about translation or legalisation before the appointment.
Keep the result for the next German steps
The Meldebestätigung is commonly needed when setting up tax, banking, employment and insurance administration. Check it immediately for spelling and address errors.
If your circumstances change, use the city’s current change-of-address or deregistration route rather than assuming the first registration updates every agency automatically.
What the federal law says
The Hamburg service page does not state the filing window, so the federal rule is the baseline. Under § 17 of the Bundesmeldegesetz, whoever moves into a home must register with the registration office within two weeks of moving in. If you leave a home without taking up a new one in Germany, you must deregister within two weeks of moving out.
Under § 19 the housing provider must help with the registration and confirm the move-in within that period. The confirmation names the housing provider (and the owner if different), the move-in date, the address of the home and the people who must register.
Common questions
Who should use Hamburg’s move-from-abroad service?
Hamburg describes it for people moving to the city from abroad who plan to live there for more than three months. Confirm the current scope on the city page if your stay is shorter or temporary.
Do I need an appointment?
The city’s service page directs applicants to an appointment with the responsible residents’ affairs office. Check the live page for the correct office and availability.
What housing document should I bring?
Bring the official Wohnungsgeberbestätigung. Do not assume that a lease alone replaces the housing-provider confirmation.
How much is the Hamburg registration fee?
The city page currently lists a €16 fee. Verify the amount on the live service page before attending.
Is the two-week deadline a city rule?
No. It comes from § 17 of the federal Bundesmeldegesetz, so it applies in every German city. Check your city page for the booking process.
Official sources
Read this first
- City of Hamburg: report a move to Hamburg from abroadHamburg-specific scope, appointment route, attendance, housing proof and fee
- Bundesmeldegesetz § 17: Anmeldung, AbmeldungTwo-week registration duty and deregistration when leaving
- Bundesmeldegesetz § 19: Mitwirkung des WohnungsgebersLandlord confirmation and its required content
Rules can vary by nationality, work or study status, and city. Confirm your route with the official authority before you act.