Your First 90 Days in Germany
A step-by-step guide for Indians who have just landed — what to do, in the right order, from day one to day ninety. Each step explains what it is, why it matters, and links to the full guide.
Your 90 days at a glance
Five phases, in the order they happen. Tap a stop to jump to it.
Anmeldung is your first priority
You must register your address (Anmeldung) within 14 days of arrival. Almost everything else — your Tax ID, bank account and residence permit — depends on it. Start booking your appointment the moment you land.
Prefer to tick things off as you go? Use the interactive checklist — your progress is saved on your device.
✅ Open the checklistInsurance, bank account, tax & onboarding help in 7 languages — free, and we earn nothing for suggesting him.
Get a German SIM card
A prepaid SIM (Aldi Talk, Lidl Connect or O2) gives you a German number and mobile data on day one.
💡You need data and a local number straight away — for maps, appointment bookings and the SMS codes German banks and offices send.
Do this·Buy a prepaid starter pack at any supermarket or kiosk and register it with your passport.
SIM & internet guideSort out public transport
Germany runs on trains, trams and buses. The Deutschlandticket (€58/month) covers all regional transport nationwide.
💡Most people do not need a car. Getting mobile early makes flat-hunting and errands far easier.
Do this·Download the DB Navigator app plus your city’s local transit app, and consider the Deutschlandticket.
Withdraw some cash
Germany is still a cash-loving country — many bakeries, cafés, kiosks and even some restaurants are cash-only.
💡You will get caught out on your first days if you rely only on cards.
Do this·Withdraw €200–300 from an ATM (Sparkasse/Volksbank ATMs usually charge foreign cards less).
Confirm your address for Anmeldung
Your landlord must give you a Wohnungsgeberbestätigung (confirmation of residence) — the key document for registering.
💡You cannot register your address (Anmeldung) without it, and almost everything else depends on the Anmeldung.
Do this·Ask your landlord for the signed Wohnungsgeberbestätigung as soon as you move in.
City registration guideActivate your health insurance
Health insurance is mandatory in Germany from day one — public (GKV) for most, or private (PKV).
💡You are legally required to be covered, and you will need proof for your residence permit and (students) enrolment.
Do this·Call your Krankenkasse (TK, AOK, Barmer…) to activate cover and give them your new address.
Insurance guideSave the emergency numbers
110 (Police), 112 (Fire & Ambulance), 116117 (non-emergency GP / out-of-hours).
💡These are free and work from any phone — worth saving before you ever need them.
Do this·Add all three to your phone contacts now.
Book your Anmeldung appointment
The Anmeldung registers your address at the Bürgeramt / Einwohnermeldeamt.
💡It is legally due within 14 days, and it unlocks your Tax ID, bank account and residence permit. Slots book out fast in big cities.
Do this·Book the earliest online slot the moment you have your address — check daily for cancellations.
How to do your AnmeldungPrepare your Anmeldung documents
Passport, the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung from your landlord, and the filled Anmeldung form.
💡Turn up missing one document and you lose the appointment slot — and the next one may be weeks away.
Do this·Print and complete the form, and bring originals of every document.
Document checklistComplete Anmeldung & get your Meldebescheinigung
At the appointment you receive the Meldebescheinigung — official proof of your registered address.
💡Banks, the Ausländerbehörde and employers all ask for it. Keep the original safe.
Do this·Attend the appointment and store the Meldebescheinigung with your key documents.
Open a German bank account
A German IBAN for your salary/stipend, rent and direct debits. N26 and DKB open fully online.
💡Rent and most bills are paid by SEPA transfer/direct debit, not card — you need a local account fast.
Do this·Compare accounts and open one online with your Meldebescheinigung and Tax ID.
Compare bank accountsRegister for the Rundfunkbeitrag (GEZ)
A mandatory broadcasting fee of €18.36/month, charged per household (not per person).
💡It is compulsory even if you never watch German TV, and ignoring the letters leads to fines.
Do this·Register your household once at rundfunkbeitrag.de — flatmates split one fee.
Radio/TV fee explainedReceive your Tax ID (Steuer-ID)
An 11-digit lifelong tax identification number, posted to you automatically 2–4 weeks after your Anmeldung.
💡Without it you are taxed at the highest emergency rate, and you cannot be paid correctly.
Do this·Watch your postbox; if it has not arrived in ~4 weeks, request it from the Finanzamt or at bzst.de.
Check your tax class (Steuerklasse)
Your Steuerklasse decides how much tax comes off each payslip. Married couples can split into Class III/V.
💡The wrong class can cost a married couple hundreds of euros a month (reclaimable, but why wait?).
Do this·Confirm your class, and if married, consider applying for the III/V split at the Finanzamt.
Tax class guideGet your social-security number
The Sozialversicherungsnummer arrives by post from Deutsche Rentenversicherung once you start work.
💡Your employer needs it to register you for pension, health and unemployment insurance.
Do this·Give it to your HR/payroll team as soon as it arrives.
Set up rent & bills by SEPA
Germany pays rent, insurance and utilities by SEPA transfer or direct debit (Lastschrift), not card.
💡A missed rent transfer is a fast way to annoy a German landlord — automate it.
Do this·Set up a standing order (Dauerauftrag) for rent and direct debits for recurring bills.
Banking basicsBook your residence-permit appointment
Your entry visa must be converted into a residence permit (Aufenthaltstitel) at the Ausländerbehörde.
💡Appointments are scarce — do NOT wait until your visa is about to expire, or you risk falling out of status.
Do this·Book the Ausländerbehörde appointment as soon as your Anmeldung is done.
Gather your permit documents
Passport, Meldebescheinigung, biometric photos, health-insurance proof, plus proof of your purpose (job contract, enrolment, or family documents).
💡A complete file is the difference between walking out with your permit and a second appointment weeks later.
Do this·Assemble originals and copies of every document before the appointment.
Register with a GP (Hausarzt)
Your Hausarzt is your first point of contact for anything medical and referrals to specialists.
💡Popular practices are often full — register before you are sick, not after.
Do this·Find a nearby practice taking new patients and register with your insurance card.
Finding a GPSet up home internet
Home broadband (DSL or fibre) via providers like Telekom, Vodafone or O2.
💡Installation can take 1–4 weeks, so order early — mobile data will bridge the gap.
Do this·Compare tariffs and book an installation slot as soon as you have your flat.
Internet & SIM guideCollect your residence permit
The Aufenthaltstitel arrives as a card a few weeks after your appointment.
💡It is your proof of legal residence and your re-entry document when you travel — keep it safe.
Do this·Collect it from the Ausländerbehörde and store it with your passport.
Get liability insurance (Haftpflicht)
Personal liability insurance covers damage you accidentally cause to others — around €50–80 per year.
💡Germany’s most-recommended optional insurance: a single accident without it can mean life-changing bills.
Do this·Take out a Privathaftpflichtversicherung — it is cheap and near-universal here.
Which insurances you needStart your driving-licence conversion
An Indian licence is valid for only 6 months after your Anmeldung; after that you must convert it.
💡Miss the window and you may have to redo theory and practical tests from scratch.
Do this·Begin the conversion process early if you plan to drive.
Licence conversion guideRegister young children for Kita
Kita is subsidised daycare — but waiting lists run 12–18 months in many cities.
💡Apply the moment you arrive (or before) or you may wait a year for a place.
Do this·Put your child on several Kita waiting lists straight away.
Kita & childcare guideFind your Indian community
Indian grocery stores, temples/gurudwaras and city WhatsApp/Telegram groups.
💡A local network makes settling in dramatically easier — and sorts your dal and spices.
Do this·Search for the Indian community group and nearest Indian store in your city.
Learn the Pfand & recycling system
Most bottles and cans carry a Pfand deposit (8–25 cents) you get back at supermarket machines, and rubbish is sorted by type.
💡It saves money and separating waste is genuinely expected of you by neighbours.
Do this·Return bottles at the Pfandautomat and learn your building’s bin colours.
Five phrases that matter
- Guten Tag,Hello (formal, use it everywhere)
- Danke,Thank you
- Entschuldigung,Excuse me / Sorry
- Sprechen Sie Englisch?,Do you speak English?
- Wo ist…?,Where is…?
Be 5 minutes early
Arriving on time means arriving late in Germany. For any official appointment (Bürgeramt, Ausländerbehörde, doctor), aim to be five minutes early. Turning up late can cost you the slot entirely.
Separate your rubbish
- 🟡 Gelber Sack — packaging, plastics, tins, cartons
- ⚫ Restmüll — general waste
- 📰 Papier — paper & cardboard
- 🍃 Bio — food & organic waste
- 🫙 Glas — glass by colour at public bins
Respect Ruhezeit (quiet hours)
No loud noise between 22:00 and 07:00, and all day Sunday — including drilling, loud music and spin cycles. Neighbours will knock, and they are within their rights.
Full guides for each step
Want to track your progress?
Open the interactive checklist and tick off each step — it saves automatically on your device.
Open the 90-day checklist →