Starting inGermany
For skilled workers, students, families, and partners relocating to Germany

Your personal plan through German bureaucracy.

Tell us about your move — your visa, your city, your family — and get a plan built for your exact situation. We map every step in the right order, from official German sources, so nothing blocks you by surprise.

See what you'll get

Takes about 2 minutes. No credit card required.

  • Built on official German sources
  • Free to start — no credit card
  • Your data stays private, never sold

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Personalised from official German rules

Everyone gets a different plan

Pick a situation — see which steps are yours, and which you skip.

An example Skilled worker plan in Munich · 8 of 16 steps

Tags like Munich and Family show how your city and family situation tailor each plan.

A plan that's yours, not generic

Your visa, city, citizenship, and family decide which steps appear — and which you can skip.

Prepare the right documents

See which proof, certificate, or confirmation each task needs.

Avoid blocked next tasks

Understand what depends on Anmeldung, insurance, bank setup, and more.

Keep everything in one place

Connect tasks, documents, and guidance instead of jumping between tabs.

What you'll get

Your exact tasks, in the order they unlock

This is the real app. Every task shows its deadline, the documents it needs, and what finishing it unlocks next — so the bureaucracy never blocks your move by surprise.

My Plan — Starting in GermanyExample plan

Your progress

Your Germany setup path

3 left in this stage
  4. 04
  5. 05
  6. 06

04 Tasks in Setting up the basics

Start here

Anmeldung (Address registration)

Required

Needs Wohnungsgeberbestätigung, passport, rental contract

Due in 9 days

Open bank account

Due in 16 days

Set up public transport access

Due in 21 days

Set up mobile SIM plan

Completed

Task 1 of 4

Anmeldung

Register your address with the city so your tax ID, banking, and permit tasks can continue.

  • Registration
  • Required

Documents to prepare

Have these ready before you start

  • Passport Change
  • Rental contract Change
  • Wohnungsgeberbestätigung Verify

Collected during this task

  • Registration confirmation (Meldebescheinigung)Collected during task

Build your plan to see these as your own real tasks, in your order.

The challenge

The problem isn't one form. It's the chain reaction.

One missed document or delayed appointment can block the next task — from Anmeldung and tax ID to insurance, banking, employer onboarding, or your residence permit.

Deadlines are easy to miss

Appointments fill quickly and some tasks have strict timing windows. Missing one can delay work, payroll, and permit progress.

Documents are hard to decode

Authorities ask for specific proof. Without clarity, people arrive unprepared and have to rebook weeks later.

Tasks depend on each other

Anmeldung, insurance, tax ID, banking, and residence tasks often unlock one another. Wrong order creates avoidable blockers.

Starting in Germany removes every one of these unknowns — with a plan built around your exact situation.

Your personalised Germany admin plan in minutes

1

Tell us your situation

Arrival date, city, citizenship, purpose of move, household details — about 2 minutes, no account needed to start.

2

Get your personalised plan

We branch on your visa, city, and household — so you see only the tasks that apply to you, ordered by real deadlines and dependencies.

3

Work through each task with guidance

See what to do, which documents to prepare, what to watch out for, and what each completed task unlocks next.

Built around how German bureaucracy actually works

Personalised plan

See only the tasks that apply to your visa, city, move type, and timeline.

Deadline-aware planning

Focus on what is urgent now and what can wait until later.

Dependency mapping

Know what each task depends on and which next tasks it unlocks.

Prepare the right proof

Prepare the right proof before each appointment to avoid rebooking.

Translate German letters

Turn German letters into plain-language summaries and clear actions.

One place for your files

Keep key files tied to the tasks they support in one secure place.

Answers, built in

Ask anything — it already knows your move

Ask about any task, deadline, or confusing German letter. It knows your whole plan and answers from the official German source behind each step — specific to your situation, never generic advice you have to second-guess.

Built for the reality of moving to Germany.

German bureaucracy is confusing — not because you are not capable, but because the sequence is genuinely unclear and the stakes are real. Starting in Germany exists to give you one calm, structured place to see what applies to you and what to do first.

This started as a personal project — one expat's attempt to figure out, after the fact, how the pieces actually fit. That your Anmeldung is the key that unlocks the rest: your tax ID arrives by post once you've registered, and until it reaches your employer, your first paychecks are taxed at the emergency rate. The frustration of discovering each dependency too late is exactly what this tool is designed to prevent.

  • Free to use — no credit card, no catch
  • Your data stays private and is never sold
  • Practical guidance only — not legal advice

Stop discovering the order too late. Walk into your first weeks in Germany prepared.

Build your personal Germany plan and start from wherever you are.

Guides

Calm, practical guidance for each major task

Use these focused walkthroughs when you need extra context beyond your plan, without digging through scattered tabs.

Built for real onboarding moments

Documents, timing, and order of operations explained clearly for newcomers handling German bureaucracy.

Getting Started7 min

First steps in Germany: your 30-day arrival checklist

The right order for address registration, insurance, banking, and tax ID — before deadlines stack up.

Best for

Anyone arriving in Germany

Read guide
Coverage6 min

Health insurance in Germany: public vs private setup

Choose the right route, prepare the supporting evidence, and get written proof quickly.

Best for

Employees, students, freelancers

Read guide
City Guide8 min

Moving to Berlin: registration, admin, and first steps

Berlin's Bürgeramt slots book out weeks ahead. Learn the booking strategies, insurance setup, and housing paperwork for Berlin newcomers.

Best for

Anyone moving to Berlin

Read guide
City Guide8 min

Moving to Munich: KVR, registration, and first steps

Munich uses the KVR for residence permits and Bürgerbüros for Anmeldung. Housing is competitive — prepare documents before viewing.

Best for

Anyone moving to Munich

Read guide
See all guides

Questions people ask before they start

No. Starting in Germany is an independent practical guidance tool and is not affiliated with any German authority. Always confirm current requirements with the relevant local office.

No. It helps you prepare and stay organized, but it does not replace legal or immigration advice. For complex cases, consult a qualified professional.

Yes. Enter your expected move date and city to get a timeline for what to prepare before arrival and what to handle in your first weeks.

You can add custom tasks anytime. For major changes, run onboarding again to generate an updated plan that matches your new situation.

We ask about your move type, city, arrival timing, and household details. Your plan then filters irrelevant tasks and orders the rest by deadline and dependency.

Your plan is built for newcomers across major German cities and adapts guidance where local office context matters.

Upload documents tied to your tasks, such as your rental contract, Wohnungsgeberbestätigung, passport copy, employment contract, and insurance confirmation.

Starting in Germany provides practical guidance and information to help newcomers navigate German bureaucracy. It is not a legal service, official government platform, or substitute for professional legal or immigration advice.