What is a Meldebescheinigung & why it’s so important for newcomers
When you find a place to live anywhere in the country, the first administrative step to take is to register your address & do your Anmeldung at your local city hall/office.
Doing so, you will receive a registration confirmation: Anmeldebestätigung (or sometimes simply Meldebestätigung). This document contains the following information:
- Registration date
- Moving in date
- Complete postal address
- Complete name & birth date of person registering.
- Mention if it’s main residence or secondary residence.
- Details of the registration office (Meldebehörde), stamp & date.
It acts as an official registration certificate. It will often be required for several other bureaucratic steps in Germany or by private companies (internet, bank, insurance, etc) when concluding a contract.
For foreigners, it’s especially important because passports alone are often not accepted but it does not contain a German address. You need to show your address by showing your Meldebestätigung.
Is there a difference between Anmeldebestätigung & Meldebescheinigung?
In theory yes. In practice no. Both documents contain the same information about you & hold the same value.
- Anmeldebestätigung is provided when your first register, with the original registration date. It shows when you first moved-in.
- Meldebescheinigung is a copy of the registration record, with the date at which the copy was made. It shows that you still live at this address.
You will need a new Meldebescheinigung because in many occasions, administrations & companies will request a certificate that is not older than 6 months. It’s how they verify your address.
How to get a Meldebescheinigung copy?
If you already have done your Anmeldung and you a new registration certificate, you can request a copy at your local registration office (Bürgeramt, Bürgerbüro, Rathaus, or Kundezentrum) in person or online.
Prefer the online variation to avoid waiting times:
- Request a new copy online in Berlin
- Request a new copy online in Münich
- Request a new copy online in Frankfurt
- Request a new copy online in Hamburg
- Request a new copy online in Stuttgart
- For any other city, Google: “Meldebscheinigung online beantragen [city name]”
You might need to provide a copy of your ID card/passport. Expect costs between 5€ & 10€.
Meldebescheinigung – Anmeldebestätigung FAQ
It costs between 5€ & 10€
You can request a new copy of your certificate your local town hall/registration office and online. You will need to provide a copy of your ID card or passport.
The only notable difference is that a Meldebescheinigung is a copy of the registration records that proves you still live at this address. Both documents serve the same purposes.
Without that document, you cannot apply for a residence permit, register at university, start working or even open a telephone line. It’s the starting point to your life in Germany.