Residence First Steps in Hamburg
Every beginning is difficult. That's why the Hamburg Welcome Center gives you useful tips on the first steps you should take to arrive in Hamburg and to settle in fast as possible.
First Steps in Hamburg - Hamburg Welcome Portal
Administrative procedures in Germany and thus also in Hamburg seem complicated at first. But a planned procedure ensures step by step that you will soon have all the necessary documents in your hands and that your professional and private new start in Hamburg will be successful.
Acommodation Search
When looking for suitable accommodation, use the local newspapers or the numerous online platforms on which landlords and brokers offer apartments and houses in the Hanseatic City. Alternatively, you can also contact housing cooperatives.
Registration
In Germany you are obliged to register your place of residence. If you move within Hamburg or from abroad into an apartment in Hamburg, you must register within two weeks in one of the customer centres in Hamburg.
Bank Account
If you want to live and work in Germany for a longer period of time, you usually need a bank account. A registration certificate is required for this.
Health Insurance
You are obliged to take out health insurance. If you are employed subject to social security contributions, you will receive your social security number, which your employer will apply for on your behalf.
Residence Permit
Immigrants from non-EU countrys need a residence permit. The purpose of your stay (e.g. Studying, Working, Research) in Hamburg determines the type and duration of the permit.
Job Search
You can contact "your way: make it in Hamburg" as a contact person and point of contact for integration into the Hamburg labour market. Numerous Internet portals and job advertisements in local and national newspapers are also available to help you find a job. When it comes to recognising your foreign vocational qualification, you will receive support from the "Zentrale Anlaufstelle Anerkennung" (ZAA).
Kindergarten and School
Select a childcare facility or school for your children and apply for child benefit. Please note that your child will initially attend an International Preparation Class for up to twelve months if he or she does not yet have a good command of the written and spoken German language.
Language Courses for Adults
Numerous providers offer German courses for adults. These courses must be certified for recognition when applying for residence permits.
Driving Licence
And in order to stay mobile and discover the metropolitan region of Hamburg, please inquire whether and for how long your foreign driving licence is valid in Germany. Alternatively, you can also use the wide range of local public transport in Hamburg and the surrounding area.
