🇩🇪 Settling in in Germany

On the German side the registration duty (Meldepflicht) is strict and fast: it is the first thing to get done.

The steps, in order

01
Anmeldung at the Bürgeramt
Registering your address is compulsory and done at the commune's citizens' office, with a landlord confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung). The registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung) is then asked for everywhere.
Deadline: Short legal deadline after moving inWho you deal with: Bürgeramt
02
Tax number and Progressionsvorbehalt
Registration triggers the tax number. The Luxembourg salary is not re-taxed in Germany, but it enters the Progressionsvorbehalt: it lifts the rate applied to the household's other income, which catches out couples where one partner works in Germany.
Who you deal with: Finanzamt
03
Krankenkasse and coordination
CCSS registration by the employer and CNS cover, then enrolment with a German sickness fund using the European coordination document so you can be treated locally.
Who you deal with: CCSS · CNS · Krankenkasse

Procedures and deadlines change, and edge cases (third-country nationals, family reunification, self-employment) fall outside this outline. Check with the relevant administration before committing.

Verified on 2026-08-17