Register as a Resident at the Citizens' Office
If you are staying in Germany for longer than three months, you must register your residence at the Citizens' Office (“Bürgerbüro") of the responsible municipality.
You must register no later than two weeks after moving into your new home. You are legally obliged to do this.
Registration is free of charge.
The earliest possible date for the registration is the beginning date of your rental contract. If you received your rental contract in advance, please wait until it’s starting date before you visit the Citizens' Office.
You need the registration certificate to open a bank account and to apply for a residence permit at the Immigration Office.
In order to receive your registration certificate, you must present the following documents at the Citizens’ Office, Obermarkt 21:
- passport with valid visa or identity card (EU citizens)
- landlord's confirmation (see there)
- In exceptional cases, a valid tenancy agreement may be accepted in place of the landlord's confirmation.
Rental Agreement and Confirmation of the Housing Provider
When you enter into a rental agreement, you must receive your own original hardcopy signed by the landlord or rental company.
For the official registration of your home address (for a stay in Germany of three months or longer), you also need a Confirmation of the Housing Provider for presentation to the Registration Office (in German: 'Wohnungsgeberbestätigung zur Vorlage bei der Meldebehörde'). This is an official form of the Freistaat Sachsen (Free State of Saxony).
It must be filled in by your landlord. You will need it to register at the Citizen's Office (Bürgerbüro).
Make an appointment
There are several ways to get an appointment at the Residents’ Registration Office.
Appointments can be made online, by phone or in person during opening hours at the information desk.
- Book an appointment online
- By phone at the following number +49 (0)3731 273-717 or +49 (0)3731 273-706
- In person during the office hours: office hours at the Resigents' Registration Office of Freiberg.
Tax Identification Number
When registering at the Residents' Registration Office, international students who were not yet registered in Germany receive a personal Tax Identification Number (IdNo). The IdNo is an eleven-digit number and does not contain any information about a person or the responsible tax office.
You will be informed of the IdNo verbally at the Residents' Registration Office. Subsequently, the IdNo will be sent to your registered address by post.
If you have not received a letter with your IdNo after three weeks, you can request it from the Federal Central Tax Office's website. It will then be sent to you within four weeks. It is not possible to enquire by telephone or by e-mail.
