REGISTRATION IN DÜSSELDORF

Bureaucratic procedures exist in every country covering arrival of expats and setting up residency in the new location. Expats relocating to Düsseldorf will find that Germany is no exception. The rules here are in alignment with EU regulations. On the whole they very clear, yet can also be somewhat complicated to comprehend due to administrative styles of formulation. Thus not always so easy to follow.

In general, anyone who plans to remain here for more than three months will need to register with the local authorities, ideally within the first week after arrival. The whole process depends much on country of birth and nationality. It is utterly important to remember to register every new home too. The process of de-registering and re-registering is very smooth.

One great achievement of the EU and its institutions is that most of its 500 million inhabitants can relocate across borders relatively easily. The Residence Act, Aufenthaltsrecht, is a complex paper, which reveals most answers for all global nationalities.

The process of registration in Düsseldorf is straightforward. A short trip to the central service centre, Dienstleistungszentrum, of the central citizens registration office, Einwohnermeldeamt with a completed registration form with necessary details on proof of residency from landlord etcetera plus a valid passport or official ID suffices. Alternatively visit one of the city’s neighbourhood citizen’s offices, Bürgeramt, in Benrath, Bilk, Eller, Garath, Gerresheim, Kaiserswerth, Oberkassel, Rath, Unterbach or Wersten.

By Vincent Green, Feb 11 2020