Registration with the municipal authorities
Everyone who lives in Germany is required to register their place of residence with the Citizens Office (Bürgerbüro) in their respective district. You must register within two weeks after moving to your new address. Be sure to bring the following documents to the registration office:
- Personal ID card or passport
- Print-out of the registration form (Download on the Citizens Office website)
- Confirmation of your tenancy agreement (to be filled out by the landlord; pdf download)
After registering with the municipal authorities, you will receive a certificate of registration (Meldebescheinigung) and your German tax ID number (Steueridentifikationsnummer). You will need these documents to open a bank account. Try to arrange an appointment with the Citizens Office of Münster as soon as you can, as there are usually long waiting times at the beginning of every semester. If applicable, also indicate that this is your first registration (Erstanmeldung) in Germany.