Residence rules for EU, EEA and Swiss citizens in Germany

Registering your address comes first; the immigration office handles special cases

As an EU or EEA citizen you can generally live in Germany without a residence permit, so the main formality is registering your address with the city. The immigration office, the Ausländerbehörde, comes in for specific cases: Swiss citizens report their stay there, family members from outside the EU apply for a residence card, and after several years here you can ask for a certificate of permanent residence.

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How it works

Register residence as an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen

Get the residence certificate EU, EEA and Swiss citizens need for a longer stay.

As an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen, you can live in another EU or EEA country, but for stays of more than three months you often have to register your residence and get a certificate. You usually show your passport or ID card and proof that you work, study, have enough money and health insurance, or are a family member. After five years you can apply for a document confirming permanent residence. This is separate from registering your address with the municipality, although some countries handle both at once. Swiss citizens may have their own procedure.

Also searched as

EU registration certificateresidence certificate for EU citizensEU citizen residenceEEA residence certificatepermanent residence certificateSwiss citizen residencegreen NIE certificate

At a glance

Offices
59 offices in 30 cities
Book online
At 21 of 59 offices
Apply online
At 6 of 59 offices
Offices for specific groups
  • For EU, EEA and Swiss citizens: 30 offices

An email or contact form often comes before an appointment

Where to take residence questions in your city

Address registration happens at the city’s registration office, while Swiss residence documents, permanent residence certificates and family residence cards come from the immigration office. Cities such as Cologne, Hamburg and Bochum each run this their own way.

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Related services

Other everyday services in Germany

Help with rent and living costs in Germany

For people who cannot cover rent, food or other basic costs. See whether the Sozialamt or the Jobcenter is your starting point and how to reach them.

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Tax registration with the Finanzamt in Germany

For freelancers, sole traders and new business owners. See how tax registration works, what the Steuernummer is for and which tax office can help.

108 offices · 37 cities

Report a change of address in Germany

For people who already live in Germany and move to a new home. See how to update your registered address and which office takes it.

104 offices · 39 cities

Residence permit applications in Germany

For students, workers and family members from outside the EU. See which office handles your stay and how applications start.

103 offices · 38 cities

Register your address after arriving in Germany

For anyone moving into a home in Germany from another country. See what the registration involves and which office in your city deals with it.

98 offices · 39 cities

Certificate of your registered address

For anyone who has to show where they live. See what the certificate covers and which office in your city issues it.

95 offices · 39 cities
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Other countries

The same task in other countries

Moving on, or comparing before you decide? See how this works elsewhere.

Where to next

Immigration offices for EU, EEA and Swiss citizens

See which immigration office handles your case, whether you should email or phone first, and how appointments are arranged.

EU, EEA and Swiss residence offices in Germany

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