City Registration Office / Foreigners' Office

There are a number of appointments that need to be taken care of as a new resident in Germany. Two of the most important of these are completing city registration (Anmeldung) and also, if you do not have EU citizenship, applying for a residence permit (Aufenthaltstitel).

City Registration

All residents in Germany are required by law to complete city registration (Anmeldung) after moving to a new address within two weeks. For newly arrived international students, this means registering your new address with the local authorities of your city within two weeks of your arrival. Please note: You also must let the city know if you move to another address within the same city (Ummeldung) or move to another city or country (Abmeldung). You need the following to register an address:

Valid identity card (EU citizens) / passport (non-EU-citizens)
A signed Wohnungsgeberbestätigung form from your landlord
Non-EU-Citizens: temporary visa (please see information below regarding your visa/residence permit)

Students who live in Ulm must register at the Meldebehörde, an office located inside the Stadt Ulm Bürgerdienste.
Students who live in Neu-Ulm have to register at the Bürgerbüro in Neu-Ulm.
Addresses for these locations can be found at the bottom of this page. If you live in a different city, please check your city's website to find the relevant office.

Residence Permit

Non-EU students must apply for a residence permit (Aufenthaltstitel) after completing their city registration to be able to legally stay in Germany for their studies. This application is usually submitted at the local Foreigners' Office (often, but not always, called the Ausländerbehörde). Students are responsible for keeping this permit valid throughout the duration of their time in Germany (i.e. making sure to renew it in a timely manner).

Students who live in Ulm must apply for their residence permit at the Ausländerbehörde Ulm, a department which is located inside the Bürgerdienste Ulm.
Students who live in Neu-Ulm have to apply for their residence permit at the Landratsamt Neu-Ulm.
Addresses for these locations can be found at the bottom of this page. If you live in a different city, please check your city's website to find the relevant office.

Types of Residence Permits

Usually, students are granted residence permits under §16 AufenthG (relevant paragraph of the Aufenthaltsgesetz, Germany's residence law). Students who qualify for refugee status, for example from Ukraine, could apply for a residence permit under §24 AufenthG. Here is a short overview of these options:

§16 AufenthG

a “classic” student residence permit (sometimes informally called a “visa”)
among other things, proof of finances are required, often in the form of a blocked account (Sperrkonto)
list of documents for a student residence permit (city of Ulm)

§24 AufenthG

option for those who qualify for refugee status
required for Ukrainians: proof of residency in Ukraine on 24.02.2022
details from the city of Ulm

Your residence permit for studying loses its validity as soon as you exmatriculate from the university. If you are interested in working in Germany after graduation, here are some important notes on your residence permit:

If you don't find a job before graduation --> Apply for an extension of your current student residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis für Studierende (§16b)) 6-8 weeks before the expiration date of your current residence permit for the purpose of a job search. This extension can be granted for a period of up to 18 months as long as financial proof can be shown for this time (details under "Hinweise/Notes" on the linked page). This option is often informally called a “job search visa" or "job seeker's visa."
If you find a job before graduation --> Apply for a residence permit for employment (Aufenthaltserlaubnis für eine Beschäftigung (§18)) 6-8 weeks before the expiration date of your current residency permit.

If you are interested in learning more about your options for living and working in Germany (including permanent residency, naturalization, etc.), please check out the information provided by the Make it in Germany website.