Before you start

A signed lease or proof you live at a Berlin address
A Wohnungsgeberbestätigung (landlord's move-in confirmation) — the make-or-break document
Valid passport; for non-EU citizens, an entry visa where required
For the Blue Card: a work contract and recognised university degree meeting the salary threshold

Step-by-step

1
Get the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung from your landlord
Your landlord (or main tenant if you sublet) must give you a signed move-in confirmation; by law they have two weeks to provide it. No Anmeldung happens without this form.
In personWho: Your landlordBefore your appointmentFree
2
Book a Bürgeramt slot and register
Book an Anmeldung appointment on service.berlin.de or via the 115 hotline, then attend in person with your passport, the form and the landlord confirmation. Slots are scarce — refresh the portal daily and grab any district. The appointment itself takes ~10 minutes.
In personWho: YouLegally due within 14 days of moving inFree
3
Collect your Meldebescheinigung & wait for the tax ID
You leave with a registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung) on the spot. The Bundeszentralamt für Steuern then posts your tax ID (Steuer-Identifikationsnummer) to your registered address, usually within 2–4 weeks.
In personWho: YouTax ID by post in 2–4 weeksFree
4
Apply for the residence permit / EU Blue Card at the LEA
Non-EU citizens apply to the Landesamt für Einwanderung (LEA, Keplerstraße 2) — currently via the LEA online contact form rather than the old appointment system. Select EU Blue Card and the skilled-worker department. A Blue Card can be issued as a sticker on the day, or as an electronic permit (eAT) collected after ~4–6 weeks.
OnlineWho: YouWeeks; eAT card ~4–6 weeks to collect≈ €100 (residence-permit/Blue Card fee)

Documents you’ll need

Completed Anmeldung form (Anmeldung bei der Meldebehörde)
Wohnungsgeberbestätigung (landlord confirmation)
Valid passport (all registrants)
Work contract + recognised degree (for the Blue Card)
Biometric passport photo and proof of health insurance (for the permit)

Things most newcomers don’t know

No Anmeldung = no bank account = no nothing.

The registration certificate is a precondition for your tax ID, a normal bank account, your residence permit and many phone contracts. Treat it as your single most urgent task on arrival.

Source: service.berlin.de / berlin.de

Book the Bürgeramt slot weeks ahead — appointments are the bottleneck.

Berlin's free Anmeldung appointments routinely sell out citywide; people refresh service.berlin.de for days or call 115. The 14-day legal deadline is widely missed because slots simply are not available, so start the hunt before you even move.

Source: service.berlin.de + community consensus

The Wohnungsgeberbestätigung is the document that fails people.

Without the signed landlord confirmation you will be turned away at the counter. Sublets and informal arrangements are the usual trap — confirm your landlord will sign it before you commit to a flat.

Source: official + community-reported

The 2026 Blue Card salary thresholds are specific — check which applies.

For 2026 the general EU Blue Card threshold is about €50,700 gross/year, with a lower ~€45,934 for shortage occupations (IT, engineering, natural sciences, healthcare) and recent graduates. A few hundred euros can decide whether you qualify, so verify against the current BAMF figure.

Source: BAMF / Make-it-in-Germany

Common mistakes to avoid

Assuming you have 14 days of slack — appointments are gone, so the deadline slips through no fault of yours
Signing a sublet whose holder will not give you a Wohnungsgeberbestätigung
Trying to open a full bank account or sign a contract before the Anmeldung is done
Letting your visa lapse while waiting on the LEA — apply for the permit before it expires