Your First Two Weeks in Germany: The Real Arrival Checklist

Before work starts, paperwork comes first

It surprises many nurses that you do not simply land and start on the ward. Germany runs on registration, and your first days are a short admin sprint that sets up your whole life here. The good news: it is a known, repeatable sequence, and once you understand the order, it is far less scary than it sounds.

Days 1–3: arrival and settling in

You will usually land, be received, and move into initial accommodation - often arranged with the help of your employer or agency in the first period (though, honestly, accommodation is supported, not guaranteed). Two quick early wins: get a German prepaid SIM so you have a local number for appointments, and confirm the exact move-in date of your permanent address, because that date starts an important clock.

The one that unlocks everything: Anmeldung

The single most important task is the Anmeldung - registering your home address at the local Bürgeramt. You must do it within 14 days of moving in. You will need your passport, a signed Wohnungsgeberbestätigung (your landlord's confirmation that you have moved in) and the registration form. You walk out with a Meldebescheinigung (registration certificate) - treat it like gold, because almost nothing else works without it. Book the appointment the moment you have an address; in big cities, slots go fast.

Your Tax ID (Steuer-ID) - and why it matters for your salary

A few weeks after your Anmeldung, your Steuer-ID (tax identification number) arrives automatically by post. This matters for your money: until your employer has it, you can be taxed at the highest emergency rate, so a big chunk of your first salary can be withheld. If it is delayed and you need it urgently, you can usually collect it in person from the local Finanzamt with your passport and Meldebescheinigung.

Opening a bank account

You need a German current account (Girokonto) to receive your salary, and most banks will ask for your Meldebescheinigung before fully opening it - another reason the Anmeldung comes first. Once open, share your account details with your employer's HR so your salary is paid correctly.

Health insurance

Health insurance is mandatory in Germany. As an employed nurse you will usually be on public health insurance (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung), and your employer typically helps you enrol. You will receive an insurance card to use at doctors and pharmacies. Sort this early so you are covered from day one.

Your first-two-weeks checklist

You will not do this alone

Here is the reassuring part. A good employer runs an onboarding process, and agencies like ours help you understand this sequence before you fly, so nothing is a surprise. Your job is to be proactive: book the Anmeldung early, keep every document safe, and ask when unsure. The nurses who plan these two weeks glide through them.