Personal Germany move checklist

Pick the situation you are moving in and get only the tasks that apply to you, in the order we did them ourselves: before the flight, first week, first month and the two months after.

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Before you fly

Passport valid for at least 12 more monthsRenew early if it expires within a year, a short validity shortens your residence permit as well.
Get degrees and birth certificate apostilledApostille from the MEA in India, then a certified German or English translation. Doing this later from Germany is slow and expensive.MEA apostille ↗
Check your university in anabinYour institution should be H+ and your degree listed, otherwise apply for a statement of comparability first.anabin database ↗
APS certificate from the German embassyMandatory for Indian students since 2022 and it takes several weeks, start before your admission arrives.APS India ↗
Open the blocked account€11,904 for a full year of study. Keep the confirmation letter as a PDF and a printout for the visa interview.
Arrange health insurance for the visaTravel cover for the journey plus public or private cover that starts on the day your course or job begins.
Book the VFS or embassy appointmentSlots in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and Kolkata fill fast. Book as soon as your documents are ready.German missions in India ↗
Book four to eight weeks of temporary housingYou need an address before you can register, and a registration before most permanent contracts. Plan the overlap.
Carry €1,000 to €1,500 in cash and cardsDeposits, the first weeks of rent and furniture are often cash or SEPA only before your German account works.

First week in Germany

Book the Anmeldung appointmentRegister your address within two weeks. In big cities appointments are gone weeks ahead, so book before you land.
Get a German SIM cardPrepaid from Aldi Talk, Lidl or Congstar works without registration. Contracts need Anmeldung and a bank account.
Open a German current accountA digital bank works without Anmeldung and gives you an IBAN for rent, salary and insurance direct debits.
Activate insurance and collect your cardSend the membership confirmation to your university or employer, they cannot enrol or pay you without it.

First month

Wait for the tax ID (Steuer-ID) letterIt arrives by post two to four weeks after Anmeldung. Without it your employer taxes you at the harshest class 6.
Apply for the residence permit at the AusländerbehördeYour entry visa is only a bridge. Apply before it expires with passport photos, insurance proof and the rental contract.
Complete university enrolment and semester feeThe semester contribution usually includes your public transport ticket, so pay it before lectures start.
Handle the broadcasting fee (Rundfunkbeitrag)€18.36 per household per month, not per person. Flatmates should register once and add the others as exempt.rundfunkbeitrag.de ↗

Month two and three

Find permanent housing and a Schufa scoreAfter three months of German bank activity your Schufa report exists, which landlords ask for with every application.
Join a German or integration courseB1 is the level that opens permanent residence, citizenship and most non tech jobs. Start in month two, not year two.
Convert or plan your driving licenceAn Indian licence is valid for six months after registration. After that you need the German test, so start early.

Download the free checklist guide Blocked account calculator

Checklist questions

What should I do in my first week in Germany?+

Book the Anmeldung appointment, open a bank account, activate health insurance and get a SIM card. The Anmeldung comes first because your tax ID and residence permit depend on it.

Can I print this checklist?+

Yes, use the print button and choose save as PDF. Ticked items stay visible so you can carry it to appointments.

Is anything different for family reunion?+

You add marriage or birth certificate legalisation, an A1 German certificate in most cases, and the sponsor's income and housing proof. The generator shows those tasks when you pick that profile.

Official sources

Make it in Germany: first steps ↗
BAMF residence permits ↗
German missions in India ↗

Want the full move handled step by step?

Our free checklist covers the basics. The paid packs add document templates, embassy ready formats and the exact order we followed ourselves.

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Editorial information

Written and checked by our India–Germany team

We are an Indian-German married couple living in Germany. Our guides combine first-hand relocation experience with checks against current official information. We are independent and are not lawyers or government representatives.

Last reviewed: September 2026 · Meet the team and read our editorial approach

Sources and fact-checking

Rules, fees and requirements can change. We review them against primary German and Indian authorities and link to the relevant official pages below. Always confirm time-sensitive details before applying or paying.

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Make it in Germany opens in a new tab

India to Germany Guide

Practical, easy to understand guidance for people moving from India to Germany for work or study.

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What the * means

* We write from our own experience of this move and keep every page as current as we can. We are not an authority: the German embassy, consulates and local offices decide your case, so please cross check anything important with them before you act on it.