Everything you need to arrive in Germany. In one place. In the right order.

I'm coming for

, , and the , in order and with dates, from your admission letter to your first semester.

Create your accountPlan my arrival

Free to use. In English. German terms explained where they appear.

5

Blocked Account

Due in 5 days

19

Visa

Due in 19 days

76

Deposit Guarantee

Due in 76 days

HousingHealth InsuranceeSIM

The first tasks for someone arriving in 90 days on an Indian passport. The dashboard runs the same rules.

Your arrival plan

Four answers, every step with its date

The same task engine as the HomeSettled dashboard, run for your move. It changes as you change the answers.

22

tasks for your move

5

with a legal deadline

Apr 1

First deadline: Semesterticket

  1. Before you arrive

    1. Welcome BoxOrder at least 5 days before you arrive
    2. Supplemental InsuranceOptional and useful
    3. Deposit GuaranteeSave yourself the €2,100 deposit. Set up before key handover
    4. VisaLegalAdd your citizenship to calculate your visa deadline
    5. Blocked AccountLegalVisa appointment in 6 weeks
    6. Health InsuranceRequired before enrollment
    7. HousingBest rooms go 8 weeks early
    8. Flat checkCheck a flat before you pay anything
    9. Family updatesYour family hears when you land and register
    10. eSIMActivate before arrival
    11. Bank AccountOpen now, ready on arrival
    12. PO BoxYour German address
    13. Getting from the airportBook 48 hours in advance
    14. First Week GroceriesArrives the morning after you land

  2. Arrival and Anmeldung

    1. SemesterticketSemester starts in 144 daysApr 1
    2. AnmeldungLegalRegister within 14 days of move-in

  3. After Anmeldung

    1. Home InternetUnlocks after Anmeldung
    2. Long-term Phone PlanUnlocks after Anmeldung
    3. Steuer-ID letterLegalUnlocks after Anmeldung
    4. RundfunkbeitragUnlocks after Anmeldung
    5. Residence permitLegalUnlocks after Anmeldung
    6. Driver's licenseUnlocks after Anmeldung
Create your account with this plan

How it works

Do these four steps first, in this order

Traditional banks ask for your . The needs a from your landlord. Many landlords ask for a German bank account. HomeSettled starts you with the steps that need none of these.

  1. 1An eSIM before you flyMobile data from the moment you land, for maps, messages and your banking app. No German ID needed.
  2. 2An online bank accountN26, Revolut and C24 open accounts without an , so you have one when a landlord asks.
  3. 3A flat whose landlord confirms your move-inAsk for the before you sign. You need it for the .
  4. 4AnmeldungWithin 14 days of moving in, with your and the .

Then 7 tasks open at once

Long-term Phone PlanResidence permitHome InternetSteuer-ID letterRundfunkbeitragNebenkostenDriver's license

What you get

Every tile ships something, checks something, books something or tracks something for you.

Ships to you

  • An eSIM, installed before you fly
  • A Welcome Box and first-week groceries, delivered to your new address

Checks for you

  • 12 document types, checked against what each appointment needs
  • Rental and job contracts, for unusual clauses
  • German letters, translated with what to do next

Books and compares

  • Your Bürgeramt appointment, through the Anmeldung concierge
  • Banks, insurers, housing and internet, compared side by side

Keeps track

  • 22 tasks, dated from your arrival wherever there's a deadline
  • Your residence permit expiry, with reminders 90, 60 and 30 days ahead
  • Your tax ID letter, and when to chase it
39 guides and 9 city guides

City guides

Arrival guides for 9 cities

The airport train, where to book the Bürgeramt, which immigration office is yours, what rooms cost and where newcomers live.

All city guides

Berlin

Berlin

Airport
BER (Berlin Brandenburg)
Airport to centre
FEX Airport Express, about 30 min to Hauptbahnhof
Local transport
BVG and S-Bahn Berlin (VBB)

Munich

München · Bavaria

Airport
MUC (Munich Airport)
Airport to centre
S1 or S8, about 40 to 45 min to Hauptbahnhof
Local transport
MVG and S-Bahn (MVV)

Hamburg

Hamburg

Airport
HAM (Hamburg Airport)
Airport to centre
S1, about 25 min to Hauptbahnhof
Local transport
HVV (Hochbahn, S-Bahn and buses)

Frankfurt

Frankfurt am Main · Hesse

Airport
FRA (Frankfurt Airport)
Airport to centre
S8 or S9, about 15 min to Hauptbahnhof
Local transport
RMV (VGF U-Bahn and trams, S-Bahn)

Cologne

Köln · North Rhine-Westphalia

Airport
CGN (Cologne Bonn Airport)
Airport to centre
S19 or regional trains, about 15 min to Köln Hbf
Local transport
KVB and S-Bahn (VRS)

Stuttgart

Baden-Württemberg

Airport
STR (Stuttgart Airport)
Airport to centre
S2 or S3, about 27 min to Hauptbahnhof
Local transport
VVS (SSB Stadtbahn, S-Bahn)

Düsseldorf

North Rhine-Westphalia

Airport
DUS (Düsseldorf Airport)
Airport to centre
S11 or regional trains, about 12 to 20 min to Hauptbahnhof
Local transport
Rheinbahn and S-Bahn (VRR)

Leipzig

Saxony

Airport
LEJ (Leipzig/Halle Airport)
Airport to centre
S5 or S5X, about 15 min to Hauptbahnhof
Local transport
LVB and S-Bahn (MDV)

Heidelberg

Baden-Württemberg

Airport
FRA (Frankfurt Airport)
Airport to centre
Train, about 1 hour, usually via Mannheim
Local transport
rnv trams and buses, S-Bahn (VRN)

Guides

Start with the guides for your situation

Plan your moveGetting a German student visaThe documents a German embassy asks students for, the order to collect them in, and the APS certificate if you're from India, China or Vietnam.2 min readPlan your moveThe blocked account (Sperrkonto)Why the embassy asks for €11,904, how the money is paid back to you each month, and how to pick a provider.2 min readYour first weeksGirokonto vs Sperrkonto, and which one you need firstThey sound similar. They're different accounts, and most students and Chancenkarte holders end up needing both.1 min readWork, tax and moneyWorking while you studyThe 140-day rule on a student permit, the 20-hour Werkstudent limit, and the €603 Minijob ceiling. Three different limits that count different things.1 min readWork, tax and moneyReceiving money from homeBank transfers, money-transfer services and card top-ups compared: where the fees and exchange-rate markups hide.1 min readStaying long-termPermanent residence and citizenshipWhen you can apply for a settlement permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis), the faster routes for Blue Card holders and German graduates, and the 5-year route to citizenship.1 min read
Browse all 39 guides

Questions

Common questions

Who is HomeSettled for?

Anyone moving to Germany from abroad: students, skilled workers, holders, people on a , and their families. The tasks you see depend on why you're coming and which you hold.

What does it cost?

Using HomeSettled and reading the guides is free. Some services are paid, such as the concierge or an eSIM, and the price is shown before you pay.

How does HomeSettled make money?

From partner commissions and the services we sell. Partner links are labelled, and you pay the same price as going to the partner directly. See how we make money.

Which cities do you cover?

The dashboard works anywhere in Germany. We have detailed arrival guides for Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Cologne, Stuttgart, Düsseldorf, Leipzig and Heidelberg, and a general guide for everywhere else.

Do I need to speak German?

No. Everything is in English, and German terms such as or are explained where they appear.

I'm an EU citizen. Is this for me?

Yes. You don't need a or a , so those tasks don't appear. , , a bank account, housing and work the same for you as for everyone else.

How do I sign up?

Create an account with your email address. Add your arrival date and your tasks are dated from it.

Start with the tasks due first

Create your account and your tasks are dated from your arrival.

Create your accountPlan your arrival first