Relocation guide

Living in Essen,
sorted.

Everything an international needs to land in Essen: how your official registration (Anmeldung) works, what it unlocks, and how we handle the paperwork with you.

Relocation guide

Your registration (Anmeldung), handled with you

In Germany you must register your address (the Anmeldung) within 14 days of moving in. It is the key that unlocks daily life, and we make it simple.

Send us two things

A photo of the passport or ID of each person moving in, plus your exact move-in date. That is genuinely all we need from you.

We prepare your landlord confirmation

We fill out and sign your Wohnungsgeberbestätigung (the landlord confirmation the Bürgeramt needs) and hand it to you ready. Your name also goes on the doorbell and mailbox, and you fill in nothing.

You register at the Bürgeramt

Just bring your passport. We have already given you the completed, signed Wohnungsgeberbestätigung, so there is nothing for you to prepare. Book a short appointment at any Essen Bürgeramt and go in person within your first 14 days. Everyone registering attends, and timely registration is free.

You are officially a resident

You walk out with your Meldebescheinigung, the registration certificate. From there, everything else opens up.

🗂️

What to bring

  • Passport or ID for everyone registering
  • The completed Wohnungsgeberbestätigung (we provide this for you)
🔓

What it unlocks

  • Your tax ID (Steuer-ID), sent automatically by post
  • A German bank account
  • Phone and internet contracts, plus your visa or residence steps

Built for actually living here

Our apartments sit in calm, central Holsterhausen and lively Rüttenscheid, minutes from University Hospital Essen, the U-Bahn, Grugapark and the city centre. Each home is set up for real life and real work: fast Wi-Fi, a height-adjustable standing desk, an extra monitor with every cable you need, and a kitchen equipped for proper cooking (yes, including a rice cooker). There are even free weights and a yoga mat. You move in and live, you do not camp.

📶 Fast Wi-Fi (100+ Mbps)
🪑 Height-adjustable standing desk
🖥️ External monitor + all cables
💺 Ergonomic chair
🍳 Kitchen equipped for real cooking
🍚 Rice cooker
☕ Espresso machine
🏋️ Free weights
🧘 Yoga mat
🧺 Washing machine & dryer
🔑 Smart lock entry
🧹 Cleaning supplies
Nico, founder and host at umbrella.place 6 years hosting · 4.9★ on Airbnb · we reply within the hour
Your host

Hey, I'm Nico

Born and raised in Essen, I caught the travel bug studying abroad and meeting people from all over the world. These days I'm based in the Netherlands, but Essen will always be home, and I love watching it grow into a hub for internationals, expats and professionals.

umbrella.place is how I share that home and make your move genuinely easy. Message me directly and you'll usually hear back within the hour, in English, from a real person who has done this hundreds of times.

Reach me directly

Ready when you are

Send a quick, non-binding enquiry and let's find your home base in Essen.

Make an enquiry
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