If you intend to stay in Hamburg for a longer period of time, you should take care of some important formalities in good time. These include, above all, obtaining a residence permit and registering your place of residence.
Residence permit
A national visa is usually issued for a period of one year and includes a work permit. If you do not plan to stay longer than a year, you will not need an additional permit.
If you are a citizen of Australia, the United Kingdom, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Canada, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand or the United States of America and have entered Germany without a visa but plan to stay for more than three months (90 days), you must apply for a residence permit once you have arrived. Make sure to do this within your first few weeks here.
To arrange an appointment to apply for your residence permit, please use the “Residence Permit Hamburg” online service of the City of Hamburg. Please make sure that you have all the relevant documents that you need. You can use the online service to submit these documents before your appointment.
Your application for a residence permit may take up to three months to process, however, and you will not be able to take up work until the permit has been granted, which is why we recommend that you look into and apply for an appropriate visa before travelling to Germany if you want to take up work immediately upon arrival.
Contact the Hamburg Welcome Centre if you have questions about how to apply for a residence permit or need advice as a newcomer to the city. Call +49 (0)40 428 39-5500 or email [email protected] to arrange an appointment.
Registration of residence in Hamburg
If you plan to stay in Hamburg for more than three months, you have to register your place of residence in Hamburg with a customer centre within two weeks of your arrival. If you do not yet have a permanent residence when you arrive, you have to register within two weeks of moving into one. You must register in person and pay an administrative fee (currently €14).
You will need to present the following documents at your appointment to register:
- A letter from your landlord confirming your tenancy
- Your passport/national ID card
- Registration form
- Your residence permit/visa
The following selection of links provide more information:
- Hamburg Welcome Center – first steps
- Hamburg Welcome Center – residence permit
- Hamburg Welcome Center – forms and checklists
- Hamburg Welcome Center – checklist for researcher
- Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg – general information
- Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg – registration
- Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg – registration form
- Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg – offices of residents affairs
Letzte Änderung: 25. July 2025