Registering at the City Administration Office
In Germany, all persons who rent an accommodation, as well as all persons who will be residing in Germany for more than three months are obligated to register their address. Within two weeks after your arrival in Cottbus or Senftenberg, you and your family members must register your address at the City Administration Office (Stadtbüro). Due to the fact that religious communities in Germany are allowed to collect church taxes from the authorities, upon registration, you could be asked for your religious affiliation. After registering your address, you will receive directly an official proof of residence (Meldebescheinigung), which is needed to open a bank account.
To register, you will need:
- Your confirmation by your landlord (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung)
- Your passport or ID
- if available: your electronic residence permit
- Go to the following homepage
- You can then book an appointment via one of the three subsections: "Stadtbüro / Erdgeschoss" (Erdgeschoss means ground floor), "Stadtbüro / 2.Obergeschoss, Raum 2.131" (2. Obergeschoss, Raum 2.131 means 2nd floor, room 2.131) oder "Stadtbüro / 2. Obergeschoss, Raum 2.130" (2. Obergeschoss, Raum 2.130 means 2nd floor, room 2.130)
- Select the number 1 for "Stadtbüro" and click on "Weiter". You will then need to click on "Weiter" again.
- Afterwards, you can select a day and time (Hint: If there are no appointments available via "Stadtbüro / Erdgeschoss" or if only late appointments are offered, try selecting an appointment via "Stadtbüro / 2.Obergeschoss, Raum 2.131" or "Stadtbüro / 2. Obergeschoss").
- Click on "Ja", add your personal details, accept the data policy und click on "Reservieren"
- You will then automatically receive an e-mail with a confirmation link (Bestätigungs-Link) that you must click on within an hour to book the appointment
Hint: Depending on the situation, appointments are available for booking at short notice on Mondays and Thursdays between 8-9 am.
Further information on registration
If you decide to change residences within Cottbus or Senftenberg or within Germany, please remember that you must notify the City Administration Office of your new address within two weeks of moving. For this appointment, you must also make sure to bring your passport/ ID and new confirmation by your landlord (and, if available, your electronic residence permit).
Recognition of a marriage concluded abroad is necessary, for example, if you wish to apply for a change of tax class at the tax office or if recognition is required for the granting of a residence permit for spouse reunification (e.g. Section 30 of the Residence Act). To do this, you can make an appointment at the city administration office and submit the necessary documents. Normally you must hand in the following documents: the original marriage certificate, a German translation of it and, if necessary, additional documents (e.g. birth certificates with German translations). You can ask the relevant authority which documents are required in your case. If you are registered in Cottbus, you can contact the registry office (Standesamt). The recognition process takes approximately three weeks. After recognition, you will receive the documents back and you should have an extended registration certificate issued with the name of your husband/wife and your marital status. Only then can you apply for a change of tax class. For further information, please contact the Welcome Centre.