What to do first when arriving in Rostock?

Finding an apartment and registering

the IOW offers guest rooms for up to 4 months --> to check the availability of these rooms please contact the secretary of the department
if no guest room at the IOW is available or latest after 4 months of staying there, you should find an apartment of your own. You find some useful websites in this linked file.

if you stay longer than three months in Germany, please register your German address at the citizens' registration office (Ortsamt) that is responsible for your area that you live in --> Information for Rostock citizens

the following documents are required before you go there:
1. fill out the "Wohnungsgeberbestätigung" (landlord confirmation) and let it sign from your landlord
2. your passport or ID card
3. if you already have an address in Germany then bring the confirmation of your registration of that place
If you move to Germany with your family (spouse, children) make sure they are mentioned on the form as well and they will have to go to the Ortsamt with you personally.

Finances / tax classes

When having registered at the Ortsamt you will automatically receive a German tax ID number (Steueridentifikationsnummer) that will be sent to you within a couple of weeks to your registered address. The tax ID number is important for your salary. If you do not register, you will be put to "Steuerklasse VI" which is the highest tax class with the highest tax deduction. As soon as you receive the letter from the "Bundeszentralamt für Steuern" (BZSt) send a copy to IOW's human ressources.

Tax class I is reserved for all taxpayers who are not or no longer married. It is intended for people who are single, unmarried, divorced or widowed. Members of income tax class I have a restriction with regard to their options for choosing a tax class.

Tax class II is only intended for single parents. One of the prerequisites is that the single parent must live with at least one child to be considered for tax purposes.

The tax class with a married status is automatically tax class IV. Even if a spouse receives no salary, you are automatically classified in tax class 4. Tax class IV is useful for spouses who earn roughly the same amount. Married couples can change their tax classes to a III/V or IV/IV combination.

If you would like to have the tax class combination III/V, you must apply to the tax authority (Finanzamt).The change of the tax class cannot be done online. Therefore you must fill out this form (https://www.steuerklassen.com/content/antrag_steuerklassenwechsel.pdf) and send it to the "Finanzamt Rostock" (Möllner Strasse 13, 18109 Rostock).

Tax class VI is intended for employees who have two or more jobs. The second job (if it exceeds the mini job limit) is always taxed according to income tax class VI. Deductions are particularly high in tax class VI.

Register at the Rostock immigration office (for non-EU citizens)

To get your electronic residence permit (eAT) you have to go the immigration office in Rostock. (online tool for making an appointment)

To learn more about the eAT you can download the English flyer here.

Please bring the following documents when applying:

your passport
biometric photo
your "Wohnungsgeberbestätigung" - registration letter of your apartment
source of living expenses, i.e. your working contract and/or (blocked) bank account information
confirmation of German health insurance
filled out request form

Also here your family has to accompany you and register. If they are arriving at a later time please make sure they also register at the immigration office personally.

Address:

Migrationsamt

Neuer Markt 3

18055 Rostock

Opening hours

Tuesday	09:00 - 12:00 h 13:30 - 18:00 h
Thursday	09:00 - 12:00 h 13:30 - 16:00 h

Other important information

When staying in Germany please make sure you always have your passport and/or your eAT-card with you.

Opening a bank account

To have a German bank account is very important for receiving your salary as well as making contracts in Germany, i.e. mobile phone, renting an apartment, etc.

For opening a bank account you need your passport, temporary visa and the document for registration of your address.

If you do not have a working contract, for some countries you need to open a blocked bank account.

The Sparkasse and Deutsche Bank are two banks that open these kind of accounts.

Get a health insurance

Most Germans are members of the government health system (GKV), and for all employees it is mandatory. You can choose one health insurance out of about 113 health insurances in Germany. The basic rate is 14.6 % of your monthly gross salary.

Kindergarten / School

Rostock offers a great amout of childcare possibilities for all ages.

For Kindergarten you can apply at your supervisor/head of department for a childcare possibility in Warnemünde. That is an intern IOW process that is decided about in the executive unit. Also it depends on free capacities in the kindergarten.

If there are no free capacities you can look for kindergarten online: https://www.kitaplaner.de/rostock/elternportal/elternportal.jsf

If you have contacted a kindergarten/daycare successfully then there are some administrative and organizational steps to follow:

fill out the "Antrag auf Berechtigung" (claim for eligibility)
fill out the "Arbeitszeitnachweis" (proof of working time) and let your head of department or administration/human ressources sign

With those two documents AND the confirmation of the Ortsamt, and the documents you/your child receives the from the immigration office you can go to the Youth and Social office of the city of Rostock.

to be continued...

Address

Amt für Jugend, Soziales und Asyl

Sachgebiet Kita/Tagespflege

St.-Georg-Str. 109/Haus II

18055 Rostock

Opening hours