First steps after arriving in Germany for your Ausbildung

Arriving in Germany after months of preparation is a relief. But the first steps come quickly: the Anmeldung (registering your address) within two weeks, a bank account, health insurance, your residence permit, your first day at the Berufsschule. And your first pay often only arrives at the end of the month. Here is the order to do things in, and the money to plan for before you leave Buea, Bamenda, Douala or Yaoundé.

Before you leave: what must be in your bag

Some steps start in Cameroon. Before your flight, check that you have:

• your passport with the visa, plus copies (on paper and on your phone);
• your training contract and the company’s letter with its address and your contact person’s name;
• the originals of your certificates, your language certificate and their translations;
• your housing address and the name of the person renting it to you (you need this for the Anmeldung, see below);
• money for the first month, in euros or on a card that works in Germany.

Before you leave, ask your company for the name of your contact on day one and the exact start date of the Berufsschule. Everything is easier when someone is expecting you.

Week 1: the Anmeldung comes first

In Germany, anyone who moves into a home must register with the local registration office within two weeks (§ 17 of the Federal Registration Act, Bundesmeldegesetz). This is the Anmeldung. Depending on the city, the office is called Bürgeramt, Bürgerbüro or Einwohnermeldeamt.

What you need:

• your passport with the visa;
• the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung: a signed confirmation from your landlord (or whoever is housing you) that you have moved in. The law obliges them to give it to you (§ 19 of the same Act). Ask for it on the day you arrive;
• your city’s registration form, often available online.

In big cities, appointments can be scarce. Book online as soon as you know your address, ideally before you even arrive.

At the end you receive the Meldebescheinigung, your proof of registration. Keep it safe: the bank, the insurer and the foreigners' office will all ask for it.

Your bank account

Your company will pay you by bank transfer, so you need a German account with an IBAN (the European account number).

Good news: German law gives anyone lawfully resident in the European Union the right to a Basiskonto, a basic payment account (§ 31 of the Payment Accounts Act, Zahlungskontengesetz). The bank must offer you the contract no later than ten business days after a complete application. In practice, banks ask for your passport, your visa and often the Meldebescheinigung.

Compare monthly fees before you choose: they vary a lot between banks. Give your IBAN to your company as soon as you have it.

Your tax ID (Steuer-ID)

After your first Anmeldung, the registration office passes your details to the Bundeszentralamt für Steuern (Federal Central Tax Office). It then sends you, by post, your Steuerliche Identifikationsnummer (Steuer-ID), a tax number for life. According to local authorities, the letter arrives at the earliest about two weeks after the Anmeldung.

Give the number to your company as soon as it arrives. Without it, your employer cannot apply your tax class correctly and may withhold too much tax from your pay. Put your name on your letterbox: in Germany, a letter with no visible name can be returned to the sender.

Health insurance

As a trainee you are compulsorily insured in statutory health insurance, like any employee (§ 5 of the Social Code, Book V). You choose a fund, the Krankenkasse, and give its membership confirmation to your company. Contributions are then deducted from your pay automatically.

All funds share a common base rate plus their own supplement (Zusatzbeitrag), on average around 2.9 % in 2026 according to official forecasts. Compare services too (app, help in English, branches near you).

One warning: you already had to prove insurance for the visa. Check with your fund and your company exactly when your German cover starts, so there is no gap between travel insurance and the Krankenkasse.

You will receive an insurance card (elektronische Gesundheitskarte) with your photo. Always carry it: at the doctor’s, it is the first thing they ask for. Your company will also ask for your social security number (Sozialversicherungsnummer). If you have not received it yet, ask your Krankenkasse how to get it.

Your residence permit

Your national visa is time-limited. Before it expires, you must apply for your Aufenthaltserlaubnis (residence permit) at the Ausländerbehörde, the foreigners' office for your town or district. Fees can be up to EUR 100 (about 66,000 FCFA).

Appointment waiting times can be long. Contact the Ausländerbehörde as soon as your Anmeldung is done, and save your visa’s expiry date in your phone. Bring your passport, your Meldebescheinigung, your training contract, proof of insurance and biometric passport photos.

The Berufsschule and your company

In in-company training, part of your Ausbildung takes place at the Berufsschule, the vocational school. Your company usually registers you. Depending on the region and the occupation, classes run on fixed days each week or in blocks of several weeks.

In your first weeks, ask for:

• your Berufsschule timetable and the list of materials;
• your working hours at the company and who your trainer (Ausbilder) is;
• how to report sick (in Germany you must call in on the same day, then provide a doctor’s certificate according to the rules in your contract).

Classes are in German, with a lot of technical vocabulary. It is normal not to understand everything at first. Take notes, ask the other trainees, and keep working on your German in the evenings.

Phone and internet

To start with, a prepaid SIM card is simplest. Activation usually requires proving your identity with your passport. Later you can switch to a contract, often with a minimum term: read it carefully before signing.

Keep your Cameroonian SIM active if you can: you need it for your MTN or Orange Mobile Money account and for verification codes sent by SMS.

Every household in Germany also pays the Rundfunkbeitrag, the broadcasting fee: EUR 18.36 per month per dwelling. In a shared flat you split it.

Winter clothing

If you arrive in autumn or winter, the cold will be your first shock. Do not spend your whole budget on clothes in Cameroon: Germany has proper winter clothing, including in second-hand shops. You need:

• a warm, waterproof jacket;
• closed shoes that keep water out;
• a hat, gloves and a scarf;
• several thin layers (jumper, long-sleeved top) rather than one heavy garment.

Think about light too. In winter it gets dark early, and many newcomers feel tired or low. Get out in daylight when you can.

Your first-month budget

Your first pay usually arrives at the end of your first month of work, so you will live on savings for several weeks. There is no official figure. Here is an estimate built from published amounts.

Without the deposit, the costed items already come to about EUR 690 (about 453,000 FCFA). With a three-month deposit you quickly pass EUR 2,000. Good to know: for a cash deposit, the law gives you the right to pay it in three equal monthly instalments, the first at the start of the tenancy. Our guide to Ausbildung costs and the article on budgeting and the blocked account go through the calculation. If you have a blocked account, the money is paid out monthly to your German account once it is open.

Your first-weeks checklist

At ILC, we prepare our candidates for these steps before departure, because a well-prepared arrival changes everything. If you are still at the visa stage, read our § 16a visa guide and the article on living in Germany as a Cameroonian.

Frequently asked questions

How long do I have to do the Anmeldung in Germany?

Two weeks after moving into your home, under § 17 of the Bundesmeldegesetz. Book your appointment as soon as you know your address.

Can a bank refuse to open an account for a foreigner?

Anyone lawfully resident in the European Union has the right to a basic account (Basiskonto). The bank must make an offer no later than ten business days after a complete application.

When will I receive my Steuer-ID?

By post, at your registered address, after your first Anmeldung. Local authorities mention about two weeks at the earliest.

Do I pay health insurance myself during the Ausbildung?

Not directly. You choose your Krankenkasse, and your share of the contribution is deducted from your pay by your company.

Sources

• Bundesmeldegesetz, § 17 (registration deadline)
• Bundesmeldegesetz, § 19 (landlord’s confirmation)
• Zahlungskontengesetz, § 31 (right to a basic account)
• Social Code V, § 5 (compulsory insurance)
• Civil Code, § 551 (deposit cap)
• Berlin: assignment of the Steuer-ID
• Federal Central Tax Office: Steuer-ID
• Make it in Germany: training-place search visa, residence permit fees (PDF)
• Rundfunkbeitrag
• Deutsche Bahn: Deutschlandticket
• WG-Gesucht: shared-flat rents 2026/27 (unofficial source)

Last checked: 19 October 2026.