German Deregistration Confirmation

Do you want to leave Germany to start a new chapter? Then you can’t avoid deregistering your place of residence. This is a necessary step when you leave Germany. The deregistration certificate confirms that your permanent residence in Germany has ended. This certificate is also necessary, for example, to deregister from the GEZ and your health insurance and to make use of your special right of termination for certain contracts.

If you have successfully deregistered from Germany, the German authorities will send you a deregistration certificate. This certificate will be sent to the address you provided when you deregistered. Many people forget or don’t know that they have to do this, which can lead to problems later on. In this blog post, we explain why a deregistration certificate is important and how you can apply for it, even retroactively.

How to get a Deregistration Confirmation?

To receive confirmation of deregistration, you must complete the deregistration form and provide proof of identity. If you do not have German citizenship, you must also submit a copy of your residence permit. Sometimes you can also download the form from your city’s website.

Once you have all the necessary documents, you can either send the deregistration form to the relevant authority by post or visit the citizens’ office in person. Some authorities or service providers, such as Deregistration.de, also offer online services. The postal service usually takes a few weeks, so it is advisable to plan in advance. If you visit in person, you will receive your deregistration confirmation immediately and free of charge.

The advantages of a deregistration confirmation

The deregistration confirmation has various advantages. It is required, for example, to have your German passport renewed abroad and to be able to cancel various contracts and compulsory insurance policies.

On the one hand, it ensures that you do not receive any fines or legal problems if you have not deregistered properly.

Secondly, a deregistration confirmation makes it easier for you to prove your residence status in Germany if you need to do so in the future. It is essential if you plan to return to Germany one day and have to re-register for any reason.

“Anyone who does not properly deregister their place of residence within the statutory period must expect a fine of €1000. So don’t forget this important step!”.

– Oliver Frankfurth

Why do I need a German deregistration confirmation?

The deregistration confirmation is useful in many ways. For example, if you need to prove your residence status in Germany in the future. A deregistration confirmation can help you with this, as it is official proof of your previous place(s) of residence in Germany.

So if you plan to leave the country, deregistration is mandatory by German law. The deregistration certificate not only serves as proof that you are no longer registered in Germany but must also be presented, for example, to terminate contracts and to exempt yourself from tax liability. In addition, the deregistration confirmation is proof for the social security system, such as the health insurance funds and pension insurance funds, that you no longer have to make compulsory contributions.

Be sure to keep the confirmation of deregistration if you wish to apply for the following from abroad:

• Application for a pension refund
• Extend or apply for a German passport
• Extend or apply for a German ID card

In addition to the cases mentioned above, there are other situations in which a confirmation of deregistration may be required. For example, if you are applying for a visa to enter another country, you may have to prove that you no longer live in Germany.any.

Significance of deregistration for tax purposes

One of the main reasons for deregistering in Germany when moving abroad is to reduce the tax burden. Proper deregistration can avoid double taxation in Germany and in the new country of residence. It also protects you from losing tax benefits in both countries. It is particularly tricky if you work as a self-employed person or freelancer, as the tax regulations are often more complex here.

Apply for a passport or have your ID card extended

The deregistration certificate is an indispensable document even after leaving Germany. As a German citizen, you will need it, for example, to renew your ID card abroad or to apply for a new passport. Proof that you are no longer registered in Germany can reduce the cost of these applications. The confirmation of deregistration is also helpful if you have lost your passport.

German Pension Refund

If you do NOT have German citizenship and leave Germany, you may qualify to have the contributions you paid into the German social security system refunded. Check if you are eligible and use our calculator to determine how much money you are entitled to get reimbursed. If you qualify, you can apply for a refund and must also submit documents such as the deregistration certificate.

Who remains liable for tax in Germany despite a deregistration certificate?

Anyone who has their habitual residence abroad and can prove this to the tax office with a deregistration certificate is either subject to limited tax liability or tax-exempt in Germany. Anyone who has moved abroad but continues to earn income from German real estate, German business operations or German securities is considered to have limited tax liability. The decisive factor is the place of performance, i.e. your habitual residence or, in the case of digital services and products, the registered office of the company

What does “von Amts wegen abgemeldet” mean?

If you move abroad, you must deregister your German residence at the residents’ registration office and will receive a confirmation of deregistration. You can also have this sent to you by post. The deregistration confirmation is only issued once, there is no copy.

If you forget to deregister, you will be automatically deregistered (von Amts wegen) after some time, especially if official letters from the registration office cannot be delivered. If a letter is returned as undeliverable, you will be deregistered automatically.

If it is an oversight, you must still contact the residents’ registration office to clarify the matter. However, if you were automatically deregistered because you did not deregister properly after moving away, you can no longer receive a regular deregistration certificate and must apply for a registration certificate.

Have you lost your German deregistration confirmation?

Have you already left Germany and lost your deregistration certificate? This can be problematic if you need to prove that you no longer live in Germany. Whether you want to reclaim a German pension, extend your ID card, replace a lost passport or simply apply for a new ID card or passport – the deregistration certificate is essential.

The solution: We apply for an extract from the population register, also known as an extended registration certificate, for you.

Why an extended registration certificate? This certificate, also known as an extract from the population register, documents your entire registration history. It shows when and where you were registered in Germany and when you deregistered. There is always a fee for issuing this and it varies from municipality to municipality. The costs are between 5 and 25 euros.

With the Deregistration.de service, the processing fee is already included in the price. You therefore do not have to pay any additional fees.

To summarize: As the deregistration certificate is a document that can only be issued once after deregistration, you can also prove your deregistration with an extended registration certificate. Once you have deregistered your residence in Germany, this will also be noted on the registration certificate.

What we can do: We can apply for an original from the relevant authority on your behalf. All we need from you is a photo or scan of your identity card or passport. We will take care of the rest. Simply apply for your certificate from Germany online with us.

How quickly can I apply for the extended registration certificate?

The processing times of the authorities vary greatly throughout Germany and can take between one and 10 weeks . Most offices have recovered well after the Corona turmoil and the procedures are running smoothly again and only take this long in exceptional cases. However, this is not the case in some municipalities. We have very long waiting times in Berlin and Munich in particular. It is also difficult to get appointments in person there if you would prefer to deal with matters on site.

Why is the registration certificate important?

The registration certificate plays a surprisingly important role in many life situations. Whether you are applying for child benefit or parental allowance, going to the job center or the registry office – this document is often required.

How do I apply for a registration certificate and what documents do I need?

To obtain a registration certificate, you usually need a valid identity card or passport. If you cannot come yourself, you can authorize another person. This person must then also present a valid identity card and the power of attorney.

Which registration certificates are available?

There are two types of registration certificates: a simple and an extended one:

• The simple registration certificate contains basic information such as name, date of birth and current address.
• The extended registration certificate contains additional information such as marital status, nationality and previous residences.

How long is a registration certificate valid and what is it needed for?

A registration certificate is usually valid for three to six months from the date of issue. Depending on the intended use, a special type of registration certificate may be required. It confirms that you are registered (or no longer registered) in the municipality in question, but does not replace a passport or identity card.

Can I apply for the extended registration certificate myself?

Yes, you can apply for your extended registration certificate yourself. The authorities often offer this online, but it is also always possible to apply by post. You usually transfer the fee when you are asked to do so.

However, problems can arise when transferring the processing fee from abroad. Sometimes banks refuse to transfer small amounts in foreign currency, sometimes the money does not arrive at all or the municipalities cannot assign the payment. Exchange rate fluctuations can also lead to problems.

The Deregistration.de service eliminates this risk, as we transfer the amount from a German account. This makes the process much easier.

After the registration authorities have processed your order, they will send you the extended registration certificate by post to your address abroad. Unfortunately, tracking or insurance is often not possible. Some offices also send the documents by e-mail, but not always.

With Deregistration.de, you will receive your documents digitally by email as soon as they are received. This ensures they reach you quickly and securely. On request, we can also send the original documents to your new address – always with tracking. We do everything we can to ensure that you receive your documents as quickly as possible.

We pride ourselves on being able to help you in any situation.

Retroactive deregistration

If you have already moved abroad and have not deregistered in time, it is still possible to receive a retroactive deregistration confirmation. To do this, you must go through the same procedure as described above, but you may have to submit additional documents or explanations as to why you did not deregister on time.

This includes proof of your move abroad, e.g. an employment or rental contract, and a declaration that you were unaware of the deregistration obligation. Although it may take longer to obtain a retroactive deregistration confirmation, it is possible and can offer you security and legal protection.

Common mistakes you should avoid when receiving a deregistration confirmation

It’s important to be aware of the common mistakes people make when applying for a deregistration confirmation. For example, some forget to submit all the required documents or provide proof of identity. Others may not know that they need to submit the application to the relevant authority, which can lead to delays or even rejection of the application.

“To ensure that you don’t forget anything important when you move abroad, you should plan to deregister your residence as an integral part of your emigration preparations. It’s best to do this a week before you leave to avoid unnecessary stress.”

– Oliver Frankfurth

Apply for a deregistration certificate from Germany online

Everyone loses something from time to time. Have you had a hectic move and lost your German deregistration certificate? No problem, we’ll take care of it. We’ll get you your original deregistration certificate.

Our services:

• We create the necessary order
• We take care of all communication with the German authorities
• We provide you with our German address
• Everything completely online

Process – Apply for a registration certificate online via Abmelden.de

To apply for the registration certificate online, you must first submit an application to the responsible German authority. We have prepared a form that you can use for this. We need a copy or scan of your identity card or passport to verify your identity. We will then take care of submitting the documents to the relevant authority and all communication.

After processing, the registration certificate will be sent to our postal address in Germany.

You then have the choice: we can send you the registration certificate online as a scan or send the original document by post to your address abroad. In most cases, a scan is sufficient proof of deregistration. However, if you prefer the original document, we will be happy to send it to you for an additional fee.

“The authorities often fail to send the original deregistration certificate abroad. Use our service to receive your document quickly and reliably – first digitally, then the original with shipment tracking and priority shipping.”

– Oliver Frankfurth

Why our service makes your life easier

Everything goes online:
This starts with the signature for the application and continues until the confirmation of registration is sent to our German address. You don’t have to print out the application, sign it and scan it again. With us, you can simply sign online. It is also no problem if you no longer live in Germany, the authorities will send the document to our German address. We will provide you with a scan of the document. This digital version is sufficient in 99% of cases and costs no additional fees.

We are fast & secure:
As we send your registration certificate with priority and by registered mail, unlike the citizens’ registration offices, the document not only reaches you faster, but you can also track its dispatch. This way, we prevent the registration certificate from getting lost and it arrives safely and quickly at your home. What we have no influence on is the processing time of the citizens’ registration offices. This varies from office to office.

We do all the work:
All you have to do is upload a copy or scan of your ID card or passport and the completed application to your user profile. You save a lot of time and don’t have to communicate with the citizens’ office.

Deregistration confirmation from Germany – how much does the service cost?

For more information and prices, please visit our service page. Just click on “Service”.
Our service includes:

• Use of our online form (so that we have all relevant data)
• Access to our protected customer area, where all ID cards / passports are uploaded and all communication with us takes place
• Communication with the relevant citizens’ office
• We provide a German address so that you can receive the confirmation
• We make the scan available in the secure customer area
• We send the original document abroad for an additional charge (priority & registered mail with tracking)

The citizens’ registration offices charge a fee of €5 to €15 per person for issuing the registration certificate. If several people need assistance, there is usually a maximum amount (the highest amount we have experienced was €25 for a whole family). We receive the exact amount from the Citizens’ Office and pay it. After payment, we will send you your registration confirmation.€ for a whole family). We receive the exact amount from the Citizen’s Office and pay it. After payment is made, your registration confirmation will be sent to us.

Please keep in mind that we do our best to provide credible and up-to-date information, but we are not an official advisor (in the sense of the Legal Services Act, RDG) for taxes, legal matters, and the like. Our service does not replace an individual consultation with legal assistance, and we provide digital tools and automated workflows to assist with the residence deregistration and related necessary steps.

Image Sources:

1. Håkon Sataøen/ Unsplash
2. Markus Winkler/ Unsplash
3. Michal Balog/ Unsplash
4. Bench Accounting/ Unsplash
5. Jason Goodman/ Unsplash