The processing times for residence deregistration depend on many factors
We receive many inquiries about how long it takes the local citizen’s offices to process deregistration applications by Mail, and there is no universal answer here.
The length of time it takes to process deregistration queries depends on many factors. These include:
- Sick leave of staff
- Holidays / Vacation time
- Coronavirus / Lockdown in Germany
Based on our years of experience, we can say that the average processing time after receiving the letter is 1-3 weeks. This waiting period is shortened or extended for the reasons above. We have already received answers within a few days.
On the other hand, we have also waited more than ten weeks due to the problems that Corona has caused. Especially since the beginning of 2022, we have faced very long waits.
We usually inquire after some time has passed. However, it isn’t possible to call the offices in some cases, as they do not answer the phone. Some citizens’ offices also don’t offer walk-in appointments anymore.
The only option is to book an appointment online in advance in some cases. It can take between two and ten weeks to be seen.
Since April, we have been experiencing better processing times, but it isn’t better everywhere. Sending the deregistration application via Mail is a good choice if you can’t go in person or don’t want to. It just takes time.
Despite the restrictions, many citizens’ offices’ process applications quickly. Unfortunately, there are also cities where we must wait very long to respond. Many citizens’ offices are even closed. We keep hearing about the backlog of work due to quarantines, illness, vacations, and lack of staff.
Unfortunately, we can not influence the processing times. Due to the situation, there isn’t much that can be done.
Requests are only processed by mail/email/telephone. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, we have helped many of our clients and are happy to share our findings. We update this list regularly. If you have had other experiences, you can let us know.
Processing times by city
Some cities are currently experiencing significantly longer processing times. It affects large cities in particular. (Updated 24.09.2022)
| CITY | STATUS | PROCESSING TIME RESIDENCE DEREGISTRATION |
|---|---|---|
| Aachen | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Aalen | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Berlin | SLOW | up to 8 weeks |
| Bonn | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Braunschweig | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Bremen | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Celle | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Cologne | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Darmstadt | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Dortmund | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Dresden | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Dusseldorf | SLOW | up to 10 weeks |
| Essen | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Flensburg | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Frankfurt a.M. | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Freilassing | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Göttingen | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Hamburg | SLOW | up to 8 weeks |
| Hannover | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Heidelberg | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Herzogenaurach | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Karlsruhe | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Kassel | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Kiel | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Konstanz | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Krefeld | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Leipzig | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Ludwigshafen | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Lübeck | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Magdeburg | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Mainz | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Mannheim | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Memmingen | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Munich | SLOW | up to 10 weeks |
| Mönchengladbach | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Neuss | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Neustadt an der Donau | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Nuremberg | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Offenbach | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Oldenburg | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Osnabrück | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Potsdam | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Regensburg | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Rosenheim | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Saarbrücken | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Stuttgart | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Trier | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Ulm | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Weimar | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Wiesbaden | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
| Wilhelmshaven | MEDIUM | up to 4 weeks |
My citizen’s office is not listed
We have compiled the following experience: the smaller the city, the faster the processing time. The postal system can only cause delays. On average, you should receive your confirmation within 1-8 weeks.
How long does it take before I receive an answer?
Please consider that there are also mailing times in addition to the processing times. We usually send all Mail within 48 hours. Yet we can not influence the German postal system.
Please remember that we do our best to provide credible and up-to-date information, but we are not an official advisor (in terms of the Legal Services Act, RDG) on taxes or legal matters.
Our service does not replace an individual consultancy with a legal service. We provide you with digital tools and automated workflows to empower you on your deregistration of residence journey.
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.
