Your New Hire's Visa Was Approved — Now What? The 30-Day Employer Checklist for Germany (2026)
Last Updated: March 5, 2026
Reading Time: 5 minutes
Author: Hanna Kovacs, relokate HR GmbH
The visa approval email arrives and there's a moment of relief. The hard part is over, right?
Not quite. For international hires coming to Germany, the visa is the starting point, not the finish line. What happens in the 30 days after approval determines whether your new colleague lands smoothly and hits the ground running, or spends their first weeks drowning in bureaucracy while their productivity flatlines.
The administrative chain that follows a German work visa approval is sequential and unforgiving: each step unlocks the next, and a delay at any point creates a cascade. Miss the Anmeldung window and the tax ID is delayed. No tax ID means no payroll. No confirmed health insurance means a compliance gap from day one.
This checklist covers everything that needs to happen, in the right order, before and after your new hire arrives. It's built for the people managing the process on the employer side, with the 2026 compliance requirements factored in.
Key takeaway: The 30 days after a German work visa is approved are more operationally complex than the visa application itself. A structured employer-side checklist is the difference between a smooth start and a costly delay.
Before Arrival: What to Sort Before Their Flight Lands
The window between visa approval and start date is your most valuable planning time. Several steps can and should be initiated before your new hire sets foot in Germany.
Confirm Accommodation and Send the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung
Accommodation must be secured before arrival. Without a confirmed address, the Anmeldung (address registration) cannot happen, and without the Anmeldung, almost nothing else can proceed.
Once accommodation is confirmed, the landlord must provide a Wohnungsgeberbestätigung (landlord confirmation form) to your new hire. This is a legal requirement under §19 of the Bundesmeldegesetz and is a mandatory document for the Anmeldung appointment. Make sure your hire has it in hand before their first week.
If your company is providing temporary housing, you act as the Wohnungsgeber and must issue this confirmation yourself.
Arrange Interim Health Insurance Coverage
Health insurance is a legal obligation from the first day of residence in Germany, not from the first day of work. If your new hire's visa was obtained using proof of private or travel insurance, they will need to transition to statutory (GKV) or private (PKV) health insurance before or immediately upon arrival.
Employees earning below €73,800 gross annually are required to join the statutory system (GKV)
Employees earning above this threshold may opt for private health insurance (PKV)
For most international hires on a standard skilled worker visa or EU Blue Card, the GKV route applies. Major providers including TK, AOK, and Barmer, offer online enrolment with English-language support. Enrolment can be completed before arrival.
Important: Without confirmed health insurance, the Ausländerbehörde appointment to convert the visa to a residence permit cannot proceed. See relokate's guide on employee relocation health insurance requirements in Germany for a full breakdown.
Issue the §45c Residence Act Written Notification
This is the compliance step most employers miss in 2026. Since 1 January 2026, employers are legally required to inform every third-country national hired from abroad, in writing, by their first working day, of their right to free counselling on labour and social law rights.
The obligation stems from §45c of the Aufenthaltsgesetz (Residence Act). Non-compliance carries fines of up to €30,000 per violation.
The notification must:
Be provided in writing (email is acceptable if documented)
Reference the employee's right to free counselling services
Be delivered no later than the first working day
Be retained as proof of delivery in the employee's file
Draft this document before the start date and have it ready to send or hand over on day one.
Prepare the Employment Contract and Payroll Documents
Before the first payslip can be processed, collect the following from your new hire:
| Document | Purpose | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Passport + visa | Identity and right to work verification | Before start date |
| Anmeldung (Meldebescheinigung) | Required for tax ID and payroll | Within 14 days of arrival |
| Tax ID (Steueridentifikationsnummer) | Payroll tax calculation | 2–3 weeks after Anmeldung |
| Health insurance confirmation | Social security registration | Before or on day one |
| IBAN (German bank account) | Salary payment | Within first 2–4 weeks |
| Steuerklasse (tax class) | Determines income tax bracket | With tax ID |
Without the tax ID, your payroll team will be forced to apply tax class 6 by default, the highest bracket in Germany. This results in significantly higher deductions for your new hire and creates an administrative correction process later. Flagging this to payroll in advance avoids a frustrating first payslip conversation
Week 1: The Anmeldung and What Follows
The Anmeldung (official address registration at the local Bürgeramt) is the single most important administrative step after arrival. Everything downstream depends on it. According to Germany's Federal Registration Act (Bundesmeldegesetz), registration must be completed within 14 days of moving into a residence. Failure to register on time can result in fines.
What Your New Hire Needs for the Anmeldung Appointment
Valid passport and visa
Wohnungsgeberbestätigung (landlord confirmation)
Completed registration form (available from the Bürgeramt website in advance)
The Bürgeramt appointment should be booked as early as possible, ideally before arrival. In cities like Berlin and Munich, appointment slots fill up weeks in advance. Some cities now offer online booking; others require calling directly.
Your role here: Book the appointment on their behalf if possible, or provide the booking link and confirm it's done. Don't assume a new hire navigating a foreign city for the first time will find this straightforward.
Upon completing the Anmeldung, they receive the Meldebescheinigung (registration certificate) on the spot. This document is needed for almost every subsequent step: bank account, health insurance registration, and the Ausländerbehörde appointment.
Read relokate's detailed guide on the Anmeldung process for international hires for a step-by-step breakdown.
Weeks 2-3: Banking, Tax ID, and Social Security
Once the Anmeldung is complete, three more pieces fall into place. These are largely driven by your new hire, but knowing the sequence helps you set accurate expectations and avoid payroll delays.
Opening a German Bank Account
A German IBAN is essential. Most employers cannot process salary payments to foreign accounts, and recurring costs like rent, phone contracts, and utility bills require a local account. The Meldebescheinigung from the Anmeldung is the key document that unlocks bank account opening.
Recommended options for international hires:
N26: Fully digital, English-language, fast setup. Good for immediate needs.
Deutsche Bank or Commerzbank: Traditional banks with English-speaking staff in major cities. May require an in-branch appointment.
Sparkasse: Widely accessible, but processes vary significantly by region.
Advise your new hire to open an account within the first week. The IBAN will be needed for payroll setup, and delays here push back their first salary payment.
The Tax ID (Steueridentifikationsnummer)
The tax ID is issued automatically by post, sent to the registered address from the Anmeldung, typically within 2 to 3 weeks. It is an 11-digit number and is required for:
Payroll processing (without it, tax class 6 applies)
Opening certain bank accounts
Filing a tax return
Registering with health insurance
There is no way to speed up the postal delivery. However, if the tax ID has not arrived after 4 weeks, your hire can request it directly from the Bundeszentralamt für Steuern (Federal Central Tax Office) using their online form. Keep payroll informed of the expected timeline.
Social Security Number (Sozialversicherungsnummer)
The social security number is a 12-digit identifier issued by the Deutsche Rentenversicherung (DRV), Germany's public pension fund. It is required for social security contribution deductions.
If enrolled in public health insurance (GKV): The health insurer passes the details to the DRV and the social security number is sent automatically by post.
If enrolled in private health insurance (PKV): The employee must contact the DRV directly to request assignment of the number.
This is a step that frequently gets missed when employees opt for private insurance. Flag it explicitly during onboarding.
Managing this process across multiple hires? relokate's platform tracks every step of the post-arrival process, sends automated reminders for deadlines, and gives your team a single dashboard view across all active cases. Get in touch to see how it works.
Finalise Payroll and Benefits Enrolment
With the tax ID and social security number now in hand (or expected imminently), payroll can be fully configured. Confirm the following with your payroll team:
Tax class (Steuerklasse) entered correctly based on marital status
Health insurance contribution set up (employer and employee split)
Pension, unemployment, and long-term care insurance deductions active
Correct IBAN on file for salary transfer
Benefits enrolment: German employees are legally entitled to a comprehensive set of social protections from day one, including statutory holiday entitlement (minimum 20 days for a 5-day week), sick pay, and parental leave rights. Ensure your new hire receives a written summary of their entitlements as part of onboarding.
If the Employee Is Bringing Family
Family relocation adds a parallel process that runs alongside everything above. Spouses of EU Blue Card holders receive unrestricted work authorisation immediately upon arrival, without the German language requirements that apply to other permit categories. Children require school enrolment, which varies by city and age.
The family's visa and registration process mirrors the primary hire's, but with additional documents: marriage certificates and birth certificates in certified German translation. For a full overview, see relokate's guide on family relocation to Germany.
The Complete 30-Day Employer Checklist at a Glance
Use this as your working reference. Each item should be owned by a named person on your team.
Before arrival:
Accommodation confirmed and Wohnungsgeberbestätigung issued
Bürgeramt appointment booked for Anmeldung (week 1)
Health insurance enrolment initiated (GKV or PKV)
§45c written notification drafted and ready for day one
Employment contract signed and filed
Payroll team briefed on expected tax ID timeline
Week 1 (arrival):
§45c written notification delivered on day one (retain proof)
Anmeldung completed at Bürgeramt (within 14 days of arrival)
Meldebescheinigung received and copied for file
Bank account opening initiated
Health insurance certificate obtained
Weeks 2-3:
Tax ID (Steueridentifikationsnummer) expected by post — chase after 4 weeks if not received
Social security number confirmed (automatic via GKV, or manual request via DRV for PKV)
IBAN collected and entered in payroll system
Payroll tax class confirmed with employee
Week 4:
Fiktionsbescheinigung obtained if permit not yet issued (confirms right to remain and work)
Full payroll file complete: tax ID, Steuerklasse, IBAN, health insurance, social security number
Benefits enrolment confirmed in writing
Family documentation process initiated if applicable
What Can Go Wrong (and How to Get Ahead of It)
The most common failure points in this process are not complex. They are predictable and preventable.
Bürgeramt appointment delays: In Berlin, Munich, and Hamburg, appointment slots regularly fill up 3-4 weeks in advance. Book the moment accommodation is confirmed, not after the hire lands.
Tax ID arriving after the first payroll run: This is almost inevitable if the hire starts at the beginning of a month. Brief payroll to apply the correct tax class retroactively once the ID arrives, rather than correcting multiple months later.
§45c notification not documented: Verbal confirmation is not sufficient. Keep a signed acknowledgement or a sent email with read receipt in the employee file.
Health insurance gap: If the employee was covered by travel insurance for the visa application, that coverage often expires on arrival or shortly after. Confirm the transition to statutory or private insurance is
Make the First 30 Days Count
The visa approval is a milestone. What follows it determines whether the hire becomes a long-term success or an expensive administrative headache.
Germany's onboarding bureaucracy is manageable when it's planned in advance. The steps above are not complicated individually. The challenge is sequencing them correctly, tracking who owns each one, and catching the gaps before they become delays.
For teams managing one international hire a year, this checklist is a workable DIY framework. For teams running multiple cases simultaneously, across different cities, permit types, and family situations, the operational load compounds quickly.
relokate supports HR and People teams with the entire post-visa process: from Anmeldung support and Ausländerbehörde preparation to health insurance coordination, payroll document collection, and compliance tracking. The platform gives your team visibility across every open case, with deadline alerts and document checklists built in.
Get in touch with the relokate team to see how we can take the post-visa process off
How relokate Can Help
relokate has 6+ years of experience and over 1,000 successful relocations. We specialize in relocating international talent to Germany—with particular focus on engineering and tech sectors.
Legal Notice: The information in this article is for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal or business advice. For specific legal or business questions, please consult a qualified advisor.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do employers need to do after a German work visa is approved?
After a German work visa is approved, employers should confirm accommodation, arrange health insurance, book the Anmeldung (address registration) appointment, and prepare the §45c written notification. These steps should be completed before the hire's first working day to avoid compliance gaps and payroll delays.
How long does the Anmeldung process take in Germany?
The Anmeldung appointment itself takes around 15-30 minutes. However, booking an appointment in cities like Berlin or Munich can take 2-4 weeks. Employers should book the Bürgeramt appointment as soon as accommodation is confirmed, ideally before the employee arrives in Germany.
What happens if the tax ID hasn't arrived before the first payroll run?
If the Steueridentifikationsnummer hasn't arrived in time, payroll must apply tax class 6 by default — the highest tax bracket in Germany. Employers should brief payroll in advance and apply the correct tax class retroactively once the ID arrives, usually 2-3 weeks after the Anmeldung.
What is the §45c Residence Act notification and who needs to issue it?
Since 1 January 2026, employers must provide every third-country national hired from abroad with a written notification of their right to free labour and social law counselling, by their first working day. Non-compliance carries fines of up to €30,000 per violation. The notification must be documented and retained in the employee file.
