Guide
Clear answers about German government applications — in simple language, with sources and no official jargon.
🧭Overview and Deadlines
Applications after birth: Checklist with deadlines
Which applications after birth? Order, deadlines and documents: Registry office (1 week), Child benefit (6 months retroactive), Parental allowance (only 3 months).
13 min read·Updated 08.08.2026
Applications with a Residence Permit: Overview & Order
Which applications and deadlines are important with a residence permit: extension, child benefit (Kindergeld) of 259 €, family reunification, naturalization after 5 years – and what can harm your case with the immigration authority (Ausländerbehörde).
10 min read·Updated 08.08.2026
Deadlines with government offices: all important dates at a glance
All important government deadlines in Germany at a glance: 3 days to register as a jobseeker, 2 weeks to register your address, Child benefit up to 6 months backdated – plus what helps if you miss a deadline.
13 min read·Updated 08.08.2026
Low income, children: what benefits are you entitled to?
2026 overview: Child Benefit, Additional Child Benefit, Housing Benefit, Education Package & Citizen's Allowance – who is entitled, what can be combined, and the right order.
12 min read·Updated 08.08.2026
Moving: What Do You Need to Re-Register? — Checklist 2026
Moving checklist: register your residence within 2 weeks (§ 17 BMG), vehicle registration, Foreigners' Registration Office (Ausländerbehörde), Family Benefits Office (Familienkasse), health insurance & private contracts — with deadlines.
11 min read·Updated 08.08.2026
👨👩👧Family and Children
Applying for Child Benefit: Where, How and When?
Child Benefit (Kindergeld) is only paid on application to the Family Benefits Office (Familienkasse) – 259 € per child/month (2026). How to apply, from when, with which documents and residence permit.
10 min read·Updated 25.07.2026
Applying for Child Supplement: Who, Where and How?
Child Supplement (Kinderzuschlag): up to €297 per child per month (as of 2026). Who is eligible, what income limits apply, and how the online application at the Family Benefits Office works.
9 min read·Updated 25.07.2026
Applying for the Education Package: Education and Participation for Children
Education Package (benefits for education and participation - Bildungspaket): school supplies, lunch, tutoring, class trips, club fees. Who is eligible and where to apply.
11 min read·Updated 25.07.2026
🧾Money and Basic Security
💼Work and Unemployment
Registering as unemployed: when, where and how? Deadlines 2026
Registering as a jobseeker: 3 days after being given notice, or 3 months before your contract ends. Register as unemployed at the latest on your first day without a job – online or in person at the Employment Agency (Agentur für Arbeit).
11 min read·Updated 25.07.2026
Applying for Insolvency Benefit: Where and How Do I Submit the Application?
You apply for insolvency benefit (Insolvenzgeld) at the Employment Agency (Agentur für Arbeit) – within 2 months of the insolvency event. Here's how to apply, with deadlines and documents.
8 min read·Updated 23.07.2026
🏠Housing and Registration
Applying for Housing Benefit (Wohngeld): Where and how do I apply?
You apply for Housing Benefit (Wohngeld) in writing at the Housing Benefit Office (Wohngeldbehörde) of your city, municipal, or district administration. Here's how the application works step by step.
9 min read·Updated 25.07.2026
Registering your address: Where and how does it work after moving?
After moving, you have 2 weeks to register your address (Wohnsitz) at the Citizens' Office (Bürgeramt). Here's how registration works, which documents you need, and what applies to new arrivals.
8 min read·Updated 25.07.2026
🌍Residence and Asylum
Applying for Naturalization: Requirements and Process
Apply for German citizenship: 5 years of residence, B1 German, naturalization test, financial self-sufficiency, and dual citizenship since 2024 – requirements, costs, process.
11 min read·Updated 26.07.2026
Extending your residence permit: when, where and how?
Extending your residence permit: submit the application 6–8 weeks before expiry at the Immigration Office (Ausländerbehörde). Deadlines, documents, costs and the Fiction Certificate (Fiktionsbescheinigung) under § 81 AufenthG explained.
10 min read·Updated 26.07.2026
Family reunification: bringing your spouse and children to Germany
Bringing your spouse or children to Germany: national visa, A1 language proof, income, housing, special rules for refugees and people with subsidiary protection.
12 min read·Updated 26.07.2026