Before Leaving Berlin

If you are leaving Germany and not planning to return to live in your apartment in the future, you need to deregister from Berlin. This is called Abmeldung. You don’t need to do this for holidays or temporarily staying abroad.

Important note! 

When you leave Berlin to live somewhere else in Germany, you do not need to do an Abmeldung - just do another Anmeldung in your new city. 

Once you have done your Abmeldung, you will get the Abmeldebestätigung. Keep this document safe, it will be needed for stopping your health insurance and TV Tax payments.

You can do the Abmeldung by post or in person, but it is recommended to do it in person because the process will be completed at the appointment and you can get the Abmeldungbestätigung straight away.

You can read more in English here: https://allaboutberlin.com/guides/abmeldung-deregister-in-berlin or visit the website directly (in German only): https://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/120335/ 

If you leave Germany, you will no longer have to pay TV Tax. You do have to notify them that you are leaving though. You can see information on how to do that here: https://allaboutberlin.com/guides/gez-rundfunkbeitrag#how-to-stop-paying

Make sure to notify your German Health Insurer if you are leaving Germany, you will need to show your Abmeldung and cancel your policy. It is a good idea to also provide proof of leaving such as the flight ticket or a new employment contract from outside of Germany. You can go in person or check the website of your insurance provider to see how to notify them. If you don’t notify your German Health Insurer that you are leaving the country, you may continue to be charged premiums. 

As a graduate of BI, you can apply for a job seeker’s visa which allows you to remain in Germany to search for a job. This can be granted for 18 months. It is recommended to apply immediately after completing your studies, ideally starting the process 4-6 weeks before your current permit expires.

You can find more information, the documents needed and how to apply online at: https://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/324661/en/ 

Stay connected to the university by joining the BIAA! Our Alumni Association was founded by graduates of BI. All BI graduates are eligible to join the Alumni Association to continue being a part of Whitecliffe University of Applied Science.  If you want to find out more, or join our Alumni Association and stay connected to our BI community, click here or contact the Alumni Association Team directly at alumni@berlin-international.de.