What Do EU, EEA and Swiss Citizens Need to Move to Germany? (2026)
The verdict
You need no permit, no visa and no blocked account. Freedom of movement lets you arrive, live and work without asking anyone first. Three things still apply: the Anmeldung within two weeks of moving in, health insurance, and recognition of your qualification if your profession is a regulated one.
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Do You Qualify?
- You hold citizenship of an EU member state, of Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway (EEA), or of Switzerland.
- That is the whole test. There is no income threshold and no sponsor to find before you travel.
The Steps, in Order
- 1
Travel to Germany and move into a home. No advance permission of any kind is required.
- With
- Nobody
- Bring
- A valid identity card or passport
- Fee
- None at this step
- Takes
- Immediate
- 2
Register your address (Anmeldung) within two weeks of moving in. This applies to you exactly as it does to a visa holder.
- With
- The Bürgeramt of your city
- Bring
- Wohnungsgeberbestätigung from your landlord, and your ID
- Fee
- None at this step
- Takes
- One appointment. Booking times vary by city and are the real constraint.
- 3
Take out health insurance and, if your profession is regulated, start the recognition of your qualification.
- With
- A statutory or private insurer; for regulated professions, the recognition body for your occupation
- Fee
- None at this step
- Takes
- Insurance is immediate. Recognition varies widely by profession and Bundesland.
After you arrive: The Anmeldung within two weeks, the Steuer-ID by post after it, and the residence permit at the Ausländerbehörde before the visa expires. Every deadline of the first 3 months.
Work and Duration
Working
Without limit and without a permit, employed or self-employed, from day one. Public-sector posts are open too, apart from a narrow band of sovereign functions.
Duration
Indefinite. Freedom of movement is not a permit that expires.
What It Turns Into
Nothing to convert. There is no permit to hold and none to renew.
What This Route Does Not Allow
- It does not exempt you from the Anmeldung. The two-week deadline and the fine of up to EUR 1,000 apply to EU citizens exactly as they do to everyone else.
- It does not let you practise a regulated profession, such as medicine, nursing, law or teaching, before your qualification is recognised.
- It does not provide health cover. Insurance is a separate obligation you arrange yourself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do EU citizens need a residence permit for Germany?
No. Freedom of movement covers entry, residence and work, so there is no permit to apply for and no blocked account to fund. What remains is the Anmeldung within two weeks of moving in, health insurance, and qualification recognition for regulated professions.
Is Switzerland treated like the EU here?
For the purposes of this page, yes: Swiss citizens may live and work in Germany without a permit and without a blocked account. The legal basis is the separate agreement between the EU and Switzerland rather than the EU treaties themselves.
The Other Routes
Not the right one? Compare every route.