Onboarding: Relocation to Berlin

We’re excited to have you and happy that you decided to join our team. We would like to support you on your journey.

On this page, you will find all necessary information to settle into Berlin. Please navigate through the page as the structure suggests, in order to ensure you receive the right information at the right time.

Let’s kick off your next career chapter together!

Our People Stories

Check out this video, in which Takwa Awadallah, one of our data engineers, talks about her journey of moving to Berlin from Palestine.

Listen to our “Pieces of Me” podcast episode with Tian Su, our Vice President of Customers for Profile & Personalization, where she tells us about her experience of moving from the US to Berlin.

Relocation step by step

There are some processes that you can already complete before moving to Germany. We highly recommend you inform yourself about these points beforehand in order to guarantee a smooth move and start at Zalando.

Please note that most authorities only provide support in German, their English skills might be limited. We recommend you to take a friend or colleague with you who speaks German or use an online translator to be able to communicate with the authorities.

After arranging the Visa and Work permit, please make sure to complete some important steps to ensure a smooth transition. Your registration at the citizens’ registration office is the first step, as it’ll be essential to complete other upcoming processes (e.g. opening up a bank account, registering for health insurance, or changing your visa to a residence title (if applicable)).

Good to know: The immigration authorities

If you are a non-EU citizen, you must go to the immigration authority in person after arriving in Germany in order to apply for a residence title. The residence title will be issued according to the purpose of your stay, in the form of an electronic card (electronic residence title).

If you’re a non-EU citizen and relocating to Berlin you’ll most likely need a visa to be able to work at Zalando. Our Mobility Services Team will support you in obtaining one and inform you about what you need to apply for it.

The following section will inform you about the timeline and necessary steps.

What documents are needed for your Visa application?

Please check the website of your respective embassy for the documents you need to provide by yourself. As your future employer we’ll provide you with the following documents:

Declaration on the employment relationship
Letter of intent
Job advertisement
The job contract (digital copy) which you’ve received

In order to receive your visa, there are some conditions that must be fulfilled: degree, salary, and position. Please note that these conditions can differ based on your individual case.

Once you’ve signed your contract, our Mobility Services Team will get in touch with you to guide you through your visa process.

If you are a non-EU citizen and you’ve been living and working in Germany already, you already have a work permit. After contract signing, our Mobility Services Team will reach out to you to let you know if it needs to be adapted or if you can start without any further changes. In some cases, the work permit must be adjusted as it’s tied to another employer or has other restrictions.

If you're registered in Berlin, our Mobility Services Team will support you by getting an appointment at the Immigration Office (=Ausländerbehörde).

If you’re not registered in Berlin, the Mobility Services Team will provide you with the necessary documents you need from us as your future employer, but can’t support you in getting the appointment at the Immigration Office (=Ausländerbehörde). You need to do this on your own, this page (EN/DE) provides information that might be helpful for you. The team will share all necessary information with you in time.

City registration (Anmeldung). When moving to Germany (more specifically in your case to Berlin), it is mandatory to register your address one of the citizens' registration offices (Bürgeramt). This is the most important step, as all other steps (bank account, mobile phone, rental contracts, etc.) are connected to your registration. Therefore, it’s highly recommended to make an appointment directly as soon as you know when you’ll move to Berlin. Please be aware that getting an appointment can take a long-time, therefore, please try to book an appointment in advance.

How to book a date at a citizens’ registration office?

You need to book an appointment online in advance. Everyone needs their own appointment. So if you are a non-married couple, make sure to book two appointments. Married families only need one appointment.

Watch the video which demonstrates how to book an appointment step-by-step.

To book an appointment and for further information, please visit this page (DE). Unfortunately, the site is only in German, so please use a translation tool if needed, however, we aimed to gather all necessary information you might need for your registration below. As a booking confirmation, you will receive a 6-digit transaction number. Please have this number on hand once you are going to your appointment. The other code in the appointment confirmation can be used for changing or cancelling the appointment.

It can happen that every day is booked out. But don’t worry! Just look frequently, on a daily basis for appointments. Tip: new appointments open up daily around 7.00 AM.

What to prepare for your appointment?

You need to bring the following documents to your appointment at the citizens' registration office:

Your passport
Confirmation letter from your landlord
This is known as Wohnungsgeberbestätigung or Einzugsbestätigung des Wohnungsgebers or Vermieterbescheinigung in German.
The completed "Anmeldung" form
Your temporary visa (for non-EU citizens)
Your marriage certificate (if applicable)
You need to bring the original as well as the official translation (German). Most likely you can reuse the one that you submitted in your visa application.
All original documents, such as passports, birth certificates as well as their official translated versions of all family members (if relevant)

Once you found your permanent residence in Berlin and you’re registered at the citizens' registration office, after approx. 2-3 weeks you’ll also automatically receive your tax identification number (="Steueridentifikationsnummer") by letter. Please ensure your family name is on the letterbox/bell. If you haven't received your tax ID after 3-4 weeks, you can request it again from the tax authorities. This will be your unique, permanent tax identification number which the tax office uses to identify you and has a format of "12 345 678 901".

You don’t need your tax ID to start working, however, as your employer we need your tax ID to calculate your salary tax. If you don't have a tax ID, you’ll be automatically placed in tax class 6, and you’ll need to pay higher taxes. You’ll have the chance to get that money back when you file a tax return in the following year at the latest.

Tax ID without a registered address in Germany

Even if registration is not possible due to a non-existing permanent residence, it is still possible to apply for a tax ID. An application form can be found here (DE). A copy of your passport and/or ID card is required for this application form.

Please note that you still have to register at the citizens’ registration office later. Since the tax ID is applied for participating in the ELStAM procedure (procedure for electronic wage tax deduction characteristics) as an employee, you must submit the documents to the tax office responsible for Zalando.

The responsible authority is: Finanzamt Körperschaften II, Magdalenenstraße 25 in 10365 Berlin

It's mandatory to have health insurance in Germany. The amount is split 50/50 between you and your employer and will be automatically deducted from your gross salary. The amount deducted is largely dependant on your income. The amount accounts for around 20% of your gross salary on average.

In Germany, you need to choose the insurance company on your own prior to your start. We recommend informing yourself about the different providers. Once you have your German address, you’ll also need to register for your health insurance at your chosen provider.

Here you can find an informative webinar (EN), free of charge, from one of the health insurance companies. This will give you a comprehensive introduction to the German social security system and how health insurance works.

Picking the right insurance products or insurance providers might seem complicated, so you might find this page helpful (EN) in case you need support on finding what’s best for you and your situation.

If you are coming from a non-European country, it’s necessary to open a German bank account. If you’re an EU citizen, your SEPA might be sufficient, please reach out to our colleagues to clarify your specific case.

Therefore, we highly recommend you inform yourself in advance and do your research to ensure you'll receive your first salary without complications and/or delay.

Settling in Berlin

In order to start your new chapter in Berlin, here you can find some useful information regarding the life in Berlin.

We collected some information that might help you to find your apartment in Berlin. It can be challenging to find the right one and therefore it can take up a few weeks or even months. We highly recommend to inform yourself early and start looking for an apartment.

Here are some useful platforms to look for apartments. Please note: that these are not partnerships, they are only recommendations from our side:

eBay Kleinanzeigen
ImmobilienScout24
Immowelt
Immonet
Immobilo
Wohnungsbörse
Home HT
WG-Gesucht (DE, EN, ES; rooms in shared flats)

What to consider when renting:

The deposit: Almost all apartments require a deposit (=Kaution). It's usually 3 times the cold rent (=Kaltmiete). Please find more information in this article. (EN)
Cold rent and warm rent: In Germany, there is the cold rent (=Kaltmiete) and warm rent (=Warmmiete). The warm rent is what you pay every month. It includes all utilities (=Nebenkosten) that is adjusted to your annual usage, except electricity.
The apartment: It is common that apartments are rented out without any furniture and appliances.
Rent is paid by bank transfer: You usually pay the rent by SEPA transfer, no cash payments.
Floors are counted differently: In North America, the first floor is the ground floor. In Germany, there is the ground floor (=Erdgeschoss or EG), then the first floor.
Rooms are counted differently: In Germany, the living room also counts as a room. For example: a 3-bedroom apartment with a living room is advertised as a 4-room apartment. The kitchen and the bathroom don’t count as rooms.
The TV tax: Each household needs to pay the TV or Radio tax (=Rundfunkbeitrag). If you live in a shared flat, you can split the cost.

Some useful tips when applying for an apartment:

Be flexible: We recommend to search in all the areas of Berlin; don’t limit yourself inside the “ring” (=Berlin RingBahn) or to highly competitive areas such as Kreuzberg, Prenzlauer Berg, Friedrichshain, or Neukölln.
Be quick: The market is highly competitive, so if you find an apartment you like, contact the landlord or flatmates quickly.
Call and write: Some landlords may prefer to answer phone calls while others prefer to communicate via emails.
Communicate in German: You might get more responses if you communicate in German. You might use an online translator tool.
Introduce yourself: When you contact the landlord, include all the important details about yourself: name, age, job, salary (you can get a letter from Zalando; check Compass once you start), when you want to move in, who will live with you, what documents you have, and a personal introduction. A cover letter with a photo can also help. Here are some example messages that can help you (EN).
Be prepared: Landlords receive hundreds of messages and dozens of applications. Make their life as easy as possible. Fill in the application form in advance, and bring all the required documents with you.

Validation of your driving licence: If you hold a driving license from a country that is not a member of the EU or the EEA, your license will be valid for six months after you have established your residency in Germany. After this period, your driving license will no longer be recognized and you will need to request a driving licence issued in Germany by the respective authorities. Learn more (DE/EN)

Motor vehicle insurance: In Germany, if you own a car having car insurance (=Kfz-Versicherung) is mandatory. If your vehicle is not insured, you can't register it, and you can't drive it. There are three levels of vehicle insurance: third party liability (=Haftpflicht), partial cover (=Teilkasko), and fully comprehensive insurance (=Vollkasko). Every level comes with different costs and coverage.

Personal liability insurance: Personal liability insurance (=Haftpflichtversicherung) covers the financial costs if you accidentally cause damage to someone else, their property, or their assets. It protects you from damage claims; in case you cause an accident, your insurance company covers the legal fees and arising damages.

Sundays: Sunday in Germany is known as a “Ruhetag” - rest day, a day when people relax and rewind from the daily routines. Shops and supermarkets are closed but you might find “Spätis” in Berlin that are open. Cafe’s, restaurants, and museums and art galleries are generally open. Especially on Sundays, please keep in mind respecting your neighbours by not making too much noise (loud music, drilling, vacuuming).

Cash: some restaurants, bars, and shops still don’t accept card payments. Therefore, we highly recommend to always have cash with you.

Public transportation: Berlin has a variety of transportation opportunities consisting of subway (U-Bahn), local and regional trains (S-Bahn and RE), tram, and bus. Berlin has 3 public transit zones: A, B, and C. Please inform yourself to make sure your ticket is valid for the right zones (e.g. the airport is located in zone C and our offices are in zone A).

There are many ticket types you can purchase, for example: single trip, short trip, or seasonal ones. We recommend to download the BVG tickets app or buy directly at the local tickets machines. However, don’t forget to validate your ticket by stamping it. You can find the machines that validate tickets next to the ticket machine. Traveling without a ticket can result in fines. You can learn more here (DE/EN).

Compulsory education: All children and adolescents living in Germany are required to attend school. Children and adolescents with disabilities or special educational needs also have the opportunity to attend school. The education authority is responsible for deciding on the enrolment of newly-immigrated children, they may also enroll during the year. The majority of schools are state-run and thus, free of charge.

The city of Berlin created this website for families located in Berlin. You can find relevant information on topics like giving birth, kitas, education, and much more.