First steps in Jena
When you move to a new city, you have to consider a lot of factors. Especially, when the move is to a different country. We’ve put together the most important things to bear in mind and we give you some useful tips for your first days in Jena so that you can get a feel for the place and settle in quickly. If you have any questions or comments, we’d be delighted to hear from you.
Finding an affordable place to live can be quite a challenge and can take up a lot of your time. Larger apartments are very popular with families or tend to be used for flat-sharing. 1 and 2-room apartments are coveted by students. The rental fees are frequently at the same high level as in other growth regions in Germany. Therefore, we recommend that you begin your search as early as possible. Jena is a very convenient city to live in with all the necessary services and facilities within easy reach. The outskirts of the city are also well served by public transport. If you extend your accommodation search to include less central areas, you will greatly increase your chances of success.
There are various websites where you can use criteria such as city district, apartment size, rental fee etc. to filter your search. You can find rooms in shared apartments and apartment or house rentals in small ads on ebay Kleinanzeigen (ebay small ads), wohnungsboerse.net, WG-gesucht, immobilienscout24, immowelt or immonet. If you are looking for a room in a shared apartment or for accommodation for a limited period, it can be effective to look or post a message in local Facebook groups or social media. If you already have some contacts in Jena, you should certainly take advantage of these informal networks.
To rent an apartment, you have to deal with some formalities such as:
- Registering with the local authority (Citizens Service)
- Registering with the local energy provider
- Checking your supplemental insurance policies (personal liability insurance, household contents insurance)
- TV/radio license
Important: Be careful of fraudulent offers: If an apartment rental costs much less than similar properties, if you are requested to transfer money before you receive the keys to the apartment, or if you are asked to pay the deposit amount in cash, these are signs of untrustworthy or dubious offers. You should never hand over any money before you have signed the rental contract.
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After you move to Jena, you must register your new residence within two weeks. This applies also to family members who have moved with you.
To register, you need the following documents:
- Valid identity card or passport (or birth certificate)
- Confirmation from your new landlord
- Children or minors:
- Single parents | Unmarried persons: Proof of entitlement to custody in the case of joint custody | Married persons: Declaration of consent and copy of identity card | Passport of second custodian
- Persons from outside Germany: All previous and current documents relating to civil status (certified copy / apostille or stamped official birth certificates / marriage certificates)
- Most recent residential address in Germany (if this is not your first registration as a resident in Germany)
- Details of religious affiliation e.g. church (a church tax is levied in Germany)
Important: When you register, you will receive your official confirmation of registration. This is an important document for verification of your currently registered address. You will need it when dealing with local authorities, banks (opening an account), and when registering with your local library, for example. Following registration, you will also automatically receive a tax identification number (tax ID. No.) by post for all newly registered persons (including children). This number is valid for life and does not change even if you change your name or relocate. If you bring children with you when you move to Germany, you may be entitled to child benefit under certain circumstances.
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Generally, you are entitled to receive child benefit if
- Your child has not yet reached the age of 18,
- You regularly look after your child and the child lives in your household (this applies also to stepchildren, grandchildren or foster children) and
- Your place of residence is in Germany, another EU state, Norway, Liechtenstein, Iceland or Switzerland.
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If you have entered Germany with a visa, you must contact the immigration authorities (or the authority for foreign nationals) at least four to six weeks before expiry of the visa to apply for a residence permit. The type and period of the permit depends on the purpose of your stay in Germany (e.g. training, course of studies, work or research).
The immigration authorities typically require the following documents:
- Completed application form
- Employment contract
- Valid passport
- Official confirmation of registration
- Rental contract
- Certificate from your health insurance company as proof of health insurance cover
- Proof of means of support (bank account statements or other evidence)
- 1 biometric passport photograph
Please note the fees. Issue of a first residence permit costs 100 euros, for example, an extension for a further three months costs 96 euros, and a statement certifying that an extension has been applied for costs 13 euros.
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In your place of residence in Jena, you are automatically supplied with electricity and gas at the basic tariff by Stadtwerke Jena (municipal utilities). You will receive a confirmation of this contract by post. The Stadtwerke define a monthly prepayment amount, which is based on the average consumption of the previous tenant in the apartment. Electricity and gas rates are cheaper for longer term contracts and you can conclude a contract in the customer portal of the Stadtwerke Jena or with any other energy provider.
You will need the following information to conclude the contract:
- Address
- The number/ID of the meters in the apartment and the meter readings
- Bank account details
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Public service broadcasting in Germany is financed through tv/radio licenses. These contributions ensure independent and varied programming. Basically, each household must pay the monthly fee (18.36 euros) for television, radio and/or computer with internet access, whether they make use of the service or not.
Related links and documents:
- Information and details on registration for tv/radio license
- Information on tv/radio license in other languages
The following providers are available in Jena: 1&1 Telecommunication SE | mobilcom-debitel GmbH | o2 Telefónica Germany GmbH & Co. OHG | Tele Columbus AG – PYUR | Telekom Deutschland GmbH | Vodafone GmbH | Yourfone Shop Jena. There are also several websites that you can use to find the optimal tariff for your requirements. On the website of the Verbraucherzentrale (consumer association), you can find a checklist for mobile phone communications in German and other languages.
To conclude a contract, you will typically require:
- A valid identity card, passport or residence permit
- Official confirmation of registration
- Bank account
Note: Make sure to ask the provider about rates for international calls.
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Anyone living and working in Germany requires a bank account, for example, to transfer the rental payment or to receive a salary or wage. You can open a current account at any bank. Some banks charge a monthly account management fee of between two and ten euros. In some cases, current accounts may be free of charge if a specific amount is paid in each month.
The following banks have branches in Jena: Commerzbank AG | Deutsche Bank AG | FLESSABANK – Bankhaus Max Flessa KG | HypoVereinsbank – UniCredit Bank AG | MERKUR PRIVATBANK KGaA | Oberbank AG | Postbank AG | Santander Consumer Bank AG | Sparda Bank Berlin eG | Sparkasse Jena – Saale – Holzland | TARGOBANK AG | Volksbank eG
To open a bank account, you will typically require the following:
- Official confirmation of registration
- Valid identity card, passport or residence permit
- Tax ID (this can be submitted later)
If you live in Germany, you must conclude a health insurance contract. There are very many health insurance companies in Germany and you can choose whichever company you wish.
The following health insurance companies have branches in Jena: AOK Plus | BARMER | DAK Gesundheit | IKK classic | KKH | Techniker Krankenkasse | BKK24 | BKK VBU. It is normally possible to register online with these companies. Following registration, you will receive a social insurance number, which you must give to your employer.
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Personal liability insurance
Even if personal liability insurance is not required by law, you should certainly have it. In Germany, you are legally responsible for all damages caused to others by your person – and with no limit to the amount. In the event of damages, personal liability insurance covers the costs up to a previously defined insurance amount. Your spouse and children are also covered. Landlords normally insist on the conclusion of a personal liability insurance policy.
Household contents insurance
This insurance covers all the contents of your house or apartment. It covers theft of objects, or damages as a result of fire, storms or water leaks, etc.
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If you have come to Germany from another EU country, Lichtenstein, Norway or Iceland, then your driver’s license is also valid in Germany. If your driver’s license was issued in a third country, you can drive with this license for a period of six months after registering at your new residence in Germany. After this period, you must obtain a German driver’s license. Whether you must complete a driving test to obtain a German driving license depends on the country in which you obtained your current license. You should inquire about the relevant conditions as soon as possible after your arrival.
Note: Make sure to obtain certification of your accident-free years in your home country. If you wish to register a car, you require insurance against civil liability in respect of the use of the motor vehicle.
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