Abmeldung in Germany and Austria: what to sort out before moving to Spain

In short: Deregistering your address (Abmeldung) is the key to everything else. In Germany you deregister no earlier than one week before and no later than two weeks after moving out; in Austria within three days before to three days after moving out. With the confirmation in hand, you sort out health insurance, the tax office, your pension and your contracts.

Deregistering your address in Germany: deadlines and process

If you move out of your home and don’t move into a new one in Germany, you have to deregister at the registration office. This is set out in § 17 (2) of the Federal Registration Act (Bundesmeldegesetz).

• Earliest: one week before moving out. Before that, the office won’t accept the Abmeldung, and you only get the certificate from that point on.
• Latest: two weeks after moving out.
• Where: at the Bürgeramt (citizens’ office) or Meldeamt of your municipality. Depending on the federal state, you can also do it online, in Baden-Württemberg for example via the service-bw portal.

You receive an Abmeldebescheinigung. It is your proof for your health insurance fund, the broadcasting fee (Rundfunkbeitrag), insurers, vehicle registration and all contract partners where you want to use a special right of termination.

Deregistering your address in Austria: deadlines and process

In Austria the time window is narrower. Under the Registration Act (Meldegesetz), you deregister within three days before to three days after moving out.

• Cost: the Abmeldung is free of charge.
• Where: at the municipal office (Gemeindeamt) or Magistrat, in Vienna at the Magistratisches Bezirksamt (district office).
• How: in person, by post, through a representative or online with ID Austria.
• When moving abroad: give your new address, or at least the destination country, when you deregister.

The authorities also recommend setting up mail forwarding and later notifying the Austrian embassy or consulate of your new address, or registering online as an Austrian abroad (Auslandsösterreicher).

What depends on the Abmeldung? The checklist

Deregistering at the office doesn’t end anything automatically. Your health insurance fund, the tax office, the pension insurance and your contract partners only find out if you tell them. Go through the following points one by one. Clarify specific amounts and special cases directly with the responsible body in each case, because they depend on your situation.

Health insurance

• Inform your health insurance fund (Krankenkasse) about the move and send in the Abmeldebescheinigung. Your membership doesn’t end by itself just because you deregistered at the office.
• Clarify from which day you are insured in Spain, so there is no gap.
• As a pensioner with only a German or Austrian pension: request form S1 from your fund. With it you register with the Spanish public health system and remain insured via your home country.
• If returning is a possibility: ask about options to secure your insurance cover for later.

How insurance works in Spain is explained in the article Health insurance in Spain.

Tax office

• Inform the tax office (Finanzamt) about the move and your new address.
• Plan for one more tax return in your home country for the year you move.
• Check whether you still have income from Germany or Austria, for example rent or a pension. It can remain taxable there.
• Check whether you are keeping a home in your home country that is available to you at any time. This can affect your tax status there.
• If you hold shares in a corporation, such as your own GmbH (limited company), or significant capital assets in Austria: be sure to have the consequences of moving away checked before the move, not afterwards.

From when Spain treats you as tax resident is explained in the article Taxes in Spain. Important for your planning: Spain does not have a split tax year.

Pension and pension insurance

• Give the pension insurance your new address and bank details.
• German pensions are generally paid in full if you live abroad. Exceptions are possible for certain reduced earning capacity pensions.
• You apply for your pension later in your country of residence. One application usually covers all countries where you were insured.
• Once a year the pension insurance asks for a life certificate. The Austrian pension insurance (Pensionsversicherung) wants the confirmation of life every year by mid June, otherwise it provisionally stops payment.
• Austrian pensioners report changes of address, name or marital status within two weeks.
• If you’re not retired yet: ask the pension insurance whether voluntary contributions make sense for you. They are possible for Germans abroad.

Child benefit (Kindergeld and Familienbeihilfe)

• Report the move to the Familienkasse (family benefits office) or the tax office immediately, so you don’t face a repayment claim.
• Within the EU, the country where you work is primarily responsible. If you live and work in Spain, you are usually no longer entitled to the benefit from your home country.
• If one parent keeps working in Germany or Austria, or you only receive a pension from there, an entitlement may remain, possibly as a differential payment.

More on school and childcare under Moving with your family.

Broadcasting fee, bank, car, contracts

• Broadcasting fee: deregister your home with your contribution number at the Beitragsservice, in Austria at the body responsible for the ORF fee. Keep the deregistration confirmation ready as proof and do this promptly.
• Bank and securities account: tell them your new address and new tax residence. Ask beforehand whether the bank will keep your account and securities account if you live abroad.
• Car: decide whether you’ll take it with you. If so, it gets re-registered in Spain, see Re-registering your car and driving licence.
• Mobile, internet, electricity, gym: request special termination because of moving abroad, using the Abmeldebescheinigung.
• Insurance: check your liability, household contents and other policies. Many don’t apply abroad, or only for a limited time.
• Post: set up mail forwarding and name a trusted person for official letters.

Taking unemployment benefit with you: deadlines

If you are unemployed when you move and are looking for a job in Spain, you can take your unemployment benefit with you for a limited time. The deadlines matter here, because they can’t be fixed afterwards. For unemployment benefit from Germany:

1. After becoming unemployed, you were available to the German employment services for at least 4 weeks. The Agentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency) can shorten this period.
2. You apply for form PD U2 before you leave.
3. You register with the employment services in Spain within 7 days of leaving.
4. You are entitled to 3 months. An extension to a maximum of 6 months is at the agency’s discretion.

The same EU rules apply to unemployment benefit from Austria. Ask the AMS (Austrian Public Employment Service) about the details, especially about extensions, before you leave. The options after that are covered under Working in Spain.

The right order around your move

Because the Abmeldung is possible no earlier than one week before moving out in Germany and no earlier than three days before in Austria, a lot piles up in the last few days. With this order you spread the work out.

1. Two to three months before

   Check notice periods for your flat and contracts, talk to your health insurance fund, pension insurance and bank, clarify special tax cases. If you are unemployed, talk to the Agentur für Arbeit or the AMS now about taking your benefit with you.

2. In the last week

   Deregister your address, scan the confirmation, start mail forwarding, pick up the PD U2.

3. In the first two weeks after

   Send the Abmeldebescheinigung to your health insurance fund, the broadcasting fee service, insurers and contract partners. If you haven’t deregistered yet: the deadline in Germany ends two weeks after moving out, in Austria after just three days.

4. In Spain

   Apply for the NIE and register at the town hall (Padrón). The whole route is shown in the checklist for moving to Spain.

Frequently asked questions