With my classes coming to an end, I’ve been able to slow down, relax and enjoy my last couple of weeks in Munich. However, that doesn’t mean that there’s any less of the infamous German bureaucracy to deal with before I go, as well as a couple of loose ends to tie up with my university before I leave.
Starting with one of the most important items on my to-do list—de-registration. Everyone staying in Germany is required to register their place of residence with the correct local authority within two weeks of moving in. In Munich, this is done by booking an appointment online and presenting the required documents at the Bürgerbüro, or Citizens Office. De-registration is a slightly simpler process and can be completed online up to one week before leaving the city. Not de-registering before leaving the country may result in large fines and could also result in some red tape if you ever plan to move back to Germany.
Another thing to remember before packing your bags and heading to the airport is canceling your health insurance. Students are required by law to have health insurance in Germany, and not submitting proof of health insurance to your university is actually grounds for exmatriculation. So, until you reach out to your health insurance company and provide proof that you are permanently leaving the country, such as your deregistration certificate or plane ticket back home, they will continue to charge you, as it is a law that you have to be insured.
My monthly train ticket, phone plan, and membership to a sports club all also need to be canceled, as well as reaching out to my professors one final time and confirming my exam grades. It’s bittersweet going through the last stages of moving back home, but it wouldn’t be a study abroad in Germany without some final paperwork.