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First 24 Hours in Germany: What to Do Immediately After Arrival

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    You’ve arrived. A long and exhausting journey is behind you, hundreds of kilometers and a sleepless night. Your head is foggy, and your soul is a mix of fatigue, anxiety, and hope. Now is not the time for bureaucratic feats. It’s time to exhale, calm down, and act according to a simple and clear plan.

    This article is your “emergency guide” for the first 24 hours in Germany. No “fluff,” just concrete steps.

    Section 1: The Very First Action (for Everyone)

    Task “Urgent”: Stay Connected

    Without internet and a phone, you’re helpless. Therefore, the first thing to do is buy a local SIM card.

    • Where to look: In any large discount supermarket: Aldi, Lidl, Penny, Rewe. Look for starter kits like Aldi Talk, Lidl Connect, etc., at the checkout or on special stands. These are the most popular and inexpensive prepaid options.

    • How to activate: Be prepared for a small quest. Activating a SIM card in Germany requires identity verification. You will need your international passport and will likely have to go through the Video-Ident procedure (a video call with an operator via an app) or Post-Ident (confirmation at a post office).

    • Million-dollar tip: Before you leave, while you still have internet, download offline maps of your city in Google Maps and an offline German dictionary in Google Translate to your phone. This is your insurance in case something goes wrong with the SIM card.

    Section 2: Your Path for the Next 24 Hours: Two Scenarios

    All further actions depend on one main question: do you have a roof over your head for the first night?

    Scenario A: “I Have a Place to Stay” (with friends, relatives, volunteers)

    If you’ve been met and brought to a house or apartment, your main task is to recover.

    • Step 1: Exhale. Seriously. Take a shower, eat, and sleep. Your brain and body are overloaded. Let them recover. Heroics can wait.

    • Step 2: First trip to the store. You’ll need basic groceries. A few “household” discoveries that await you:

      • Sunday is a day of silence. Almost all stores, except those at train stations, are closed. Stock up on Saturday!

      • Pfand. Don’t throw away plastic bottles and cans marked Pfand. You can return them to a machine in the supermarket and get 25 cents back for each.

      • Bargeld. Surprisingly, many small bakeries or kebab shops still don’t accept cards. Have 20-30 euros in cash with you.

    • Step 3: Plan for “the day after tomorrow.” Once you’ve recovered a bit, find out the address of the nearest Bürgeramt (for registration) and Ausländerbehörde (Immigration Office). But don’t rush there headlong! You’ll have time for that.

    Scenario B: “I Arrived Nowhere, I Have No Place to Live”

    This is the most stressful scenario, but it also has a clear protocol. Your goal is to reach the initial reception center.

    • Step 1: Seek help at the train station. At major train stations (Hauptbahnhof), volunteers are usually on duty. Look for people in vests with signs like Rotes Kreuz (Red Cross), Caritas, Diakonie, or Bahnhofsmission. Don’t be afraid to approach them and say two words: “Ukraine” and “Hilfe” (help). They will understand and direct you.

    • Step 2: The way to the Ankunftszentrum. You will be directed to the initial refugee reception center (Ankunftszentrum or Erstaufnahmeeinrichtung). This is a special facility where you will receive temporary accommodation, food, and undergo initial registration.

    • Step 3: What happens there? At the center, you will be registered, and the process of allocation to German federal states will begin. It’s almost impossible to influence where you will be sent – the system works automatically. Be prepared that this is not a hotel, but a functional institution. Its main task is to provide you with safety and initiate the bureaucratic process.

    Section 3: “First Aid Kit” on Your Smartphone

    These apps are worth installing at the first opportunity:

    • Transport: DB Navigator. The official railway app that shows all types of transport: trains, suburban trains (S-Bahn), buses.

    • Communication: Google Translate. The photo translation feature is indispensable for understanding letters and documents.

    • Safety: NINA or Katwarn. Government apps that warn about storms, emergencies, or other dangers in your area.

    Section 4: What NOT to Do in the First 24-48 Hours

    Sometimes it’s more important to know what not to do than what to do.

    • Don’t panic about registration (Anmeldung). By law, you have 14 days to register after moving into permanent housing. You’ll have time.

    • Don’t storm the Immigration Office (Ausländerbehörde). Without a prior appointment (Termin), which sometimes takes months to get, they are unlikely to see you. Your first contact should be the refugee reception center or the social services.

    • Don’t sign documents you don’t understand. Especially if it’s a long-term mobile phone contract or a gym membership. Scammers are everywhere. Take a break to translate everything and get advice.

    In a nutshell, your checklist for the first day looks like this:

    1. Be in a safe place.
    2. Establish communication.
    3. Sleep.
    4. Eat.

    That’s it. We’ll leave bureaucratic records for later. The first day is for adaptation and recovery. And the Nodia team will definitely help you with all the other steps. Welcome to Germany!