A German phone number is one of the first things to sort out after you arrive. It is quick to get – if you know about the ID requirement and choose the right plan.
As of October 2026. General information, not legal advice. Plans and conditions change often – check the provider’s current details before you buy.
In short: for the start, a prepaid SIM is easiest: no contract, no Schufa credit check. In Germany every SIM card must be linked to an ID document before activation (§ 172 Telecommunications Act). You can keep your home SIM for bank text messages, but a German number is usually cheaper for everyday use.
Why you need a German number
- Employer: shift plans, last-minute changes, questions on your first day.
- Bank: online banking approvals and security codes often come by text or through an app tied to a number.
- Landlord and authorities: Bürgeramt appointments, questions from the health fund or the family benefits office.
- WhatsApp and messengers: a lot is arranged via WhatsApp in Germany – including with us.
- Doctors and emergencies: practices call back, appointment reminders come by text.
Prepaid or contract?
| Prepaid | Contract (Vertrag) | |
|---|---|---|
| Commitment | none, stop any time | often 24 months, also 12 months or monthly |
| Payment | top up credit in advance | monthly bill by direct debit |
| Schufa check | no | usually yes |
| Requirements | ID | ID, address, bank account, often credit history |
| Cost control | very good | the bill can be higher than expected |
Our tip: prepaid for the first few months. If you are staying longer and have a bank account and a Schufa history, a contract or a monthly cancellable plan may be cheaper. With contracts, check the minimum term; once it has ended, contracts can now be cancelled with one month’s notice.
ID check: how the SIM is activated
Since July 2017, providers must verify your identity before activating any SIM card – including prepaid. Depending on the provider, options are:
- Video identification (Video-Ident): video chat or app, you show your ID to the camera.
- Post-Ident: at a Deutsche Post branch with your ID and a coupon.
- In a shop: at the provider’s store or a partner retailer.
- Online ID (eID): with some providers, using a German ID card or electronic residence permit.
Passports, ID cards or a German residence permit are usually accepted. Note: not every video identification system recognises every foreign document. Before buying, check the provider’s website to see which documents are accepted. If it doesn’t work, Post-Ident or a shop usually does.
You usually don’t need a registration certificate for prepaid, but you will be asked for an address in Germany.
Cheap prepaid and calls abroad
Prepaid cards are sold in supermarkets, petrol stations, chemists, phone shops and online. Well-known providers include Aldi Talk, Lebara, Lycamobile and congstar Prepaid – and there are many others. We mention them only as examples, not as recommendations.
What to look out for:
- Data and validity: bundles usually run for 4 weeks or 30 days – not a calendar month.
- Network: coverage varies, especially in rural areas. Ask colleagues which network works well at your workplace.
- EU roaming: roam like at home applies on trips home within the EU, but check how much data your bundle allows abroad.
- Calls abroad: calls from Germany to other countries are not roaming and are often expensive on standard bundles. Some providers, such as Lebara or Lycamobile, have bundles with international minutes. Many people simply call via WhatsApp or other messengers using mobile data.
- Auto-renewal: bundles often renew automatically as long as there is credit. Cancel or switch in good time.
Keeping your home number
Many people keep their number from Romania, Poland, Bulgaria or the Baltic states – for bank texts or family. That makes sense, but:
- Roam like at home is meant for travel. Providers may check over a period of four months whether you mainly use the card and mainly stay abroad.
- If so, the provider can warn you and then charge surcharges. Details are in your provider’s fair use policy.
- Ukraine and Moldova have been part of the EU roaming area since 1 January 2026. Fair use and the conditions of your plan apply here too.
- You cannot move a number from one country to another. A German number is always a new number.
In practice: a phone with dual SIM or eSIM – the German card for everyday calls and data, your home SIM for texts and calls from home.
eSIM
Many providers also offer an eSIM: you get a QR code instead of a plastic card. Check first whether your phone supports eSIM. An eSIM also has to be activated with an ID check. After changing or resetting your phone, the eSIM often has to be requested again – sometimes for a fee.
Beware of scams
- Never activate cards for others: never register SIM cards or accounts in your name for someone else in exchange for money. This is how fraudsters and money launderers operate – and you are liable.
- Never share codes: neither your bank, your provider nor the police ask for text codes, PINs or TANs.
- “Hi Mum” messages: someone writes from a new number, pretends to be a family member and asks for money. Call the old number to check.
- Parcel and authority texts: links in messages about parcels, fines or blocked accounts often lead to fake websites.
- Bait calls: don’t call back missed calls from unknown foreign numbers.
- Fake job offers on WhatsApp: more in how to spot fake job offers.
Checklist: German number in your first week
- Check that your phone is unlocked and supports dual SIM or eSIM.
- Choose a prepaid provider – consider coverage at your workplace.
- Have your ID ready and check whether it is accepted for video identification.
- Activate the card (Video-Ident, Post-Ident or shop).
- Give your new number to your employer, bank, landlord and family.
- Move WhatsApp to the new number or set up a second account.
- Keep your home SIM for bank texts and bear the fair use rules in mind.
What else needs doing in the first weeks is in our checklist for your first steps in Germany. About bank accounts: opening a bank account in Germany.
Work with us
We pay from €15.33 per hour gross, and as a forklift driver (m/f/d) from €16.08 per hour gross. You can apply with your home number too – we will get back to you by phone or WhatsApp, in German, English or Russian. We help with moving and address registration, and accommodation can be provided if needed. Applicants do not pay a placement fee with us.
See all jobs or fill in the application form straight away.
