Overview
- The federal cabinet approved the IT‑Komponentenverordnung on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, making a single online service for registering or changing a main residence compulsory and scheduled to take effect on December 1, 2026.
- The online service, called eWA and reachable at wohnsitzanmeldung.gov.de, was developed by the city of Hamburg under the 'Einer für Alle' principle and will be made available by every local registration authority nationwide.
- The eWA is already linked to more than 3,800 local registration offices and covers roughly 74.2 million people, and the new rule will extend that coverage to the entire country.
- Citizens must use a secure digital identity such as BundID with the online ID function to complete an an- or ummeldung through the portal.
- The measure is part of the Föderale Modernisierungsagenda and officials say it should lower citizen and administrative effort, free up in‑person appointment slots, and serve as a blueprint for later unified services like building permits, driver’s‑license processes and BAföG, though no firm timeline for those follow‑ups has been set.