I have moved to a new apartment in Hamburg on the 1st of March. Legally, I am required to inform the City Registration office (Meldamt) about my address within 7 days. Hamburg has a system that allows you to book appointments for such purposes and having an appointment (even 1.5 month later) is sufficient.  But, unfortunately there are no appointments in the next 60 days.  

You can try here at this link, http://www.hamburg.de/behoerdenfinder/hamburg/11256135/

I went to the Meldamt of my district without appointment, took a token for waiting, waited for my turn and then on my turn went to the official and explained my situation. The official denied to serve my request for Ummeldung with the reason that this will take a lot of time and I should take an appointment for this. I explained to her there are no appointments in the system and maybe she can give me an appointment as available or atleast a reference that I was there in the Meldamt within the mandatory time frame of 7 days. She refused to give any reference or appointment and told me to try with other Meldamts in the city or try calling 040-115. 

So, the first thing I tried was to call other Meldamts in Hamburg and they said the exact same words "I can't come without an appointment and they will not give me an appointment because they are fully booked". To my utter suprise, they were no appointments in the entire city of Hamburg for the next 60 days. So, I requested to each of them that please give me a confirmation by email or a reference number that I have tried to do the Ummeldung and was unable to because the system in fully booked. But all of them refused. 

At last I called 115 and then I was talked into the same pre-written answer "They can't give me an appointment; I can't do the Ummeldung without appointment and they won't give me a confirmation or reference without an appointment". I have never been circle-jerked by the City Administration to this scale. Finally, I took an appointment of the Bezirksamtleiter to go meet him and complaint about this system. 

The purpose of me writing this long post is to make people aware of the City Administration's intentional denial of service.

I would also like to ask for legal opinions from the forum members how can I push back against this exploitation by the system?

I also want to know my legal rights that will protect me from failing to register within 7 days of address change. 

 i heard that house will done in "Harburg rathaus" office without appointment . check it once. i have no idea

Hi,

you should book an appointement online with the closest possible date...

https://netappoint.de/hh/hamburg/?company=hamburg

The 60 days rule, well you got it wrong. It means that they only give appointements within 60 days, not longer ahead.

You keep the confirmation of your online appointement and take it as a proof that you tried to change the address within the first 7 days, but it was not possible.

I am quite sure that you will not get any problems.

Good luck
Detlef