Twin cities
Ulm vs Neu-Ulm: what changes across the Danube
Ulm and Neu-Ulm are one urban area, split by the Danube. But Ulm is in Baden-Württemberg and Neu-Ulm is in Bavaria. Many rules depend on where you live, not where you work. This page shows what is different and what is the same.
This is general information, not legal, visa or tax advice. Rules can change and your case may differ. Always check with the responsible office.
At a glance
| Ulm (Baden-Württemberg) | Neu-Ulm (Bavaria) | |
|---|---|---|
| Registration office today | Walk in Monday to Friday, no appointment needed. Saturday by appointment only. | Appointment recommended. Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons and all of Friday by appointment only. |
| Foreigners’ office today | Walk in on Monday, Tuesday and Friday mornings. Otherwise by appointment only. Closed on Wednesday. | Appointment only. Send residence permit applications in writing first; the office then contacts you for an appointment. |
| Register your address | Olgastraße 66, 89073 Ulm | Petrusplatz 15, 89231 Neu-Ulm |
| Residence permit | Same building as registration | Landratsamt Neu-Ulm, Ausländerbehörde, Kantstraße 8, about 1.1 km from the registration office |
| Public holidays 2026 | 12 days | 13 days (incl. Assumption Day) |
| School holidays | Baden-Württemberg dates | Bavaria dates |
| Rent index (Mietspiegel) | Shared: average €9.82/m², valid from 12 November 2025 | |
Which office do you go to?
It depends on where you are registered, not where you work. If you live in Neu-Ulm and work in Ulm, you go to the Neu-Ulm offices.
If you live in Ulm
Registration and the foreigners’ office are in the same building, so you can often do both in one trip.
Bürgerdienste Ulm (registration office and foreigners’ office)
Olgastraße 66, 89073 Ulm · Map
Registration office on the ground floor, foreigners’ office on the first floor (owner’s experience).
Registration office: opening hours
Walk in Monday to Friday, no appointment needed. Saturday by appointment only.
| Monday |
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|---|---|
| Tuesday |
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| Wednesday |
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| Thursday |
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| Friday |
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| Saturday |
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- You can still book a fixed appointment for weekdays if you prefer.
Foreigners’ office: opening hours
Walk in on Monday, Tuesday and Friday mornings. Otherwise by appointment only. Closed on Wednesday.
| Monday |
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|---|---|
| Tuesday |
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| Wednesday | Closed |
| Thursday |
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| Friday |
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| Saturday | Closed |
- Walk-in mornings can mean long waiting times, says the city. Book online for a fixed time.
- Only responsible for people whose residence is in Ulm.
- Some applications (e.g. residence permits for education) can be made online.
- Appointments are recommended and can be booked online.
If you live in Neu-Ulm
The two offices are in different buildings, about 1.1 km apart (straight line).
Bürgerbüro Neu-Ulm (registration office)
Petrusplatz 15, 89231 Neu-Ulm · Map
Nearby: Petruskirche (church, about 70 m), Edwin-Scharff-Museum (about 70 m), Neu-Ulm town hall (about 180 m)
Registration office: opening hours
Appointment recommended. Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons and all of Friday by appointment only.
| Monday |
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|---|---|
| Tuesday |
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| Wednesday |
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| Thursday |
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| Friday |
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| Saturday |
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Landratsamt Neu-Ulm (foreigners’ office for the Neu-Ulm district)
Kantstraße 8, 89231 Neu-Ulm · Map
Foreigners’ office: opening hours
Appointment only. Send residence permit applications in writing first; the office then contacts you for an appointment.
| Monday |
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|---|---|
| Tuesday |
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| Wednesday |
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| Thursday |
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| Friday |
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| Saturday | Closed |
- These are the district office’s opening hours. The foreigners’ department (FB 51) can only be visited with an appointment.
- Responsible for everyone living in the Neu-Ulm district, including the city of Neu-Ulm. The City of Neu-Ulm itself does not issue residence permits.
- Only accepts digital passport photos (since 1 May 2025). Paper photos are no longer accepted.
Foreigners’ offices only accept digital passport photos. See how to get a digital photo code.
Public holidays 2026
Most public holidays are the same on both sides. Assumption Day (Sat 15 Aug) is a holiday in Neu-Ulm only.
If you live on one side and work on the other, the holidays at your place of work apply, not those where you live. If you work only from home, different rules can apply; ask your employer.
| Date | Holiday | Ulm | Neu-Ulm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu 1 Jan | New Year's Day (Neujahr) | Yes | Yes |
| Tue 6 Jan | Epiphany (Heilige Drei Könige) | Yes | Yes |
| Fri 3 Apr | Good Friday (Karfreitag) | Yes | Yes |
| Mon 6 Apr | Easter Monday (Ostermontag) | Yes | Yes |
| Fri 1 May | Labour Day (Tag der Arbeit) | Yes | Yes |
| Thu 14 May | Ascension Day (Christi Himmelfahrt) | Yes | Yes |
| Mon 25 May | Whit Monday (Pfingstmontag) | Yes | Yes |
| Thu 4 Jun | Corpus Christi (Fronleichnam) | Yes | Yes |
| Sat 15 Aug | Assumption Day (Mariä Himmelfahrt) | No | Yes |
| Sat 3 Oct | German Unity Day (Tag der Deutschen Einheit) | Yes | Yes |
| Sun 1 Nov | All Saints' Day (Allerheiligen) | Yes | Yes |
| Fri 25 Dec | Christmas Day (1. Weihnachtstag) | Yes | Yes |
| Sat 26 Dec | Boxing Day (2. Weihnachtstag) | Yes | Yes |
School holidays 2026
School holidays follow the state, so they differ across the Danube. This matters if you live in one state and your children go to school in the other. Schools in Baden-Württemberg also set a few extra days off themselves, which are not listed here.
| Holiday | Ulm (Baden-Württemberg) | Neu-Ulm (Bavaria) |
|---|---|---|
| Christmas holidays | 22 December 2025 – 5 January 2026 | 22 December 2025 – 5 January 2026 |
| Winter holidays | No holidays | Mon 16 Feb – Fri 20 Feb |
| Easter holidays | Mon 30 Mar – Sat 11 Apr | Mon 30 Mar – Fri 10 Apr |
| Whitsun holidays | Tue 26 May – Fri 5 Jun | Tue 26 May – Fri 5 Jun |
| Summer holidays | Thu 30 Jul – Sat 12 Sept | Mon 3 Aug – Mon 14 Sept |
| Autumn holidays | Mon 26 Oct – Sat 31 Oct | Mon 2 Nov – Fri 6 Nov |
| Christmas holidays | 23 December 2026 – 9 January 2027 | 24 December 2026 – 8 January 2027 |
Rent
Ulm and Neu-Ulm publish one joint qualified rent index (Mietspiegel). The average net cold rent is €9.82 per m². The exact comparison rent depends on the flat’s size, age, features and location.
Check a flat with the rent affordability calculator
Families and childcare
Childcare fees (Kita fees) are set locally by each city and childcare provider, on both sides of the river. Ask for the fee table when you register your child.
Bavaria (Neu-Ulm) is reforming how childcare is funded. The state is moving the money that went into its family allowance (Familiengeld) and nursery allowance (Krippengeld) into direct funding for childcare centres. The €100 per month kindergarten fee subsidy, which was deducted from parents’ fees automatically, is to go to all childcare centres instead. Bavaria says fees may be recalculated locally as a result.
Sources
- City of Ulm, citizen services (registration office) (checked 2026-10-03)
- City of Ulm, foreigners’ office (checked 2026-10-03)
- City of Ulm: qualified rent index (Mietspiegel) 2025 for Ulm and Neu-Ulm (checked 2026-10-05)
- City of Neu-Ulm, citizens’ office (checked 2026-10-03)
- Neu-Ulm district office (Landratsamt), foreigners’ office (checked 2026-10-03)
- Baden-Württemberg Ministry of the Interior: public holidays (checked 2026-10-03)
- Bavarian Holidays Act (FTG), Art. 1 (checked 2026-10-03)
- Bavarian State Office for Statistics: Assumption Day by municipality (checked 2026-10-03)
- KMK: school holidays 2025/26 (checked 2026-10-03)
- KMK: school holidays 2026/27 (checked 2026-10-03)
- Chamber of Crafts Frankfurt (Oder): holidays follow the place of work (§ 9 ArbZG) (checked 2026-10-03)
- Bavarian Ministry for Family and welfare associations: parent letter on Kita funding (26 June 2026) (checked 2026-10-03)
- Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)