Anmeldung is the registration of your residential address with the local authority. It is not a visa and it does not create a right to work. Yet the registration certificate and address recorded through the process often sit near the beginning of several practical chains.
Start with accommodation that permits registration
Ask before committing whether the provider will issue a Wohnungsgeberbestätigung. A booking confirmation alone is generally not the same document. The form is completed by the housing provider and confirms your move-in; local authorities publish their own current requirements.
What may follow
After first registration, your German tax identification number is normally issued by post. Employers can often begin payroll while details are pending, but you should tell payroll what you have and ask what temporary treatment applies.
Banks, insurers and the broadcasting contribution service may also use your registered address. These are separate relationships. Registration does not automatically choose an insurer or open an account.
Build a local checklist
Appointment systems, accepted documents and deadlines can vary by municipality. Read your city’s official page, keep originals and copies as requested, and record the spelling used for your name and address. If no appointment is available, save evidence of reasonable attempts and ask the authority—not a forum—what current alternative applies.