How do you get a mobile phone number in Germany in 2026?

Buy prepaid from Telekom, Vodafone, or O2 shops, MediaMarkt-style electronics counters, or supermarket starter kits (Aldi Talk, Lidl Connect, and similar MVNOs). Since mid-2017, prepaid SIMs stay inactive until identity is verified. Passport or EU ID is the usual document; some shops also ask for a German street address you can receive post at, even a temporary one.

Official carrier shops often scan foreign passports and activate on the spot. Supermarket kits usually need online registration plus PostIdent at a Deutsche Post branch or a video ID flow. Keep the sleeve, ICCID, and activation code. Roaming eSIMs help on landing day, but they do not replace a German MSISDN for long-term two-factor codes.

Postpaid forfaits usually want a German IBAN, Schufa-style credit checks, and a stable billing address after Anmeldung and a Girokonto. Compare network coverage for your commute: Telekom often wins rural and rail stretches; O2 and Vodafone can be fine inside Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, and Frankfurt cores. Pair the phone plan with home internet later: Utilities, internet and transport.

Port the prepaid number into the contract when possible so employers and residence caseworkers do not lose you mid-file: Apply for a residence permit.