Preparation at Home
You might have heard that Germany is a highly bureaucratic country. And this is – at least – a bit true. You will need a lot of documents, also original ones and sometimes they even have to be legalized or apostilled. On exchange, you will get a lot of new documents, which you should keep on file. You might need them again.
So before you are leaving your home country we recommend you to check what exactly you might need.
Visa - Will you need a visa to enter Germany?
Depending on your home country you might have to apply for a visa before entering Germany. The visa cannot be obtained from within Germany; you have to apply for it at the German embassy or the German Consulate in either your home country or the country you are currently living.
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If you are in any doubt, please see the Federal Foreign Office’s list on visa requirements: www.auswaertiges-amt.de |
How to apply for a visa
You have to apply for your visa at the German Embassy or the German Consulate in either your home country or the country you are currently living. Since a visa is a document to enter the country, you cannot apply for it within Germany.
Make an appointment at the German Embassy or the German Consulate, explain the purpose of your stay and provide all the documents they are asking for.
Depending on the purpose of your stay there are different types of visa:
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The Schengen visa (C visa) The Schengen visa is only valid for up to three months. Far more important: It CANNOT be extended or converted into another type of residence permit. This means: When a Schengen visa expires, you will have to leave Germany. It is mainly recommended for tourists. |
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The national visa (D visa) The national visa is necessary if you plan to stay longer than three months. It can be extended or converted into a residence permit before expiry. With a corresponding endorsement in your passport it entitles the holder to take up employment. |
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If you plan to stay in Germany longer than three months, or you have been awarded a fellowship, want to take up University studies or take up any other form of employment, you have to apply for a national visa! |
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Keep in mind:
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Documents you need to bring from your home country
There are some documents you might need for the residence permit application which are difficult to obtain from a foreign country:
- Your last two University diplomas
- For Families:
- Marriage certificate (original + translation, maybe apostilled or legalized in English or German)
- Birth certificate of children (original + translation, maybe apostilled or legalized in English or German)
There are regulations on the recognition of International public documents. If you are married or having children and you want to bring your family with you, please contact the International Office in order to find out how your marriage or birth certificates have to be legalized.
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Keep in mind:
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First steps in Germany
On your first working day, you can stop by at the International Office at the Institute. You will find us in room 2P3. We will help you with the following:
Health Insurance
It is a legal requirement to have a health insurance in Germany and in most cases you will have to take out a German insurance. There are two types of health insurance in Germany: The statutory health insurance and the private health insurance.
- The statutory health insurance
When you are having a contract and an annual salary below 57.600€ you have to take out the statutory health insurance. - The private health insurance
MPI Scholarship holders must take out a private health insurance.- If you are getting your stipend from the MPI, you must take out a comprehensive health insurance defined in the MPI guidelines.
- If you are not paid by the MPI you can choose a cheaper private health insurance, but please keep in mind that a lot of treatments might not be covered.
The scope of benefits provided by private health insurances varies significantly, and so does the monthly rate. Closely check the benefits of your health insurance before signing the contract. Better to have a more expensive insurance but be covered!
Bürgerbüro (Residents’ Registration Office)
You must register your place of residence with the Bürgerbüro within two weeks after your arrival. When you stop by at the International Office after your arrival please bring your passport. For the registration you will have to provide the following documents:
- A form called “Wohnungsgeberbestätigung”
- A registration form
Both documents will be handed over to you in the International Office. The “Wohnungsgeberbestätigung” is a form your landlord needs to sign in order to confirm your actual residence.
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Keep in mind:
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Residence Permit
Before your visa is going to expire (at least one month before) you should come to the International Office to learn more about the application for the granting of a residence permit. Apart from the application form itself, you will need to provide several important documents.
While a visa is mainly a document to enter Germany and entitles the holder to enter Germany and stay for a short period of time, a residence permit can be valid for years under certain circumstances. The validity period, which will be issued by the Foreigners Department of Stuttgart, depends on factors such as contract duration, financing and other restrictions due to the aliens law.
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Keep in mind:
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Contact
For further information about the Welcome Service in Stuttgart please contact:
