The school staff will help you with the paperwork to be done after your arrival in Germany.
Your fellow- or studentship is free of tax and social insurance in Germany.
If you are staying in Germany for longer than 3 months, you must register at the Einwohnermeldeamt (Government Office for Registration of Residents) in the district where you are living. This should be done within 7 days of arrival. You must also inform the Einwohnermeldeamt each time you change your address, and when you leave.
Papers needed: passport, rental contract (Mietvertrag) for your accomodation.
If you are staying in Germany for longer than 3 months, you must also go to the Ausländerbehörde (Government Office of Foreign Affairs) to get a residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis).
Papers needed: passport / identity card, work contract, 2 passport photographs, health insurance documents, Anmeldebestätigung (from the Einwohnermeldeamt).
German health insurance is obligatory for all students. A special low-prize student insurance is being offered for all students of under 30 years of age. This insurance covers the costs of normal medical treatment in Germany. The monthly charge is about EUR 50.
Find out from the German embassy in your home country whether you require a visa for your stay in Germany. If you need a visa, you must apply for it in the German embassy in your home country. It is helpful to show them your letter of invitation with the stipend from the Research School. Do not apply for a tourist or student visa, but for a residence visa, originally usually issued for 3 month. To avoid possible problems, please make sure that your visa is issued with the remark "for the purpose of a research visit at the Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung, Katlenburg-Lindau". Please also try to get a visa for the "Schengen Countries" rather than for Germany alone because this facilitates travel within Europe. Do this well in advance of your arrival in Germany, since it may take some time to receive your visa.
Your fellow- or studentship is free of tax and social insurance in Germany.
If you are staying in Germany for longer than 3 months, you must register at the Einwohnermeldeamt (Government Office for Registration of Residents) in the district where you are living. This should be done within 7 days of arrival. You must also inform the Einwohnermeldeamt each time you change your address, and when you leave.
Papers needed: passport, rental contract (Mietvertrag) for your accomodation.
If you are staying in Germany for longer than 3 months, you must also go to the Ausländerbehörde (Government Office of Foreign Affairs) to get a residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis).
Papers needed: passport / identity card, visa, work contract, 2 passport photographs (of each family member), health insurance documents, Anmeldebestätigung (from the Einwohnermeldeamt).
German health insurance is obligatory for all students. A special low-prize student insurance is being offered for all students of under 30 years of age. This insurance covers the costs of normal medical treatment in Germany. The monthly charge is about EUR 50.
A foreign drivers licence is valid one year. Then you have to do some tests to get a German (European) drivers licence. A drivers licence from the USA is valid without this restriction.
The Einwohnermeldeamt is the local government office for registration of residents. In Germany, the address of every resident is recorded through these offices. If you are staying in Germany for more than three months, you must go to the office in the district where you are living to register, within 7 days of your arrival. If you change address you must return to re-register (to a different office if you change districts).
When you leave the Einwohnermeldeamt, you should have a piece of paper called an Anmeldebestätigung (confirmation of registration), keep this safe, in particular you will need it if you have to go to the Ausländerbehörde (Government Office of Foreign Affairs).
The Einwohnermeldeamt also issues personal tax cards, for those who require them.
For registration, take with you: passport and the rental contract for your accomodation (Mietvertrag).
The Ausländerbehörde is the local government office for foreign affairs. This is where you must go if you need a Aufenthaltserlaubnis (residence permit) or visa. This is needed even if you are from a EU country.
For non-E.U. members, the residence permits costs EUR 50 for each adult, and EUR 25 for each child. You must fill in a separate form for each member of the family. If your residence permit has to be prolonged, the costs are EUR 40 and EUR 20, respectively.
Take with you: passport/visa, work contract, 2 passport photographs (of each family member, including children), health insurance documents, Anmeldebestätigung (from the Einwohnermeldeamt).