general information
In the last few months you have been in contact with a host department at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg and you are now preparing for your stay in the area. We have put together a few tips for you on what you should consider before leaving to come here.
Before leaving for Germany you require the following documents and forms of identification:
a passport, or an equivalent form of identification which is valid for the full duration of your stay in Germany;
a visa for yourself and for any members of your family who are accompanying you. Apply for your visas as early as possible. While the visa for you yourself is usually issued quite quickly, the residence permit for members of your family who are accompanying you can take a long time to be processed by the authorities. Citizens of some countries (for example, countries in the European Union or the United States of America) are not required to fulfill this condition;
- evidence of your financial position and/or a declaration as to how you intend to finance your stay in Germany, for example, through a grant or through an employment contract;
- several passport photographs for the various forms and identification papers which you will require during your stay;
- certified copies of your PhD certificate, birth certificate(s), marriage certificate (where applicable), and possibly also insurance documents;
- confirmation of your health insurance if this is also valid for Germany;
- where applicable, a declaration of medical history including any recently taken X-rays, and a record of any medication which you currently require;
- your vaccination certificate, if possible in an international version.
If you intend to drive a car during your stay in Germany, then please remember to bring the following documents:
- international or foreign driving licence;
- international "green card" as evidence of personal liability insurance cover in Germany (if you wish to bring your own car to Germany);
- written evidence from your personal liability insurance company confirming that you have not made any insurance claims for driving accidents (this will make you eligible to receive a reduction in premiums if you wish to take out a personal liability policy in Germany).
- In preparation for your research work it is important to make early contact with your academic host in order to:
- clarify any special conditions necessary for the research project (for example, permission to conduct experiments on animals, regulations concerning practising as a doctor of medicine etc.);
- acquire information concerning the place of work and the available equipment,(for example, whether a PC or a lap-top computer is available);
- discuss whether any specimens or apparatus should be brought with you and deal with matters concerning import and export regulations.
Your host may also be able to assist you in finding accommodation. Although your host may not be able to find you accommodation directly, they or their colleagues will at least be able to give you useful addresses and internet sites and general information about your intended host town.
If your husband or wife is accompanying you, they might also wish to seek employment during their stay in Germany. If they intend to take employment in Germany then a work permit will be required (exceptions: citizens of European Union states and citizens of Iceland, Lichtenstein and Norway. Spouses of academic guests who wish to be gainfully employed must indicate this before entering the country and ensure that they apply for the appropriate residence permit (on which it is indicated that gainful employment is permitted ‘Erwerbstätigkeit gestattet’). The work permit itself must then be applied for at the Employment office (‘Bundesagentur für Arbeit’). This procedure can take some time (the processing of the application alone may take several weeks) and the application may not always be successful. In view of the currently high levels of unemployment in Germany it may be difficult to find a job at all. As an alternative to gainful employment, spouses may choose to attend classes as a non-matriculated student at the University or take courses at the adult education centre (‘Volkshochschule’) where a broad spectrum of subjects is offered.
Other useful information:
All electrical sockets in Germany work with 220 Volts, 50 Hertz AC and are designed for use with euronorm plugs. Remember to bring adapters and transformers if you are bringing devices with you which have different technical parameters.
Please note:
If you declare devices which you have brought with you at customs when you arrive, you must ensure that you take them out of the country when you leave.
