Welcome Office
The Welcome Office supports our researchers and visiting scientists in all non-academic matters and getting settled in the institute and in your new home in Germany. We offer advice and practical support so that you can have a smooth transition to Konstanz. There are likely different rules and regulations to what you are used to, but do not be discouraged, we will help you get past the red tape. We suggest that you make a video appointment with our Welcome Officer, Jennifer Golbol, in order to start the necessary preparations.
Preparation before coming to Germany
If you are not a citizen of the EU, you will most likely need permission to work in Germany. Even if you are able to enter the country without a visa, you will not be able to work until you have a visa or a residence permit that allows employment. In most cases, we advise to apply for a research visa
This is a non-exhaustive list of documents to bring with you:
- a valid passport or form of identification (valid for your entire stay in Germany)
- if required, a visa
- passport photos for ID cards and documents (if required, biometric passport photos)
- written documentation in German or English of how you are funding your stay (scholarship, salary from your home country)
- proof of health insurance in German or English with a written confirmation of the monthly payments. If your employment in Germany is subject to compulsory insurance, please provide: documentation of your current health insurance (e.g. European Health Insurance Card from your current provider)
- certified copies of your academic degrees in German or English translation
- if applicable, birth certificate of your children and certificate of marriage, in German or an English translation, if possible. Depending on the country, certificates will need to include an apostille or form of legalization
- a credit card and/or EC card
- an (international) immunization record as well as documents on illnesses or medications
- If you would like to drive a car while you are in Germany, please bring along an international driving license and a valid driving license from abroad.
It can be quite difficult to find housing in and around Konstanz. Homeowners often want to meet their potential tenant in person before they draw up a lease. Therefore, we recommend booking a room in the MPIAB guesthouse for the beginning. Please contact Elke Henkenhaf in order to reserve a room.
The University of Konstanz also has a few rooms available, you can ask here as well
Of course, you are welcome to try the housing market in advance. Here are some of the biggest regional housing portals:
Vierwaen.de (especially for shared-living arrangements)
The closest airport is located in Zurich, Switzerland. The next airports in Germany are Friedrichshafen, Stuttgart, Munich and Frankfurt.
Your department’s assistant can help you with your initial travel plans to the institute or see our Addresses and Directions page.
Your family members may also require a visa. Please consult your local German diplomatic mission for details.
Please give us plenty of time to find an appropriate childcare facility or school for your child(ren).
Both Konstanz and Radolfzell have a centralized registration for daycare.
In general, elementary school is for children aged 6-10; there are special classes available to help youngsters learn German and integrate into the German school system. We can also assist your spouse in finding employment.
Please contact our Welcome Officer for a personal consultation so that we can find the right solution for your family.
First Days at the Institute
Once you arrive, our Welcome Officer will approach you to set up a meeting. This is an opportunity for you to find out more about life at the institute and determine which bureaucratic steps need to be taken in the next few days. Our goal is to get these steps taken care of as soon as possible so that you can concentrate on your research.
The first step to life in Germany is registering with the local authorities. You must tell the citizen’s office (Bürgerbüro) what your current address is. Every time you change your address or leave the country for good, you must also tell the Bürgerbüro. You must do this within 14 days.
You will need two things in order to do this: your passport and a landlord’s certificate (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung), which is a document from your landlord confirming that you live at this address. If you are married and your spouse lives with you or you live with your children, you will need to take all passports, your marriage license and the child(ren)’s birth certificate(s). One surprising question that the authorities ask is, “Which religion do you belong to?” By mentioning your religion, you agree to pay a tax to the catholic or protestant churches. You do not have to answer this question.
You will receive a certificate with your new address on it, please keep this document. With this certificate, you can now open a bank account. The citizen’s office also tells the immigration office that you here.
When you register for the first time, you will automatically get the following things in the mail within a few days:
- Tax-ID: This is an eleven-digit number, which your employer needs, and which you need for your income tax returns. This is your German tax number for life, so please hold on to it.
- Municipal waste service: Garbage fees differ depending on where you live and how many people live in your home. Please contact your property owner to see if these costs are already included in your “warm” rent.
- Public television and radio licence fee: Every household must pay a monthly mandatory fee for public news. This fee must only be paid once per household.
Whenever you move to a new address, you are obliged to re-register and when you leave Germany completely, it is also important to de-register. By doing so, you inform the local immigration office and you receive a certificate that can help you end some contracts (telecommunication, electricity, etc).
If you entered the country with a visa and you are planning on staying in Germany beyond its validity, you must apply for a residence permit with the local immigration office. In general, you must prove that you have sufficient income, housing and health insurance to be granted a residence permit. In some cases, you must also show that you speak German. Our Welcome Office will help you with the application, please set up an appointment.
Social security covers in Germany health insurance, pension schemes, unemployment benefit, accident and long-term care insurance. Social insurance is usually mandatory for all employees in Germany. Therefore, researchers who are employed in Germany via an employment contract take part in the full German social security system. A certain percentage of your monthly salary are automatically allocated to the social security system.
Researchers on a fellowship are generally exempt from the obligation to pay contributions to the German social security system. However, they need to be insured in a health insurance scheme. We recommend that this group of people purchase a substitutive private health insurance.
Once you are employed in Germany, you must take out statutory health insurance. The choice of health insurance company is up to you, there are dozens of insurances to choose from. The EURAXESS website for researchers in Europe describes the social security system in Germany and offers links to both statutory and private health insurances.
Before you leave
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