FAQ Coming to and living in Germany
Do I need a visa?
You might need a visa to attend our recruitment event and to join us for your PhD project. On the website of the Federal Foreign Office you can find out if you need a visa to enter Germany. If you require a visa we'll issue a letter stating that you have been accepted for a PhD stipend or contract to conduct research within the IMPRS-gBGC. You will need this letter when you apply for a visa at the German Embassy in your country of residence. Upon your arrival in Germany we will help you with the formalities necessary to obtain a residence permit from the local authorities.
What is living in Germany like?
Check this site of the Max Planck PhDnet for a good overview and many links. This brochure (pdf) by the Max Planck Society also provides useful information on living and working in Germany.
Where can I find more information on Germany?
How to obtain a residence permit
Non EU-citizens usually receive a visa for 3 month to enter Germany. Within that time, they have to obtain a longer permit from the local immigration office. The IMPRS assists you in this.
From September 1, 2011 on, all newly issued permits for stays of more than 1 month will be issued as separate credit-card sized documents. It will take 4-6 weeks to produce these new electronically readable residence permits; much longer than for the adhesive labels used so far. Therefore, please apply for an extension of your permit early. Talk to the coordination office if you need assistance.
Information on the electronic residence permit in several languages (provided by the German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees)