International Office

Please make sure that you have a valid passport and that it’s valid for at least six months after entering Germany. However, we strongly recommend the passport to have a longer validity to allow for more time to complete all the administrative steps in Hamburg. If your passport expires during your stay in Germany, you may be able to renew it at your country's embassy or consulate in Germany.

In case you have dual citizenship (or even more), please bring all the different passports with you.

If you are not a citizen of the European Union, you may need a visa to enter Germany.

List of countries with visa requirements or exemptions

Nota bene: Even if you are a citizen of a country that is initially exempt from visa requirements in Germany, we still strongly recommend entering with a valid visa. Otherwise, you might face avoidable complications in Germany.

Please submit your visa application in good time to the nearest German embassy or consulate in your home or residence country. It can take several weeks or months to get an appointment at your local German mission or for the visa to be issued.

We will guide you through the application process, help you determine the correct visa category, and provide you with an invitation letter as well as other necessary documents.

Please note that the visa is only the 'entry ticket' to Germany—if you plan to stay longer, you will need to convert your visa into a so-called residence permit at the Foreigners' Registration Office. Do not enter Germany with a tourist or business visa (short-term 'Schengen visa')! This does not permit employment in Germany and cannot be converted into a residence permit later!

Further information:
Federal Foreign Office - General Information on Visa Regulations
Overview of all German missions abroad worldwide

The housing situation in Mainz is unfortunately quite tight—finding affordable housing, especially in popular neighborhoods, is difficult. For this reason, we recommend starting your search for accommodation early, well before your planned arrival. Sometimes, housing opportunities arise spontaneously, but this is not always predictable.

The MPIC has its own guesthouse; however, the availability and duration of stay are very limited. Nevertheless, staying there for the first few weeks can be helpful as it allows you to search for suitable accommodation at your own pace. More information about the guesthouse can be found here: MPIC / MPIP guesthouse.

Helpful links for apartment searches:

• www.immoscout24.de
• www.immowelt.de
• www.quoka.de
• www.immonet.de
• www.zwischenmiete.de
• www.wg-gesucht.de
• www.hc24.de/de/m%C3%B6blierter-wohnraum-in-mainz.htm
• https://campo-novo-mainz.de/
• Die Zimmerei

                    

Please remember to bring important certificates and documents (originals!) to Germany as they may be needed for certain administrative steps. For example: birth certificate, marriage certificate, PhD certificate, University degrees, proof about work experience gained, set of biometric passport-sized photographs, vaccination card, driving license, official language certificates such as TOEFL, TELC or TestDaF. Please note that these documents also apply to all family members travelling and relocating with you.

In some cases, an official translation into German and / or a legalization or apostille may be needed.

Further information:

Foreign Office: How to use foreign documents in Germany
                                                                                                                             

Please think of bringing some cash (currency EUR) with you to get by during the first days in Hamburg until you have opened your own bank account. Not every shop, restaurant or landlord accepts credit cards.

If you stay in Germany for more than 3 months, you must register within two weeks of your arrival in Mainz. After successful registration, you will receive a registration certificate, which you will need, for example, to open a bank account or to apply for your residence permit. If you move within Mainz or elsewhere in Germany during your stay, you must repeat this step and re-register.

We will assist you with the registration formalities at the Mainz Residents' Registration Office.

If you are staying in Germany for an extended period, receive a regular salary, and need to pay rent, it is advisable to open an account with a bank of your choice. We can provide you with a list of banks located near the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry. Additionally, there are various online banks available—you can decide which bank suits you best.

We recommend scheduling an appointment to open a bank account. You will need the following documents:

• Passport (including visa)
• Employment contract / MPIC scholarship letter or proof of external funding
• Registration certificate
• Tax ID number

All individuals having their main residence in Germany have got an 11-digit tax identification number (“Steuer-Ident-Nummer” in German) to ensure their unique identification within the tax system. The number will not change if you move house or marry. It will remain with you for your entire life.

Following your initial registration in Germany, the Tax ID number will be assigned to you and sent to you by post to your registered address. This process usually takes 2 – 4 weeks.

Please inform our Human Resources department about your personal Tax ID as the number is needed for paying your salary. Also, the bank will ask you for this number when opening a bank account.

Every household in Germany is required by law to pay a monthly broadcasting fee, known as the "Rundfunkbeitrag". This fee helps finance public broadcasting programs (such as ARD, ZDF and Deutschlandradio) on television, radio and the Internet.

The fee is currently 18.36 EUR per month and is mandatory for all persons with a registered address in Germany regardless of their actual media use.

However, the fee is paid only once per household. That means:

1 person in an apartment = 1 broadcasting fee
1 family in an apartment = 1 broadcasting fee
5 persons living in a shared apartment = 1 broadcasting fee

The “ARD ZDF Deutschlandradio Beitragsservice” will generally write to you automatically once you register your place of residence. Alternatively, you can register yourself at their website.

www.rundfunkbeitrag.de
Online Registration
Answering their request online
 

If you hold a national visa for Germany, it is usually valid for a limited period of time (90 days up to one year). If your stay in Germany exceeds the validity of your visa, you have to convert it into a so-called residence permit (“Aufenthaltstitel”) at your foreigners’ office in Mainz.

We will guide you through the application process during your stay.

We are also happy to be your contact for the following topics:

• German and English courses at various levels
• Living in Mainz / Germany
• Social and cultural background information

A good starting point is the guide ‘LIVING AND WORKING IN GERMANY’ by the Max Planck Society. It can help you settle into Germany, feel at home, and manage the daily business of living and working.

We also recommend the following links:

• The German Federal Government’s ‘Make it in Germany’
• Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF)

These sites provide helpful information on topics such as German tax regulations, healthcare, and the cost of living.