Before your Start
Moving to a new country involves several important steps before your first day. The International Office supports you with the key procedures related to visa applications and provides the documents required for your entry. We are also here to answer your questions about finding accommodation and navigating everyday life in Germany.
Entry Visa Procedure
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First of all, please check the visa requirements for your home country. The following overview will tell you whether or not you need an entry visa. ➜ Overview Visa Requirements |
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Be on time! Visa processing often takes three months, so please keep this in mind when planning your start date. |
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Although you can enter Germany without a visa, you cannot start working until you receive a residence permit from the city’s Foreigners Office. This process takes time. Go to the section about residence permits for more information.
Contact the German embassy or consulate in your home country as early as possible to learn about the application process and the documents you will need.
It is not possible to enter on a tourist visa and then change it to a work or research visa after arrival.
Entry Visa Types
The following are the most common types of visas among UFZ staff.
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Visa for research (§18d German Residence Act) |
For whom:
Requirement:
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EU Blue Card (§18g German Residence Act) |
For whom:
Requirements:
If your degree is not listed in the database, you can apply for a research visa and have your degree recognized in Germany. Then, you can change your research visa into a Blue Card later. ➜ Get more Information |
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Work Visa (§18b German Residence Act) |
For whom:
Requirement:
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Visa for internship holders or master students (§16e German Residence Act) |
For whom:
Requirements:
Third-country nationals holding a residence permit from a Schengen country may undertake an internship at the UFZ for up to 90 days without an explicit internship visa. ➜ Get more Information |
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Visa for family reunification (§§ 28 - 32 German Residence Act) |
Types of family reunification:
Requirements:
This process is usually only worthwhile for stays of several years or more, as verifying marriage certificates in some countries can result in a waiting period of several years. As an alternative, your family members can apply for a short-term guest or tourist visa for three months. ➜ Get more Information |
Accelerated Procedure for Skilled WorkersThis procedure can only be initiated if you have a work contract with the UFZ, and if your department covers the associated costs.The International Office applies with your power of attorney for the pre-consent at the local Foreigner´s Office in Germany. The pre-consent is directly sent to the German embassy and enables a visa procedure within the next 6 weeks (usually in a shorter time). However, you will still need to submit your visa application to the embassy and pay the fee. |
Important Health Insurance Information
If you have an employment contract, you are required to enroll in a statutory health insurance plan. However, this coverage does not take effect until your first day of work. Therefore, you should take out travel health insurance before you arrive.
Scholarship holders should purchase private health insurance that covers basic treatment costs in Germany.
Finding a Flat
Here you will find specific links and information to rooms and apartments in each city.
Accommodation Websites
The initiative Welcome to Leipzig offers you a list
of accommodation websites when looking for an
apartment in Leipzig.
Go to Accommodation Flyer
Housing Exchange Leipzig
The Housing Exchange is an initiative by the Leipzig Science Network e.V.. Here, private landlords can share their housing offers with the network of all academic institutions in Leipzig. Please contact the International Office if you would like us to check the list of available listings for you. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee that there will always be a suitable option available.
Private and communal appartments
LWB (Leipziger Wohnungsbaugesellschaft)
: one of the largest municipal housing companies in Germany
Suit Service Leipzig Living
: rents out fully furnished rooms and apartments in Leipzig and the surrounding area
Private and communal apartments
Waldstadt Boardinghouse Halle
: simple and cheap furnished apartment
for a lower price.
Housingtarget.com : housing search engine for Halle
HWG : housing association Halle
Guesthouse from MLU
Georg Forster Haus : The international guesthouse of Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg and the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina has some furnished apartments for international scholars and researchers at its disposal. They can be rented from 4 weeks to 1 year.
Private and communal appartments
Die Stadtfelder : housing association (Wohnungsbaugenossenschaft)
WOBAU Magdeburg : housing association
MWG : housing association
GEWO
: private housing company