International Office

Welcome to the Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology!
 

In order to facilitate your arrival and integration in Germany as well as a good start and quick orientation at the Institute, the International Office offer a comprehensive pre- and onboarding package. We are here to help and advise with all the organizational aspects of your stay.

The International Office supports employees and scholarship holders from pre-boarding to on-boarding and throughout their stay. It supports international researchers in preparing for their move to Germany, their integration and the integration of their families. The collaboration between the International Office, Administration and Research Coordination ensures that we clarify any questions you may have regarding formalities within the Institute and daily life, and help you to quickly settle into your new environment.

Please feel free to take a look at our recommendations:

Preparing your move to Germany

Our experiences have shown that it's advisable to start planning and organizing a relocation as soon as it's confirmed.

Visa application:
To enter Germany, you will need a valid passport and a visa that you allows to take up your work at the Institute. In most cases, a visa will be issued by the German embassy in your home country for the first 90 or more days, which should then be converted into a longer-term residence permit.

Whether you need a visa or a residence permit depends on your country of origin. For most EU citizens, a valid ID card or passport is sufficient. However, citizens of non-EU countries need a visa to enter Germany.

To apply for a visa, please submit your application together with the employment offer/ invitation letter of the Instiute at a German diplomatic mission in your home country or online at: https://digital.diplo.de/Visa
The required documents for the visa application may vary depending on the type of visa and the country. For more information on the visa application and the required documents, please contact the German embassy or consulate in your home country. Do not hesitate to contact the International Office for further support regarding your visa application process.


Accommodation upon arrival:
We would be happy to assist you in finding accommodation if needed. If available, you can reserve a furnished apartment in our guest house for the first few weeks.
We will also support you in finding a long-term apartment in Halle (Saale).


Pre-Arrival Checklist

  • Valid passport or identity document.
  • Valid visa if applicable.
  • Health Insurance: Make sure that you have a valid health insurance for the time of your trip and your stay in Germany.
  • Marriage certificate (if applicable) AND apostille or legalization. Both documents must be translated into German by a certified translation office (could be done in Halle (Saale)).
  • If you travel with your kids: Birth certificate and if you need a visa/residence permit also the apostille/legalization of your kid’s birth certificate and the latest school reports.
  • Driving license: Please check with the International Office the requirements beforehand.
  • Your latest university degrees (orignal or certified copies).
First steps in Germany

Step 1) As soon as possible, but within the first 2 weeks:

  • Register at the Residents' Registration Office (Bürgerservice) with your private address in Germany: Once you have successfully registered, you will receive a registration certificate, which you will need, for example, to apply for your residence permit or to open a bank account.
  • Apply for a residence permit: The International Office will inform you about the necessary documents and arrange an appointment for you at the Foreigners' Registration Office.
  • Open a bank account: To receive a regular salary/stipend or to pay rent.
  • Tax ID: The tax ID will be assigned to you after your first registration in Germany and sent by post to your registered address. The tax ID is required by the personnel administration and the bank, among others.

Broadcasting fee (GEZ): The International Office will inform you about the obligatory registration and cancellation procedure for the public radio and television program.

Step 2) Within the first month after arrival:

  • Search for long-term accommodation (recommended immediately).
  • Set up internet, telephone.
  • Transfer of your national driver's licence (if applicable). 

Step 3) After settling in 

  • Broadcasting fee (GEZ): Anyone staying in Germany for longer than three months must register and pay fees for public radio and television programs.
  • Insurances: Conclusion of important voluntary insurance policies.
Onboarding Services
Even after your employment contract/stipend ends, the International Office will support and advise you in the offboarding process regarding:

  • Official deregistration processes (immigration authorities, residents' registration office).
  • Registration as a job seeker (if you plan to continue living in Germany).
  • Necessary cancellations of:
    • Rental agreement/lease
    • Telephone and internet contracts
    • Utilities (electricity, gas)
    • Bank account
    • Railway discount card (Bahncard), Deutschlandticket Jobticket
    • Drivers licence
    • Broadcasting license fee (GEZ)
    • Insurance policies

About Halle (Saale) and Saxony-Anhalt

In Halle (Saale), there is one of the oldest universities in Germany, the Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg, as well as the Evangelical College of Church Music Halle and the Burg Giebichenstein University of Art and Design Halle. Within the city area, there are numerous significant cultural and museum institutions, such as the Moritzburg Art Museum Halle (Saale), the Handel House Foundation, and the State Museum of Prehistory with the Nebra Sky Disc (Himmelsscheibe von Nebra), which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. In Halle, the Future Center for German Unity and European Transformation is currently being built.

Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt is impressed by its rich cultural heritage and diverse landscapes. Culture and nature can be combined here, for example, in historic parks, medieval towns or when visiting castles and palaces. With its over 1000-year history, Saxony-Anhalt offers a wide range of tourist attractions e.g.:

Brocken (Mountain in the Harz Region) - Castle Wernigerode -
Dessau Wörlitz Garden Realm - Magdeburg Cathedral - Quedlinburg
Bauhaus-Building Dessau - Europa-Rosarium 


The Saale-Unstrut Region is a wine-growing region in Central Germany, which is mainly located in the Burgenlandkreis district of Saxony-Anhalt and mainly stretches along the rivers Saale and Unstrut.

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