For International Students: Formalities
Visas
If international students wish to enter Germany, they require a visa for study purposes. You can only apply for a visa at a German diplomatic authority (embassy or consulate) abroad. Only there can the exact residence modalities (visa) be clarified. This does not apply to students and applicants from some countries, e.g:
- EU states & EEA states (European Economic Area countries: Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein)
- Andorra *
- Australia *
- Brazil *
- Canada *
- Honduras *
- El Salvador *
- Israel *
- Japan *
- Monaco *
- New Zealand *
- San Marino *
- South Korea *
- Switzerland **
- United Kingdom ***
- USA *
The rules that apply to Ukrainian nationals are constantly changing. Therefore, please ask for the current rules at the corresponding Immigration Office (Ausländerbehörde), i.e. the Immigration Office at the place of residence during your studies, for example Bamberg (contact: abh(at)stadt.bamberg.de). You can also find more Information on the German Federal Foreign Office's website.
For more information, you must always contact your nearest German Embassy or Consulate.
The visa application process normally takes eight to twelve weeks to complete; however, sometimes it may take even longer. Some German embassies and consulates abroad have been temporarily closed during the Corona crisis. You should take this into account when planning your stay abroad.
Important: It is not possible to change a tourist visa to a student visa after arriving in Germany. It is also not possible to apply for a student visa in Germany. Visas can only be obtained at a German Embassy or Consulate abroad.
In addition, the website of the DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst – German Academic Exchange Service) provides helpful information on visa requirements for international students.
Citizen Registration Office/Immigration Office
Citizen Registration Office ('Einwohneramt')
All citizens living in Germany are required by law to register their address with the Citizen Registration Office located in the City Hall (Rathaus am ZOB) in Bamberg at Promenadestraße 2a (near ‚Zentraler Omnibusbahnhof/‚ZOB‘) within two weeks of arrival and after having found a permanent address. Please schedule an appointment via the City of Bamberg's Online Appointment Booking Service and be prepared to accept waiting time.
Students living in the administrative area of Bamberg may find information on the Citizen Registration Office at:
- www.stadt.bamberg.de
→ Bürgerservice → Ämter → O → Ordnungsamt → Einwohnerwesen
The direct link is:
Students who live outside the administrative area of Bamberg must register with the authority of their place of residence (e.g. municipal administration – Gemeindeverwaltung).
Immigration Office ('Ausländerbehörde')
Students who are not from states of the European Union and do not have a visa for their stay have to register at the Immigration Office in addition to the Citizen Registration Office. Please note that the Citizen Registration Office (Einwohneramt) and the Immigration Office (Ausländerbehörde) are two separate authorities.
Important: If you have a visa for the entire duration of your complete stay (e.g. for your exchange semester), you do not have to register at the Immigration Office at all. If you want to stay in Germany longer than your visa allows, you need an appointment at the Immigration Office. You must ask for an appointment before your visa expires (contact: abh(at)stadt.bamberg.de).
For students living in the administrative area of Bamberg, the Immigration Office is located in Luitpoldstraße 51, 96052 Bamberg (near the train station). After registering at the Citizen Registration Office, you must ask for an appointment with the Immigration Office of the City of Bamberg by e-mail at abh(at)stadt.bamberg.de about 8 weeks before your visa or residence permit expires. Please send only one e-mail. The following information must be included in your e-mail to the Immigration Office when you ask for an appointment:
- your last name(s)
- your first name(s)
- your birth date
- information that you are a student at the University of Bamberg; in addition, your field of study (e.g. English and American Studies, Business Administration) and intended degree programme (e.g. short-term studies within an exchange programme; Bachelor’s; Master’s)
- expiry date of your visa/residence permit
No appointment can be made without prior arrangement! Appointments must be made at least 8 weeks in advance. Therefore, please be sure to ask for an appointment in time. Please contact the Immigration Office again by e-mail only one week before your residence permit expires and attach your first appointment request.
For the appointment with the Immigration Office, the following must be brought along:
Additionally, it is possible to apply for a residence permit online.
The electronic residence permit is issued within ca. 2 weeks. It is not necessary to hand in one’s passport during the application process for the electronic residence permit. Consequently, students are granted full freedom to travel within the Schengen area during the waiting period of approximately two weeks. The fee for the initial electronic residence permit is € 100; the renewal costs € 93.
Students will be notified via regular mail from the Federal Printing Office (Bundesdruckerei) when their electronic residence permit (Elektronischer Aufenthaltstitel) can be picked up in Bamberg. Please make sure that your name is on your mailbox so that you can receive the PIN letter by post. The documents can be picked up without prior appointment during the opening hours.
If you have any questions, please contact abh(at)stadt.bamberg.de.
Further information on the Immigration Office (Ausländerbehörde):
- www.stadt.bamberg.de
→ Bürgerservice → Ämter → O → Ordnungsamt → Ausländerwesen - direct link Immigration Office (Ausländerbehörde)
Students who live outside the administrative area of Bamberg must register with the Immigration Office of their place of residence (e.g. Rural District Office – Landratsamt).
Immigration Office ('Ausländerbehörde'): Important Information on Part-Time Studies
If you are planning to change from full-time to part-time studies, you must inform the Immigration Office in advance and obtain authorisation from them. Simply submitting a certificate of enrolment for part-time studies is therefore not sufficient for the immigration authority.
Reasons that are taken into account for the authorisation of part-time studies are therefore primarily
- illnesses affecting studies, which must be proven by means of a qualified medical certificate,
- own children to be cared for, or
- caring for relatives.
Other reasons can only be considered in exceptional cases.
Health Insurance
By law, all students in Germany, both German and foreign nationals alike, must carry health insurance. Upon university registration, students must have a health insurance certificate issued or verified by a German health insurance provider.
To check which documents you need to bring along from your home country, please see below.
If you need a doctor or hospital:
Students who have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) must bring along the following documents when going to a doctor/dentist or to a hospital:
- EHIC
- identity card (e.g. passport)
- student ID
You must inform the doctor, the dentist or the hospital that you do not have a German health insurance. No costs shall be incurred for the services agreed contractually, except for any statutory additional payments which may arise (e.g. for medication).
Students who have an insurance certificate from one of the Convention States must contact one of the statutory health insurance companies and receive a medical treatment certificate (Nationaler Anspruchsausweis), which is required for a visit to a doctor/dentist or hospital treatment.
Here is a list of the statutory health insurance companies in Bamberg:
- TK, Obstmarkt 5, 96047 Bamberg, e-mail: Werner.Orth(at)tk.de
- DAK-Gesundheit, Ludwigstr. 25, 96052 Bamberg, e-mail: service(at)dak.de
- Bosch Betriebskrankenkasse (BKK), Starkenfeldstr. 21, 96050 Bamberg, e-mail: Stefan.Straub(at)bosch-bkk.de
- BARMER, Moosstraße 91-97, 96050 Bamberg, e-mail: julian.hartmann(at)barmer.de
- AOK, Pödeldorfer Str. 75, 96052 Bamberg, e-mail: ba1.beratung(at)service.by.aok.de
Please note that this list is not a recommendation, but is for information purposes only. Generally, it is sufficient to contact 1 statutory health insurance company.
Opening a Bank Account
Students from countries who are not part of SEPA (= Single Euro Payments Area) have to open a local bank account (for the regular bank transfers during their study period, e.g. rent, semester contribution fees).
To open an account, the following documents are required:
- identity card (e.g. passport)
- Letter of Admission from the University of Bamberg
- confirmation of your address in Bamberg (registration with the Citizen Registration Office, rental contract, certificate of residence/Wohnungsgeberbescheinigung)
Upon receipt by the authority in charge, the following must also be submitted:
- German Tax Identification Number (this will be sent automatically by post to your correspondence address in Germany within four weeks after registration with the Citizen Registration Office). The German Tax Identification Number must be submitted immediately after receipt. The EC card cannot be ordered without the German Tax Identification Number.
Students are mostly not subject to bank charges. The account must always be sufficiently covered for each withdrawal; otherwise, you might have to pay a penalty fee!
Please contact your bank prior to your departure from Bamberg regarding further account maintenance or account closure.
Liability Insurance ('Haftpflichtversicherung')
A private liability insurance is not compulsory, but strongly recommended. Not having a private liability insurance is grossly negligent.
A private liability insurance protects the holder against risks of liability imposed by lawsuits and similar claims. This means that a liability insurance offers protection if you are legally held responsible for property damage or negligent physical injury.
Anyone, who - for example - accidentally causes an accident, must compensate for the damage.
Examples:
- You bump into someone at a bus stop, the person’s mobile phone drops to the ground, and the phone screen breaks. Fixing the damage or a new phone can cost you € 500 or more.
- While riding a bicycle you run over a pedestrian, and the person breaks his/her leg. The treatment costs can go up to several thousand euros. You must pay for any direct damage and, if necessary, bear the costs of treating permanent injuries.
Such and similar cases can therefore involve high costs. A private liability insurance protecting against this risk is available already from € 5 per month, and can be taken out after arrival in Germany. It is also possible to take out a liability insurance in your home country if the insurance from abroad is valid in Germany.
However, a liability insurance does not cover liability for injury or damage caused while driving a car. In this case, a car insurance is necessary, which is obligatory in Germany for the registration of a car.