Entering Germany

Please consider this page only as a note on frequently asked questions. Please carefully check the entry requirements from your home country with the nearest German diplomatic mission (embassy, consulate) which you find on the website of the German Federal Foreign Office.

Visa applications have to be filed with the German embassy/consulate in your home country. Visa are connected to a particular purpose of stay in Germany (i.e. scientific research, studying, business visit, tourist, etc.).

Note: Do NOT enter Germany on a tourist visa if you want to work at mpipks, or if you plan to stay in Germany for more than 90 days. The purpose of stay noted in the visa cannot be changed once you entered Germany.

If you are granted a national visa for Germany for a full year: after your arrival in Germany, typically the local Federal Authorities will grant an appointment for issuing a residence permit about three months before your visa expires and not earlier. While you are holding a visa and not a residence permit, you can still travel freely within the Schengen Area and directly to your home country, but it might be difficult to apply for a visa in order to travel to other countries, like  e.g. UK or US, as their embassies in Germany usually require a German residence permit in order to consider a visa application.

If you visit the mpipks for less than 90 days you might consider to apply for a Schengen visa. This visa gives you the opportunity to travel within the European states of the Schengen Agreement freely.

For all those guests who do not need a visa for entering Germany:
From mid-2025 the Euopean Union will require an ETIAS travel authorisation. You need to have this very document before entering the European Union.

CAUTION!
Joint as well as subsequent immigration of spouses are bound to several preconditions. Please see the German Residence Act, Section 30 and contact your German diplomatic mission for country-specific regulations.
Be aware that marriage certificates as well as birth certificates (of spouses and children) might need official legalizations, a so-called apostille. Please contact your German diplomatic mission for country-specific regulations.
Please make sure that you always carry the originals and the official legalizations with you when entering Germany.