Visa
If you need a visa, you will need it not only for yourself but also for your family, if they are accompanying you. Visas should be applied for well in time. Do not enter Germany with a tourist visa, as you will not be allowed to change it into a residence permit.

Health insurance
You need to have health insurance for you and your family. Germany has signed public health insurance agreements with some countries, including most EU member states. Please provide proof if your insurance covers your stay in Germany. (EU citizens will need  EHIC.) If your health insurance does not cover consultations abroad, we recommend that you purchase travellers' health insurance from a private company, so that you will be covered during the first weeks of your stay. After arriving in Germany, you can take out a German health insurance policy that will cover you for the duration of your stay.

Invitation
You should bring the invitation of your host institute at the University of Osnabrück.

Translation of important documents
It might be useful to bring along a German translation of important documents such as birth and marriage certificates or academic degrees.

Proof of financial support
When you apply for a residence permit you will have to prove how you finance your stay in Germany. You should therefore bring proof of financial support, income or savings.

Passport Pictures
You will need around four up-to-date photos for various documents.

Vaccination card/illnesses
Please bring your international vaccination card. You should conduct medical checkups before you depart for Osnabrück.

Driving License
If your driving license was not issued in an EU-country you will usually need a German translation or an international driving license. For longer stays you might have to change your driving license intro a German driving license, as driving licenses from non-EU-countries lose their validity in Germany if you stay longer than six months. For more information >>