"Hallo"

Information for Newcomers

Let us give you a warm welcome to Berlin and the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine. We wish you a pleasant and successful stay.
Please, find some information for the very first steps after arrival and for settling down in Berlin and at the MDC in detail.

 

Important Links for Newcomers
 

Welcome!

Welcome to Berlin and the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine! We are delighted to have you join us and are committed to ensuring your transition is as smooth and stress-free as possible. Below, you will find an overview of the comprehensive services we offer to help you navigate the challenges of relocating to Berlin, especially from abroad.

Below, you will find essential information about our center, Berlin, and life in Germany. The content is based on current legal frameworks and official publications from relevant authorities, ministries, and the EU. While we update this information regularly, legal changes may occur. We welcome your feedback, including practical insights, comments, and corrections, to help us maintain the accuracy and relevance of these resources.

For additional guidance, we recommend the Welcome folder of make-it-in-Germany, co-working with the Federal Government. 

It can be overwhelming to know which formality is a service of which organization or government agency. Here is an overview of what to do where.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please do not hesitate to reach out. We are committed to making your transition to MDC and Berlin as seamless as possible.

Welcome & Family Office

Support Before You Arrive

 

Visa and Residence Permit
We provide extensive support to help you prepare for your start at the MDC. When it comes to visa and residence issues, you may have many questions: Do I need a visa, and which one is right for me? How can I apply for a residence permit? I would like to apply for permanent residence, but what are the requirements? Do I need to have my degrees recognized? For questions like these, we are here to advise and support you. As a customer of the Business Service unit of the immigration office in Berlin, you can benefit from shorter processing times for applications that we submit on your behalf.

Who needs a visa?

Nationals of EU and EFTA states (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland) do not need a visa or residence permit to enter Germany and start working. They enjoy freedom of movement and unrestricted access to the German labor market.

Third-country nationals (non-EU and non-EFTA nationals) generally need a visa to enter Germany and start working. 

Exceptions for certain third-country nationals:
Citizens of Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Israel, Japan, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States can enter Germany without a visa.
However, these nationals still need to obtain a residence permit before they can start working in Germany.
They can apply for this permit after arriving in Germany, but it's important to note that processing times can take up to 3 months.

It's crucial to remember that entering Germany on a tourist visa or visa-free short stay does not grant the right to take up employment. Always ensure you have the correct visa or permit for your intended purpose of stay and work in Germany.

Which visa is the one for me?

The type of visa depends on the duration and purpose of your stay. Which visa should I apply for? https://digital.diplo.de/navigator/en/visa

For longer stays (more than 90 days) and for stays for the purpose of gainful employment, study or training, as well as for family reunification, you will need to apply for a national visa.

Please check if you can apply via the "Auslandsportal" - an online portal that the Federal Foreign Office of Germany released to make visa applications worldwide easier. The advantages of the Auslandsportal are: 

  • a document pre-check: the pre-check informs you if there are any issue with your documents or if anything is missing before your appointment. No longer will you have to go to the consulate or embassy for your appointment, with your binder full of documents, only to be told that you are missing document x, y, or z. This will thusly minimize delays for an already-lengthy process. 
  • Reduced Document Requirements: Because of the digital document upload and pre-check, you no longer need to bring every single document that you have accrued over the course of your life to the appointment.
  • Save and come back: you can upload documents and work on your application, save it, and then return later to continue the process.
  • Status tracking: you can check on the status of your application, which would hopefully provide you with a clearer picture of the timeframe for receiving your visa and let you know of any speedbumps as they arise.
     

If the visa application in your country or for the visa type you'd like to apply for, is not possible yet, please contact the German embassy or consulate in your home country or contact the German Embassy in the country you are working at the moment. Link to find the appropriate the German mission: https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/about-us/auslandsvertretungen/

It takes several weeks for a visa to be issued. We recommend you to apply as early as possible. From the MDC you will receive the so called “hosting agreement” and a letter of invite – both documents need to be submitted along with your personal documents as part of your application for the work visa.

Please check in the list of documents if you need to provide the equivalence of your degree for the visa application. You can check yourself in the anabin database if your university and your degree are listed with H+. If not, you may need to request the statement of comparability from KMK which can take up to 2 months.  

The visa is usually issued on the basis of a valid employment contract, i.e. the first day of validity of the visa is often also the first day of validity of the employment contract. Please bear this in mind and specify an earlier entry date for Germany during your application already or at the latest at your personal appointment at the embassy. This will give you at least one day to settle in, to overcome your jet lag and to sign your contract prior to your first day at the MDC.

We recommend that you take out travel health insurance valid for Germany for the period of entry and the entire stay. The embassy requires travel health insurance for at least 90 days.

Residence permit application and renewal

If you are already in Germany, before your visa expires you need to apply for a residence permit. In case you already have a residence permit you will need to apply for the extension before its expiring date. 

Please ensure that you get in touch with the welcome and family office at least 3 months before your visa or residence permit expires. We can advise you on the different types of residence permits and in many cases we can apply to the Immigration Office on your behalf. For special permits, such as the first application for a Blue Card or Permanent Residence Permit, you have to apply yourself.

Please, note that you must stop working if your current Residence Permit has already expired without new application submitted.

Have you submitted your application for a residence permit before it expired, but haven't yet received a reply from the Immigration Service? Don't worry. Proof that you have submitted your application (pdf of the online form submitted) will be considered as an extension of your residence permit and will also apply to the conditions of your visa. This means You can continue to work or study until your appointment and you are legally protected.

Fiktionsbescheinigung

In case you are planning to travel abroad during the process of prolongation you can apply for a so called “Fiktionsbescheinigung”, please submit your application for receiving a Fiktionsbescheinigung here: https://www.berlin.de/einwanderung/en/about-us/contact/formular.1442964.en.php .

Recognition of foreign degrees

If you hold a foreign academic degree, it is necessary to have it recognized. Please note that in some cases this can take up to 2-3 months and can cost ~200€.

A recognition is required for three main reasons:

1. In most cases, recognition is necessary for applying for a visa for individuals from third countries.
2. You need the recognition for contract formulation and classification into the appropriate salary scale.
3. Additionally, recognition is a prerequisite for admission to a PhD program at a German university.

If you need a visa, please check in the list of documents if you need to provide the equivalence of your degree for the visa application. 

You can check yourself in the anabin database if your university and your degree are listed with H+. If not, you may need to request the statement of comparability from KMK which can take up to 2 months.  

What to do first in Germany

first administrative steps to be taken
 
When you move to Germany, you may feel overwhelmed by the numerous formalities you need to take care of. We provide you with a detailed to-do list to help you manage the necessary steps and ensure a smooth start at the MDC and in Berlin. Additionally, we offer a list of useful links to help you find accommodation and can forward private offers to you. Berlin is a large city, and it can be difficult to find housing, but you are not alone! The MDC community shares offers for available apartments or rooms in our designated chat. Would you like to be part of the team? Please send us a message!
  1. find accommodation
  2. organize your health insurance
  3. social security number
  4. open a bank account
  5. register your address
1. Finding accommodation in Berlin
 

Accommodation on the MDC Campus

The MDC has a guesthouse which is equipped with washing machines and dryers. The price per room depends on the size of the room, and if you use it as a single or a double room. For details and reservations, please contact: gaestehaus@mdc-berlin.de.

The following details are needed for a reservation request:

- your full name

- move in and likely move out date

- your home address

- your private e-mail address

- contact details of your MDC working group, secretariat, contact person

Accommodation List & MDC chat

Looking for inexpensive accommodation in Berlin can be difficult and time-consuming. If you wish, we can send you a list of links helping you to find accommodation.

We also have an internal chat channel. Everyone at the MDC is welcome to post search requests or share offers for free apartments or shared rooms.

Unfortunately, we cannot look for an apartment, nor can we conclude a rental contract for you. If you need information or advice on search options, please feel free to contact us.


Beware of fraud! Some people may try to rent you flats that do not exist. You should never transfer any money before visiting the property or having signed a rental agreement with your landlord / landlady.

Schufa credit report

When applying for a flat you often need to send a so called “Schufa” report. SCHUFA is the abbreviation for "Protection community for general credit protection". With that certificate you can document your financial reliability. The certificate is recognized by landlords and only discloses information that is relevant to the conclusion of the contract. 

You can order the Schufa report here and will receive your Schufa certificate via e-mail.

2. Organize your Health Insurance
 

In Germany you must have a health insurance from the day you enter the country. If you have an employment contract with the MDC, you must be insured with a statutory health insurance company and have to register online with a health insurance company of your choice. List of public health insurance companies. You’ll receive a confirmation that you have applied for membership, which you should save.

You are doing research at the MDC on a fellowship, as a visiting scientist or as a self-payer?

Please check in advance if you are eligible for the public health insurance or if you need a private health insurance. 

3. Your Social Security Number
 

Getting your German social security number is an important step if you have just come to Germany. The number is also known as "Sozialversicherungsnummer'' or "Rentenversicherungsnummer” and is a unique identifier that is crucial for tracking your social security contributions as an employee and also for accessing various social benefits in Germany. 
The social security number is essential when you take up a new job in Germany. The H&R department of the MDC needs your social security number or social security card to issue your payroll and deduct mandatory social security contributions for you. That’s why they will usually ask for it before or on your first day of work.

Mandatory social security contributions for employees in Germany include:

  •    health insurance (“Krankenversicherung”),
  •    pension insurance (“Rentenversicherung”),
  •    nursing care (“Pflegeversicherung”),
  •    accident insurance(“Unfallversicherung”) and
  •    unemployment insurance (“Arbeitslosenversicherung”).

Social security contributions are deducted from your monthly paycheck by your employer and paid directly to the responsible German institutions. The only exception is if you have private health insurance. In this case, you will have to pay the health insurance fees yourself. However, all other contributions will still be paid by your employer.
The social security number is issued by the German public pension office “Deutsche Rentenversicherung”, also known as “DRV”.  If you just moved to Germany to take up a new job, for instance on an EU Blue Card, the way you get your social security number depends on your health insurance status:

If you have public health insurance, the social security number is usually sent to you via post after applying for public health insurance and completing your city registration (“Anmeldung”) in Germany. In case you have not received it, take a look at your health insurance membership confirmation which usually includes your social security number or contact the German public pension fund yourself (see information below). 
It's important to note that your social security number is distinct from your tax ID (“Steuernummer”). The tax ID consists of 11 digits and is issued by the German tax office. 

4. Money / Bank account
 

You need to have a bank account with a local or European bank as soon as possible to receive your income or the installments of your grant and to carry out regular payments, such as rent, electricity, etc. The different banks offer more or less the same service, but as the fees vary considerably, a comparison is worthwhile. Meanwhile, most of the banks offer internet banking, which is cheaper and allows you to handle your bank transactions by computer or smartphone. You find a couple of banks on the internet under https://www.kontofinder.de/girokonto/vergleich/ 

Some banks may be hesitant in offering you a bank account either because you may not have regsitered your address yet or because you entered Germany on a visa, while many bank institutes wish to see a residence permit. In those cases you can:

5. Registering your address & Tax number
 

Why you need to register

Everyone moving to Germany must register their address. When registering you will get a residence registration certificate, the so called Meldebescheinigung. You will need the Meldebescheinigung when you register for a health insurance, when you want to open a bank account, to obtain your tax ID or to get an internet connection at home

How to register

Book an appointment: https://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/120686/

Your appointment must be after you have move in. You are free to go to any Bürgeramt in Berlin. If you live in Brandenburg you will need to register in the Landkreis you are living in. If you cannot find an appointment, let us know.

What documents should I bring to the appointment?

  • Your passport 
  • If you have one: your residence permit / visa
  • The so called “Wohnungsgeberbescheinigung” from your landlord / main tenant where s/he confirms that you live at the given address (every landlord has to issue this form and can do so rather quickly on demand)
  • Your contract for the flat/room
  • Fill the form www.berlin.de/formularserver/formular.php?402608  (if you need help, let us know)

The registration is for free. 

Day of appointment

We advise to arrive a few minutes before your appointment. Check the screen and wait until your waiting number is shown on the screen. On the screen you will see to which office you’ll need to go. Onsite you will get your Anmeldebestätigung. 

Mobile citizen's office on the campus Buch

The mobile citizen's office is onsite every 5 weeks on the campus in Buch. For the next dates and information on how to book appointments please get in touch with welcome@mdc-berlin.de

Tax Number

After registering your address at the citizen’s office the Federal Central Tax Office will send you your personal tax ID via post and should be given to the MDC personnel department as early as possible. At the end of the year the data are transmitted electronically to the tax office. Employees can download the annual electronic income tax certificate from the intranet. After the close of a calendar year you have to fill in a tax declaration for the annual adjustment of income tax (“Einkommenssteuererklärung”) and forward it to the local tax authority (Finanzamt). 

Family Services

Kindergarten / School and the education system in Germany
 
We help you understand and navigate the German school system, find a kindergarten and even offer a bilingual kindergarten on the campus in Buch with places open spots available for the children of our employees.

 

Child Care

Children from 3 to 6 years of age may voluntarily attend kindergarten. 

https://www.berlin.de/sen/jugend/familie-und-kinder/kindertagesbetreuung/english/

Start your search early! 

helpful links:

"Kita-Navigator" 

https://www.daks-berlin.de/marktplatz/freie-plaetze/alle/alle/search 

You must first obtain a Kita Voucher in order to get a place in a Kita for your child. Further general information regarding kindergartens and Kita voucher: https://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/324879/

The Kita voucher will be obtained by the youth welfare office (Jugendamt) at the local administrative authority of the residential district. 

while information about schools can be obtained from the general school office Berlin at: http://www.berlin.de/sen/bildung/ or from the school office of your city district. 

 

Campus-Kita in Buch 

The CampusKita CampusSterne offers mixed-age childcare for 58 children aged 0 to 6 on the Berlin-Buch campus. The educational concept focuses on integration, English, project work and social learning. Children of MDC employees are given preferential childcare places here. Please contact Ms. Fischer, phone: 030 94 06 35 46, or campussterne@sehstern-ev.de to get more information: https://sehstern-ev.de/kita-campussterne Schooling

School system

All children who live in Germany must attend school for at least 9 years. Attending school is for free. There are just a few fee-charging private or foreign schools, some of which are very expensive. 

Gemrany's school system: https://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/living-in-germany/family-life/school-system#c23876 

For further information about the school system in Berlin see the links below:

https://www.berlin.de/willkommenszentrum/en/families/schools/

https://www.berlin.de/willkommenszentrum/en/arrival/compulsory-schooling/

Children and Adolescents with disabilities:

https://www.berlin.de/willkommenszentrum/en/families/children-and-adolescents-with-disabilities/

 

Find out more about the education system in Germany: https://www.studying-in-germany.org/german-education-system/ 

Mobility

"Deutschland-Ticket"
We provide you with information about Berlin's public transportation system and ticket options, and explain why it's beneficial to convert your foreign driver's license to a German one sooner rather than later.

At the BVG you can buy what is known as a "Deutschland-Ticket", which allows you to travel in Germany on all local public transport services throughout the whole of Germany - including the whole of the Berlin area. https://www.bvg.de/en/deutschland-ticket
If you have a contract for at least 1 year at the MDC and wish to buy the “Deutschland-Ticket” you can apply for a bonus from the MDC (Deutschland-Ticket Job). This however is possible only after you have started at the MDC. Information and details can be found on the intranet pages of the MDC. 

Berlin's public transport

Berlin has a very well developed network of public transport, including S-Bahn, busses, trams, underground and even ferries. https://www.berlin.de/en/public-transportation/ You find the route maps here: https://www.bvg.de/en/connections/network-maps-and-routes 

For planning your trips in Berlin you can use:

There is a variety of ticket fares depending on the different fare zones: https://www.berlin.de/en/public-transportation/1772016-2913840-tickets-fares-and-route-maps.en.html 

Bike repair
 

Bicycle repair shop – Fahrradhof Buch 
Fahrradhof Buch, Building A12
Telephone: (030) 9416 635

Converting your Foreign Driving License
 

EU and EEA:

Driving licenses from the EU and the EEA are valid in Germany – no conversion is necessary as long as the license remains valid. Conversion is required if you have lived in Germany for more than 185 days and the license is no longer valid, or you need a new license.

Third countries:

Driving licenses from third countries must be converted within your first 6 months of living in Germany. In some cases (e.g., USA, Canada) there are agreements for simplified conversion. Nonetheless, the conversion must occur within the first 6 months of living in Germany. In many cases, you must take a theoretical and practical test in order to convert your license.

The processing time takes roughly 3 months.

You can find official information on the conversion of driving licenses on the websites of the German driving license offices or the driving license authorities. Some useful links:

Steps for conversion:

  1. Check whether your license originates from an EU/EEA country or a third country.
  2. If you come from an EU/EEA country, you may have to have your license converted at the responsible German authority (only after 6 months of residence).
  3. For third-country driving licenses, you normally have to convert your license. This may require a theoretical and practical test.
  4. Gather all the necessary documents, including your original license, a translation of the license (if required), a passport photo and confirmation of residence.
  5. Submit your application to the relevant driving license office and wait for processing.

Variety of Insurances 

Social security and accident insurance
 
As a newcomer in Germany, it can be challenging to understand the different types of insurance. Some are automatically deducted from your salary, while others need to be paid separately. We give you a clear overview of the insurance system.

Information about the German social system are available e.g. at: www.bma.de or Sozialversicherung

If you have a work contract, you have to pay social security contributions in Germany. If you have a fellowship/Stipendium, you are exempted from that. But you at least have to take out a (private) health insurance.

The European Commission has issued the "Community Regulation on Social Security" which states the claims and transferability of social benefits within the European Union. These rules are also relevant for Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. The Community Rules state two basic rules:

1. Principally, you are insured in the country in which you are working.

2. Principally, you are subject to the laws of one single member state only.

Furthermore, Germany has signed social security agreements with similar conditions with the European countries Iceland, Liechtenstein, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Turkey, Hungary, Japan (without health insurance) and Norway as well as Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Poland, Serbia/Montenegro, Slovenia and Switzerland. Similar agreements have been signed with Israel, Marocco and Tunisia and, for pension alone, with Chile, Canada and the USA.

In Germany, there are legally fixed contributions to the social insurances (health insurance, care insurance, pension scheme and unemployment insurance). The employer and the employee each approximately pay half of the contributions which amount to about 40% of the gross income.

As soon as your contract has begun, the MDC will take the steps necessary for your enrolling in the insurances. After joining, you will chose a health insurance and be given a social security card, a copy of which you have to hand over to the personnel officer at MDC.

You can receive further advice from the following institutions:

Health Insurance

www.dvka.de

www.gesetzlichekrankenkassen.de/index.html

 

Care InsurancePflegeversicherung
Unemployment insurance and Child allowancewww.arbeitsagentur.de
Pension schemewww.deutsche-rentenversicherung.de

Information about the social security systems throughout Europe can be found at www.findyourpension.eu

Pension scheme
 

As an employee you have to pay contributions to the pension scheme ("Rentenversicherung") in Germany. The contributions amount to 18,6 % of the gross salary.

Your payments to the pension scheme are recognised in each EU and EEA country as well as in the countries with social security agreements and your claims will be preserved. This means that at the age of retirement you may apply for part of your pension in each of the countries where you have paid into the pension scheme. Therefore, if you have paid contributions to, for example, the pension schemes in Germany, France and Greece, you will get a part of your pension from each of these countries. Thus, the pension payments will not be transferred to another national pension scheme but you will get your money from each pension scheme separately depending on the laws of each country.

When you apply for pension payments at home, you have to indicate that you have paid pension contributions in other countries. This is necessary to ensure that your home insurance organisation can inform the other pension organisations in order for you to receive your payments from the other country. Since payments for a certain number of years are required by the pension organisation in your home country, any time spent abroad is taken into consideration.

When, after your stay in Germany, you return to a country without a social security agreement you may claim reimbursement of your contributions. After a waiting time of 24 monthes you can apply for the reimbursement at the Deutsche Rentenversicherung. You will have to complete form “V901”, available at: www.deutsche-rentenversicherung.de

Unemployment insurance
 

The unemployment insurance is a compulsory insurance as well. The contributions amount to about 2.5 % of the gross salary.

You may claim unemployment benefit (Arbeitslosengeld) if you have been employed and paid contributions in Germany for at least 12 months within the last three years. Employments before within other EC-contries may possibly be considered. You will have to prove this by completing a form (Nr. E301.) If you are unemployed and want to claim unemployment benefit in Germany you have to register with the local job center (Arbeitsamt) three months before your contract ends and be at its disposal for arranging employment, which means that you should be willing to take up any reasonable job and that you have to report to the office regularly. In case these requirements are fulfilled, you will receive 60% of your last net salary if you do not have children and 67% if you have children (Arbeitslosengeld I).

Under certain circumstances you can transfer your claims for unemployment benefit to another EU or EEA member state (or a country with social security agreement): For that you must have been registered with the German job center for at least 4 weeks prior to your departure. After your arrival in the country of your destination, you have to register with the local job center within 7 days. After fulfilling these requirements you will get German unemployment benefit for another three months (ask for form number E 303 at the German job center).

Depending on the respective country, the contributions you made in Germany may be taken into account by the country's unemployment insurance. If you return to a country that does not have a social security agreement with Germany, it is not possible to receive German unemployment payments there. The contributions cannot be refunded either.

VBL
 

VBL (Versorungsanstalt des Bundes und der Länder) provides a supplementary occupational pension for public sector employees in Germany. Currently the employer pays 2% of contributions and the employee pays 4,25% of the gross salary. Basicly, VBLklassik is compulsory for all employees of the Federal Government and Länder, a large number of municipal and church employers, and also for MDC staff. Alternatively, employees working in scientific positions in academia or research can be exempted from the compulsory VBLklassik insurance if they are expected to work less then 60 months in German public service sector. If this applies to you and you have declared the exemption form VBLklassik (forms will be handed out by the personnel service) you will be automatically enrolled in the voluntary VBLextra instead. At present the monthly contributions are 2.0% for VBLextra. It will count from the first month, but attract less interest.

Contact: www.vbl.de and/or www.findyourpension.eu or get information for guest scientists here.

Accident insurance
 

Accident insurance is paid by the employer and covers accidents that occur at work or on your way from and to work. Even if you have no contract with the MDC and are just registered as a guest you are covered by the accident insurance of the MDC during your work.

Any such accident has to be reported to MDC safety office immediately.

Your children are automatically insured at school or kindergarten as well as on the way from and to it. Contact: www.dguv.de

 

Numbers and Contacts for Emergencies

Numbers and Contacts for Emergencies
 

Emergency numbers for the MDC

  • In case of fire and medical help 112 or 110
  • In case of emergency concerning electricity, water, gas 3339 (6:30 am to 5:30 pm)
  • In case of emergency for dangerous chemicals
    • 2378 (8:00 am to 4:00 pm)
    • 0151 61142197 (off-time)
  • In case of poisoning (0-) 3068-6788
  • In case of radiation accidents
    • (0-) 8445-2171
    • (0-) 8445-3992 (after 4 p.m.)

Give precise information: what has happened, where did it happen, who is hurt!!!

Medical Emergency Contacts

General emergency numbers in Germany

  • Police 110
  • Fire, accidents 112

Other important contacts

 

Last Update: January 2025

Questions and comments please to welcome@mdc-berlin.de