• The Federal Foreign Office offers a tool for determining visa requirements:Visa Navigator
   
• EU/EEA citizens do not require a visa to enter Germany. Please bring your health insurance certificate or European Health Insurance Card to prove that you are adequately insured for the duration of your stay. Please also note other important information under "Health insurance".
• Non-EU/EEA citizens should enquire at the Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany whether they require a visa.
• Students from third countries with a residence permit for study purposes in another EU country have two options:
  a) You can apply for a study visa for Germany before you arrive.
  b) Alternatively, you can apply for a residence permit from the International Office at the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF). To apply via the BAMF, please contact the International Office at least 6-8 weeks before your arrival. Please consult the BAMF website for important information on documents to be submitted.
  
  Important: Your residence permit as a student in another EU country must be valid for your BAMF application and throughout your mobility! It is the basis for the BAMF permit!

Please note:

• You need a visa for study purposes for your studies in Paderborn and not a tourist visa! It is not possible to convert a tourist visa into a residence permit for study purposes at a later date.
• To apply for a visa to enter Germany, you will need the letter of admission from Paderborn University which will be sent to you automatically (Ms Schrade - International Office) as soon as your application in Paderborn has been successful.
• You should apply for your visa as early as possible at the German embassy/consulate in your home country. Processing can take up to 8 weeks. It is therefore advisable to make an appointment at the German embassy/consulate before you receive your letter of admission and to submit the initial documents. You can submit the letter of admission later.
   
• The visa is only valid for entry, not for residence. Once you have arrived in Germany, please contact the local immigration office to have your visa converted into a residence permit. You have 90 days after the visa has been issued to do this.

You must register with the Residents' Registration Office within two weeks of moving in.

You will need the following documents for your registration :

• Passport/ID card
• Registration form - available here (see downloads)
• "Wohnungsgeberbest?tigung" - This certificate from your landlord confirms that you have actually moved into the specified flat. Residents of a hall of residence will receive the document from the administration of the Studierendenwerk Paderborn after you have signed your tenancy agreement.
• Tenancy agreement

Please note: You will need the "Anmeldebescheinigung" to apply for a residence permit and, for example, to open an account at a bank - so keep the document in a safe place!

After successful registration, the Broadcasting licence fee service should contact you, otherwise you will have to take the initiative yourself. You can find further information on thishere. This fee is not voluntary!

We recommend that our exchange students open a local bank account for payment transactions in Germany in order to be able to make payments for rent, semester and health insurance contributions etc. without any problems.

Ask your buddy to help you arrange a bank appointment and open an account.

You will need the following documents to open an account:

• Passport/ID card
• Confirmation of registration from the city
• current certificate of enrolment

When you move into the Studierendenwerk (STW) hall of residence, you will receive the following documents together with your key:

• Tenancy agreements
• General terms and conditions of tenancy
• SEPA form (direct debit authorisation for the monthly rent from the hall of residence)
• STW contact information sheet
• Internet information sheet
• Move-in protocol (this document documents the condition of the flat when you move in and should be kept until you move out)

TO DO'S AFTER MOVING IN

The following steps are required to obtain your Internet access data and a landlord' s certificate (landlord's certificate for registration with the city administration and health insurance company).

1. sign and complete the documents received

Firstly, you must sign both tenancy agreements . Then fill in the Internet declaration and the SEPA forms.

2. forward the documents to the STW

Please put the signed tenancy agreements and the two completed documents in the letterbox of the hall of residence administration as soon as possible in order to start the processing by the STW. The dormitory administration is located opposite the X-building of the university in Mersinweg . The letterbox (see picture below) is emptied daily (Mon. - Fri.).

3. look in your letterbox

After a few days, you will receive the following documents in your letterbox from the caretaker:

• A countersigned tenancy agreement
• An information sheet on using the Internet
• The landlord's certificate

*SEPA procedure:

SEPA (Single Euro Payments Area) stands for a Europe-wide standardised procedure for cashless payment transactions. List of participating countries.

The following data is required to complete the SEPA forms:

• Name of the account holder
• Name of the bank
• Account number (IBAN)
• Bank Identifie Code (BIC)
• Your address in Paderborn.

IMPORTANT: If your home country does not participate in the SEPA scheme, please open a bank account with a German bank as soon as possible after registering with the City of Paderborn.