Skip to content
Technical University of Munich

Downloads for international researchers in employment at TUM

Just like your move to Munich, the entry to Germany requires some preparations in advance and after your arrival. Our checklist for researchers in employment contains all the important steps and formalities you need to think about. You will also find further helpful information and documents as well as important forms below.

Preparing for your research at TUM

Visa and residence permit

For detailed information on visa and residence permit please refer to our checklist above (section III.1. and section III.6.) above and find more information about the residence titles for researchers in the following overview:

National D visa

Non-EU citizens require a visa to enter and conduct research in Germany. Friend state citizens do not require a visa to enter Germany, but they do need a visa to enter into an employment contract and to work in Germany, and they need a visa or residence permit to stay in Germany for more than 90 days.

Residence permit

If your visa doesn't cover your entire stay, you will need to apply for a residence permit from the local Foreigners Authority (Ausländerbehörde). It depends on where you live in Munich (or the surrounding area) which Foreigners Authority is responsible (for more information, see our checklist in section III.6, p. 13f). Unfortunately, some of these offices are very busy. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you apply for your residence permit four to five months before your visa expires. 

Forms to be completed for visa and/or residence permit:

  • Erklärung zum Beschäftigungsverhältnis (PDF, 314 KB): Non-EU nationals who are going to work at TUM with an employment contract need a so-called Declaration of Employment (Erklärung zum Beschäftigungsverhältnis, EzB) in order to apply for a visa and/or residence permit at the Foreigners Authority in Munich. Your application will not be accepted if the EzB isn't filled in completely and properly. It must be issued by your TUM chair. Faculty members have access to a completion guide in the service compass (Dienstleistungskompass).
  • Letter of intent (DOCX, 41 KB), to be prepared and issued by your hosting TUM Chair.
  • Perhaps for visa application: Aufnahmevereinbarung (PDF, 226 KB): According to §18 of the German Residence Act, a Hosting Agreement (Aufnahmevereinbarung) may be required in order to apply for a researcher visa. You can fill in parts of the form yourself. Please ask your hosting chair for any missing information. The Hosting Agreement must not only be signed by you, but also by the "authorised signatory on behalf of the research organisation", i.e. your supervisor at your TUM chair or another authorised signatory. Your hosting chair at TUM and your contact person will know who's signature is required here. Hosting agreements without a stamp may not be accepted and may cause a delay.

Forms to be completed for a residence permit at the Service Office for Immigration and Citizenship of the City of Munich (KVR):

For more information and how to apply for the residence permit at KVR please visit their website for researchers and scientific staff and our checklist p.13 (see above).

  • Temporary replacement for the letter of intent/draft employment contract (PDF, 101 KB): Due to an agreement between the Service Office for Immigration and Citizenship of the City of Munich (Ausländerbehörde des Kreisverwaltungsreferats, KVR) and the Technical University of Munich dated October 18, 2023, the submission of a letter of intent or a draft employment contract is temporarily waived by mutual agreement. Proof of a concrete job offer is provided by completing the Declaration of employment form (Erklärung zum Beschäftigungsverhältnis). Please upload the "Temporary replacement for the letter of intent/draft employment contract" where the online contact form of the District Administration Department of the City of Munich requires an employment contract to apply for a residence permit.
  • Employment insurance / Versicherung zur Ausübung der Beschäftigung (PDF, 95 KB): Only for first-time applicants! Please upload the fully completed form together with the employment contract. It must also be signed and stamped by the head of your TUM chair.

Statement of comparability

The anabin recognition is a statement of comparability for foreign higher education qualifications issued by the Zentralstelle für ausländisches Bildungswesen. The database excerpt is required for any scientific activity in Germany. You need it, if not for the visa then at least for your residence permit, and in any case for your employment contract with TUM.

The anabin database contains a large number of foreign degrees from universities all over the world. On the anabin web pages you can search for your own university where you graduated (click the tab that says Suchen). A master's degree would suffice. If you cannot find your master's degree, search for your doctorate. Your university must be H+ rated to be recognized in Germany.

If your degree cannot be found on the anabin website, you will need to request a statement of comparability. The fee is 200,- EUR, the processing time takes a few weeks or even months.

Resident registration

If you are staying in Germany for more than 90 days, you are obliged to register your address with the responsible resident registration office (Einwohnermeldeamt) within 2 weeks of your arrival. To do this, you will need to complete a form called Wohnungsgeberbestätigung (housing provider confirmation). You must have a signed confirmation from your landlord before you go to the registration office. Regular landlords are required by law to sign the form. If you are forced to find an interim solution or have a short-term stay of several months, please note that hotels and Airbnb hosts usually refuse to sign the housing provider confirmation for various reasons. So please make sure that you obtain a signed Wohnungsgeberbestätigung at the beginning of your stay before you choose an accommodation. 

It depends on the location of your address in Munich (or the surrounding area) which registration office will be responsible. With the BayernPortal you can find out at which authority you can register your residence in Bavaria. Please enter the postal code (PLZ) or the name of the locality (Ort/Ortsteil) in which you live.

Form to be completed: Wohnungsgeberbestätigung (PDF, 86 KB)

Health insurance

You must have adequate health insurance coverage for yourself and your family for the duration of your stay. From your first day of work, you are required by law to have German health insurance. Half of the cost will be covered by your employer. You are responsible for choosing a health insurance provider, ideally before you apply for a visa or start work. When you sign your employment contract, you must specify your chosen insurance provider. 
You can find more information about statutory health insurance providers on the website of the German National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Providers (GKV Spitzenverband). They also provide a list of health insurers.

Accompanying spouses & partners

Accompanying partners have to manage their own affairs related to the resettlement. For capacity reasons, we are unfortunately unable to support spouses and partners. Nevertheless, we would like to offer a little assistance with our spouse guide.

Welcome guide for spouses & partners (PDF, 1.377 KB)

IDCN Munich: Partners of new TUM staff members are invited to join the dual career network IDCN Munich for free. Dual career partners can publish their profile in the talent pool, participate in career events and networking sessions, and volunteer. In this way, they can get a picture of the Munich job market and get in touch with recruiters or company representatives. Learn more about the International Dual Career Network Munich.

To top