For International Students: Formalities

Please note: The Citizen Registration Office (Einwohneramt: compulsory registration) and the Immigration Office (Ausländerbehörde: right of residence) are two separate authorities. Registering at the Citizen Registration Office does not replace registering at the Immigration Office.

1. Who has to register at the Immigration Office?

• Non-EU citizens without a visa: If you have entered Germany visa-free (e.g. from the USA, Japan, South Korea), you must apply for your residence permit here.
• Non-EU citizens with a temporary visa: If you want to stay in Germany longer than your visa allows, you must apply for an extension before your visa expires.
• Exception: If you have a visa for the entire duration of your complete stay (e.g. for your exchange semester), you do not have to register at the Immigration Office at all.

2. Appointment scheduling and deadlines

No appointment can be made without prior arrangement! The waiting time is at least 8 weeks.

• When? After registering at the Citizen Registration Office, you must ask for an appointment about 8 weeks before your visa or residence permit expires.
• How?
  Send one e-mail to abh(at)stadt.bamberg.de with the following information:
  • your last name(s) and your first name(s)
  • your birth date
  • information that you are a student at the University of Bamberg, your field of study, and intended degree programme (e.g. short-term studies within an exchange programme; Bachelor’s; Master’s)
  • expiry date of your visa/residence permit
• Applications for a residence permit can also be submitted digitally via the online portal.
• Where? Luitpoldstraße 51, 96052 Bamberg (near the train station).
• Note: Students who live outside the administrative area of Bamberg must register with the Immigration Office of their place of residence (e.g. Rural District Office – Landratsamt). 

Residence permit (Immigration Office/'Ausländerbehörde')

Proof of funding (Important!)

Only the following documents will be accepted as proof of funding during the study period when contacting the Immigration Office (Ausländerbehörde) of Bamberg City Council, and proof must be provided for a period of at least one year:

• blocked account
• formal obligation: signed as an official document declaring a person's willingness to bear the costs for the student. The person who wants to make the declaration must contact their Immigration Office at their place of residence to make a declaration of commitment (please note: an informal letter, e.g. written and signed by the student’s parents, is not accepted).
• employment contract: with the last 3 pay slips
• scholarship
• Please note: A bank statement, share deposits, etc. will no longer be recognised.

4. Issuance and collection (eAT)

The electronic residence permit (Elektronischer Aufenthaltstitel/eAT) is issued within ca. 2 weeks by the Federal Printing Office (Bundesdruckerei) after your appointment.

• Fees: The fee for the initial electronic residence permit is € 100; the renewal costs € 93.
• Collection: Students will be notified via regular mail from the Federal Printing Office (Bundesdruckerei) when their electronic residence permit can be picked up in Bamberg. Once you receive the „PIN letter“ by post, the documents can be picked up without prior appointment during the opening hours. Please make sure that your name is on your mailbox so that you can receive the PIN letter!
• Note: It is not necessary to hand in one’s passport during the application process for the electronic residence permit. Consequently, students are granted full freedom to travel within the Schengen area during the waiting period of approximately two weeks.
• If you have any questions, please contact abh(at)stadt.bamberg.de.

5. Special case: Part-time studies

If you are planning to change from full-time to part-time studies, you must inform the Immigration Office in advance and obtain authorisation from them. Reasons that are taken into account for the authorisation of part-time studies are primarily:

• illnesses affecting studies, which must be proven by means of a qualified medical certificate (Attest)
• own children to be cared for
• caring for relatives

By law, all students in Germany must carry health insurance. Proof of adequate health insurance coverage is a mandatory requirement for your enrolment at the University of Bamberg.

Generally, the requirement to have insurance begins on the date of enrolment.

Important preparation

Please find out before the departure from your home country which costs your health insurance company takes over while you are in Germany, and bring along the respective confirmation.

Digital insurance notification for enrolment (mandatory for everyone!)

Upon university registration, students must have a health insurance certificate issued or verified by a German health insurance provider:

1. Electronic submission: The EHIC/GHIC, insurance certificate, or private insurance policy must be sent electronically to a statutory health insurance company in Germany (see e.g. the list in Bamberg below).
2. Automatic transmission: The statutory health insurance company will then automatically transmit the corresponding insurance notification digitally to the Enrolment Office of the University of Bamberg for your enrolment.

Statutory health insurance companies in Bamberg (selection)

Please contact one of these statutory health insurance companies to arrange your digital insurance notification:

• TK (Techniker Krankenkasse): Obstmarkt 5, Werner.Orth(at)tk.de
• DAK-Gesundheit: Ludwigstr. 25, service(at)dak.de
• Bosch BKK: Starkenfeldstr. 21, Stefan.Straub(at)bosch-bkk.de
• BARMER: Moosstraße 91-97, julian.hartmann(at)barmer.de
• AOK: Pödeldorfer Str. 75, ba1.beratung(at)service.by.aok.de 

This list is for information purposes and does not constitute a recommendation.

Further information from the University of Bamberg on health insurance for enrolment.

If you need medical assistance during your stay in Bamberg, the procedure depends on your insurance status. Please note the following instructions to ensure smooth treatment.

1. For holders of the EHIC or GHIC

If you hold a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or a British GHIC, please bring along the following documents to every treatment (medical, dental, or in-patient hospital treatment):

• EHIC or GHIC
• Identity card (e.g. passport)
• Student ID

Important notes:

• You must inform the doctor, the dentist or the hospital that you do not have a German health insurance.
• When you visit a doctor’s office or hospital, please provide the name of the health insurance company that submitted your information for enrolment to the university.
• No costs shall be incurred for the services agreed contractually, except for any statutory additional payments which may arise (e.g. for medication). 

2. For holders of an insurance certificate (convention states)

If you hold an insurance certificate from one of the Convention States (e.g. Turkey, Serbia, Tunisia), an intermediate step is required:

1. Contact your health insurance company: Before visiting a doctor’s office or a hospital, please contact the health insurance company that transmitted your information for enrolment to the university.
2. Issuance: The statutory health insurance company will issue a medical treatment certificate (Nationaler Anspruchsausweis) for you.
3. Treatment: This medical treatment certificate is strictly required for a visit to a doctor/dentist or hospital treatment.

3. Emergencies

• 112 – Emergency number: Only for life-threatening emergencies (accident, heart attack, severe shortness of breath).
• 116 117 – On-call medical service: Call this number if you are ill and would normally visit a doctor’s office, but it is closed (e.g. at night, on weekends, or on public holidays). The call centre will connect you to on-duty doctors in Bamberg.