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Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization

Visitor’sGuide

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InTRODUCTIOnTh e Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self­Organization welcomes you to Germany and wishes you all the best during your time here.Th is guide provides information you may need before you move to Germany and guidelines about fulfi lling necessary formalities at the start of your stay here. We hope it will also help to introduce you to the Institute.Please note that the colleague who invited you (referred to here as your ›host‹) is your main con­tact for all your queries. He or she will introduce you to the department secretary, whom you may of course contact if your host is absent.Th is guide includes web links for other useful information. You should also consult the Insti­tute’s website: www.ds.mpg.deWe appreciate suggestions on how to improve this guide. If there is information here that should be amended or other useful information you think should be included, please let us know.

Prof. Dr. Eberhard Bodenschatz Andreas Bock(Managing Director) (Authorized representative)

TABlE OF COnTEnTS1 Before you arrive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

1.1 Passport / Visa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41.2 Student ID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51.3 Obtaining offi cial recognition of your academic qualifi cations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51.4 Other documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51.5 Health insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51.6 Shipping personal property from abroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51.7 Accommodation: Looking for an apartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

2 Salary and Taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 2.1 Income tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

2.2 Fellowships and grants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112.3 Value Added Tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

3 Miscellaneous: Food . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 4 Travel Directions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 5 Getting settled . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

5.1 Information for your fi rst day at the Institute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145.2 Visiting researcher’s liaison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145.3 Residence permit / registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145.4 Foreigner’s registration / Visa application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

6 Driving license . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 7 Banking, mail, telephone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

7.1 Money . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207.2 Opening a bank account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207.3 Mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207.4 Public phones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

8 Electricity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 9 Public transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 10 German language Courses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 11 Daycare and Kindergarten . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 12 Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 13 More information – welcome Center Göttingen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

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1 BEFORE YOU ARRIVEWhen working in Germany you must comply with several legally required formalities. The nature of these depends on your country of origin, the length of your stay, and whether or not you intend to bring your family with you. Here, we provide some general information, but we strongly recommend that you contact your nearest German Embassy or Consulate for infor­mation about this as soon as you have accepted your position.Please visit the website http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en for further details.

1.1 Passport / VisaPlease make sure that your passport is valid for the entire duration of your stay in Germany. If you are staying longer than three months, you must apply for a Residence Permit (Aufent­haltsgenehmigung). Please note that a tourist visa is not sufficient for your stay and work in Germany.

A EU nationalsEU nationals do not require a visa to enter the Federal Republic of Germany. In order to ob­tain a Residence Permit however, several formalities must be dealt with shortly after your ar­rival, for which you will need your passport. Please note that your Identification Card is not sufficient for this purpose.

B Non-EU nationalsGenerally speaking, all other foreigners require a visa for stays in Germany. A visa is not re­quired for semi­annual visits of up to three months for nationals of those countries for which the European Community has abolished the visa requirement. You will find an overview on current visa requirements here: http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/DE/EinreiseUndAufen-thalt/StaatenlisteVisumpflicht_node.htmlPlease apply in good time, i.e. 4 months in advance to your nearest Embassy or Consulate with your MPI invitation letter.If you plan to travel to other EU countries during your stay at the Max Planck Institute, please apply for a ›multiple entrance visa‹. You should note that the German immigration office will not change a visa into a multiple entrance visa, if the embassy or consulate originally issued you a single entrance visa!The Federal Foreign Office’s website provides information on applying for visas and on where to find a German Embassy or Consulate in your home country. It also lists the foreign mis­sions in Germany. Please visit: http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/DE/EinreiseUndAufen-thalt/Uebersicht_Navi.html

1.2 Student IDIf you are a student, you should obtain an international student ID before leaving your home institution. This can save you money on travel, and with this ID you are often eligible for re­duced prices at events such as concerts, opera, exhibitions, etc. in Europe. http://www.isic.de/

1.3 Obtaining official recognition for your academic qualifications (Anerkennung)The Max Planck Society recognizes degrees obtained at non­German universities. However, external organisations including the University of Göttingen may require conversion of your qualifications to German equivalents. It is essential to bring along either originals or legally certified copies of documents. For further information please contact your host.

1.4 Other documentsIt is also advisable to bring originals, or legally certified copies of the following documents: > Birth Certificate, for you and all family members coming with you > Marriage Certificate (if you intend to bring your spouse with you)Occasionally, the local Residents’ Registration Office (Einwohnermeldeamt) does not accept certificates issued in English.

1.5 Health InsuranceIn Germany, every person is obliged to have health insurance. Generally, employees are mem­bers of a compulsory health insurance scheme. Holders of a fellowship or scholarship should ensure they have adequate health insurance coverage. The Max Planck Society has agreements with various insurance companies that offer insurance coverage at a reasonable price. For fur­ther information please contact the Institute personnel office, Ms. Meyer­Blank (phone: 5176­767, Email: meyer@vw.msf.gwdg.de.

1.6 Shipping personal property from abroadRelocation goodsThe European Customs Law provides for the possibility of a move from a third country to a Member State of the European Union under certain conditions, exemption from import duties for goods, which are designated in common language usage as relocation goods.Although there is no specified limit in numbers as to the type and quantity of goods which have been declared as relocation goods, the goods may not have a commercial character.

Considered as relocation goods:Household goods i.e., all personal effects, household, bed and table linens, furniture and equip­ment that are intended for personal use by the person moving or in his or her household;

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Private vehicles of all kinds, i.e. vehicles and motorcycles, passenger cars (possibly with a trailer), camping caravans, water sports vehicles and sport aircraft (on the basis of a certifi ­cate of the competent foreign authority, it must be proven that the vehicle or the aircraft was registered in that country in the name of the person moving);Household supplies, as long as they do not exceed the amount usually held by a family – here the standard should be the usual amount at the last place of residence;Household pets and mounts;Portable instruments and equipment for crafts or freelance activities, as long as the person mov­ing requires these items to practice his or her profession.

Not considered relocation goods are:> alcoholic products;> tobacco and tobacco products;> commercial vehicles;> commercially used items, other than portable instruments and equipment for crafts or free­

lance activities.

NoteFor relocation goods, restrictions must be observed as if returning from a non­EU country, as certain products in Germany require permission or are subject to prohibitions, such as types of weapons and ammunition or protected animals and derivatives thereof.(http://www.zoll.de/DE/Privatpersonen/Reisen/Rueckkehr­aus­einem­Nicht­EU­Staat/Ein­schraenkungen/einschraenkungen_node.html)

Address of the Customs Offi ce (Zollamt) in Göttingen:

Hauptzollamt GöttingenHagenweg 437081 Göttingen Phone: +49 (0) 551/79770Fax: +49 (0) 551/7977199http://www.zoll.de

At the Max Planck Institute, Mr. Amend is available to you for any questions:

Mathias Amend

Purchasing DepartmentPhone +49 (0) 551/5176 703Fax +49 (0) 551/5176 467Email: mamend@gwdg.de

You may wish to ask your shipping company for »door­to­door« shipping to have the container delivered to your apartment or house.

1.7 Accommodation: looking for an apartment . . . Finding accommodation in Göttingen can take time. Please ask your host for advice in fi nd­ing either temporary or long­term accommodation. Be prepared to pay 2 – 3 month’s rent as a deposit for your new fl at, i.e. before you move in, you must pay not only the deposit but also the fi rst month’s rent.

1.7.1 . . . in the Institute Guest HouseYou may also rent a guest room for a maximum of three months at the start of your time in Germany. Please contact the department secretary if you wish to book one. Prices vary accord­ing to length of stay:All apartments and rooms are ready­furnished, bed linen, towels are included.Depending on availability you will be accommodated in one of our three guest houses:

Guest House Bunsenstraße 14

Description Single Room Z141 – 148: 25.00 € per dayWhen staying more than 12 nights, the monthly price of 300.00 € is charged.

Description ApartmentW141 (53 m2): 400.00 € per monthW142 (74 m2): 555.00 € per monthW143 (47 m2): 390.00 € per month

Kitchen for the rooms ground fl oor, 1st fl oor

Kitchen for the apartmentsW141 and W142: 2nd fl oor,W143 top fl oor

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Guest House Bunsenstraße 16

Description Apartment W161 (89 m2): 549.00 € per monthW162 (89 m2): 549.00 € per monthW163 (87 m2): 549.00 € per monthW167 (63 m2): 458.00 € per monthW168 (105 m2): 549.00 € per monthplus 35.00 € for one­time cleaning

Guest House Bunsenstraße 18

Description Single Room Z181 – Z 189: 25.00 € per dayWhen staying more than 12 nights, the monthly price of 300.00 € is charged.

Description Double Room W181 and W182 (89 m2): 667.00 € per monthW183 and W184 (84 m2): 665.00 € per monthW185 (82 m2): 615.00 € per month

Description Apartment W181 (31 m2): 265.00 € per monthW182 (58 m2): 435.00 € per monthW183 (53 m2): 400.00 € per monthW184 (31 m2): 265.00 € per monthW185 (82 m2): 615.00 € per month

Kitchen for the rooms ground floor, 1st floor

Kitchen for the apartments 2nd floor, W181 – 182 and W183 – 184

The Guest Houses are equipped with a washing machine and dryer. The use on site is to be paid via coin operation. Please read our House Rules pertaining to the guest house area.

Contact person

at the Guest house Administration

Bianca KochBunsenstraße 18, room 18005, ground floorD­37073 GöttingenPhone: +49 (0) 551/5176­671Fax: +49 (0) 551/5176­747Email: bianca.koch@ds.mpg.de

Wolfgang GoebelAm Faßberg 17D­37077 GöttingenPhone: +49 (0) 551/5176­706Fax: +49 (0) 551/5176­467Email: goebel@vw.msf.gwdg.de

On behalf of the guest house management, you will receive a confirmation of the planned period. You will be informed of the rate for your stay accordingly.The stays do not include breakfast. However, in some room categories you have the possibility to use the kitchen. A bakery is located nearby.

Getting to the Guest HousesGeneral informationYou may arrive at any time day or night. Ms. Koch of Guest House Management is at your disposal Monday to Friday between 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Guest House 18. Outside these times, the room key is deposited at the gateways of the German Centre for Aerospace, Bun­senstraße 10. The personnel there will be happy to assist you.

By planeFrom Frankfurt am Main Airport (FRA): Use one of the railway stations at the airport. Trains to Göttingen (direct or via Frankfurt main station) leave twice an hour during the day (travel time: 2 hours). From Hannover Airport (HAJ): Take the suburban railway (S­Bahn) to the Central Station (»Hannover Hauptbahnhof«). From here direct ICE trains to Göttingen de­part every 1/2 hour or hour.

By trainThe Göttingen station is served by the following ICE routes: Hamburg – Göttingen – Mu­nich, Hamburg – Göttingen – Frankfurt, and Berlin – Göttingen – Frankfurt. From the Göt­tingen railway station: From the Göttingen station you can take a taxi (5 minutes) or walk (20 minutes). If you walk, you need to leave the main exit of the station and walk to the right. Fol­low the main street, which after the traffic lights turns into Bürgerstraße. Keep walking un­til you come to the Bunsenstraße. Turn right – you will reach the entrance gate of the MPIDS after about 300 m.

By carLeave the freeway A7 (Hanover – Kassel) at the exit »Göttingen«, which is the southern exit. Follow the direction »Göttingen Zentrum« (B3). After about 4 km you will pass through a tunnel. At the next traffic light, turn right (direction »Eschwege« B27) and follow the »Bürger­straße« for about 600 m. The fourth junction to the right is the »Bunsenstraße«. You will reach the institute’s gate after about 300 m.

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1.7.2 . . . in the newspapersAccommodation is advertised in local newspapers (e.g. Göttinger Tageblatt) on Wednesdays and Saturdays. You can also place an advertisement in the paper yourself. Accommodation is usually off ered through an estate agent, who will show you any fl at or house you might be in­terested in. If you agree to take one of these, the agent will ask for a fee of about 2 – 3 month’s rent. Here also, the cautionary deposit is usually the equivalent of 3 month’s rent.

1.7.3 . . . on the InternetIf you prefer to search the Internet by yourself here are some useful links:http://www.immobilienscout24.de http://www.immonet.de http://www.immowelt.de

1.7.4 Alternative optionsShared apartmentsFor those who are coming to Germany alone, living in a shared apartment (Wohngemein­schaft, sometimes abbreviated as ›WG‹) is often a good option since it helps to reduce the rent and makes it easier to meet people. You should be aware that WG rooms are often unfurnished. Useful websites are: http://www.wg-gesucht.deSome websites are only in German, but most people you contact will understand English. Th ere are no upfront fees for renting a room in a WG, however you should expect to pay a cautionary deposit, usually the equivalent of 3 month’s rent.

1.7.5 Temporary accommodationIf you intend to stay in Germany for only a short time, you might consider temporary accom­modation in the form of a sublet. Sublets can generally be found under the terms Untermie­te or Zwischenmiete. Th is means that the fl at or rooms are sublet and you sign a contract with the tenant, not the landlord.

1.7.6 Useful terminologyGeneral: An online German­English dictionary can be found at: http://dict.leo.orgWarm or cold? (Warm oder kalt?) Rents for unfurnished accommodation are often based on a basic rent (Kaltmiete or kalt), on top of which you have subsidiary charges added, i.e. the cost of electricity, water, heating and rubbish collection. Th ese additional costs are referred to as Nebenkosten or ›NK‹. By contrast, the rent for furnished fl ats usually includes these subsidiary charges and is referred to as Warmmiete or simply ›warm‹. So when reading descriptions of ac­commodation, note that the term ›warm‹ includes these additional costs and ›kalt‹ does not.

Furnished, partly furnished or unfurnished? (Möbliert / teilmöbliert, unmöbliert). In Germa­ny you can rent furnished, partly furnished or empty fl ats. Empty fl ats can be really empty: sometimes they do not have curtains, lights or even kitchen fi ttings – often there will simply be wires hanging out of ceiling and/or pipes coming out of the wall. Partly furnished rooms have at least some furniture and kitchen fi ttings. Apartments are rarely off ered with furniture, where­as single rooms or rooms in dormitories (student halls of residence) are generally furnished.

2 SAlARY AnD TAXESIn a polity, there are many tasks that the individual can not take care of himself: these include education and public infrastructure as well as health care and social security. Ensuring inter­nal and external security is a community task. Here the state is working for us all. Its services to its citizens are fi nanced with tax revenues. Th ey are the main source of income of the state. Without this money, the state would not be able to fulfi ll its organizational duties.

2.1 Income taxSubject to income tax is the income of natural persons (individuals or joint contractors in a partnership). While full tax liability taxes the income earned anywhere in the world, limited tax liability only taxes domestic income as defi ned in Article 49 of the Income Tax Act. Corre­spondingly, in the context of limited tax assessment for a number of personal or family­related benefi ts such as standard marital status relief, the tax­free basic allowance, and certain special expenses or extraordinary expenses that are not included or are only partially tax deductible.

2.2 Fellowships and grantsFellowships and grants are usually tax­free. Th e grant is intended to cover your living expenses and is not paid in return for any scientifi c activity. By accepting the grant, you do not become an employee of the Max Planck Society. Th e grant is not subject to income tax or to social secu­rity deductions. If you receive a contract of employment, your income is subject to tax and social security deductions. Your gross income depends on your position (post­doc, doctoral student, etc.), and the funding source. Th e fi nal net income varies according to the tax rate. Please ask the Institute’s personnel department for detailed information: Ms. Meyer­Blank, Phone +49 (0) 551/5176 745 or Mr. Rindermann, Phone +49 (0) 551/5176 707, Email: personal@ds.mpg.de

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2.3 Value Added TaxThe sales tax (also called VAT), which is systematically allocated to the possession and trans­fer taxes (excluding VAT on imports), is in its economic effect a general consumption tax prin­cipally imposed on all private and public consumption (i.e. goods purchased by the end user and services rendered). In this way it differs from the income or wage tax, which takes into consideration the individual performance of each taxpayer.

3 MISCEllAnEOUS: FOODSince January 2, 2012, a new company has been running the service at the canteen and the Espressobar at the Max Planck Campus: UMG Gastronomie, the largest catering service in South Lower Saxony. You can choose between four meals, namely the MPI Menu, which in­cludes side dishes and a dessert, as well as the Traditional Line, the Suggestion of the Day, and Wok/Pasta. There is at least one vegetarian dish every day. Of course you can combine all mains with sides, salad, dessert, and soup. A salad and antipasti buffet completes the selection. The Espressobar has been relaunched in an Italian style and serves a selection of cold and hot beverages, cakes, and sweets, as well as freshly baked pizzas, baguettes, ciabatta, bagles, and salads. If you would like to organize a buffet, menu or reception for a meeting or conference, please contact Uwe Krüger and his team. They are happy to help you with anything ranging from canapés to a full menu or even breakfast in your office. You can find the current menu as well as breakfast and snack offers and the Espressobar prices in the intranet following the link at: www.mpibpc.intern/intern/en/service/kantine.

4 TRAVEl DIRECTIOnSHow to reach the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Am Faßberg 17, 37077 Göttingen

By carLeave the A7 autobahn (Hannover – Kassel) at the exit Göttingen­Nord and follow the direc­tions for Braunlage (B27). After about 6 km, turn left in the direction of Nikolausberg (sign­posted). The third road­junction on the left­hand side leads onto the institute’s campus.

By trainICE from Kassel­Wilhelmshöhe (Frankfurt, Würzburg) or from Hannover­Hauptbahnhof. On arrival at Göttingen train station, take either a taxi to the Institute or take bus no. 51 heading to Faßberg. It runs Monday to Friday from 6:40 a.m. to 6:10 p.m. (service every 30 minutes) and stops directly opposite to the institute’s campus. You can also take the city bus no. 8 or 13 heading downtown. Change at the second, third or fourth stop into city bus no. 5 heading to Nikolausberg and get off at the bus stop Faßberg.

By planeGöttingen can easily be reached by train from the Frankfurt Airport (travel time 2 hours) and Hannover Airport (travel time 1/2 hour).

Frankfurt Airport: There are two train stations at Frankfurt Airport: Long distance station (Fernbahnhof) and regional train station (Regionalbahnhof), respectively. From the long­distance train station, there are direct trains to Göttingen (direction Hamburg or Berlin) running every 2 hours. At the regional train station, take a commuter train to Frankfurt Main Station (runs 3x/hour), from where there is service to Göttingen (ICE­trains, direction Hamburg or Berlin) twice an hour. Tickets can be purchased in the train stations at the airport. Driving by car takes ap­proximately 2.5 hours.

Hannover Airport:There is commuter train service (S­Bahn) to the Hannover main station every 30 min. From Hannover, there are several ICE trains running to Göttingen per hour. Please note that service to Göttingen discontinues after 9:00 p.m. The same journey by car will take about 1.5 hours.http://www.bahn.de/international/view/en/index.shtml

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Bus schedule Göttingenhttp://www.goevb.de/

As the department in which you will work would like to arrange to welcome you, please give your host your estimated time of arrival.

5 GETTInG SETTlED5.1 Information for your first day at the InstituteYou will be shown around the Institute by your host or one of your lab colleagues and intro­duced to the service departments and Institute staff. Additionally, you will receive an »Em­ployee Entrance Form« from the secretary of your department. This is needed to obtain a key­card for the Institute, access to your computer account, Safety First, etc.

5.2 Visiting researcher’s liaison at the Institute, your contact person is

Ms. Meyer-Blank

Phone +49 (0) 551/5176 767

Email: meyer@vw.msf.gwdg.de

If you have any queries about your stay, please contact also your department secretary.

5.3 Residence Permit / RegistrationWhen living in Germany, you are obliged to register with the resident’s registration office (Ein­wohnermeldeamt) within the first week after your arrival. German regulations require regis­tration of everyone who changes residence within Germany so you also must inform the office whenever you change your address, as well as when you finally leave Germany (de­ registration).To register you need your passport plus proof of accommodation (i.e. the apartment letting contract or, failing that, your landlord’s contact details). You will then receive a copy of your registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung). You can download and directly fill out the registration form at http://www.goettingen.de/verwaltung/dienstleistungen/dienstleis-tung.php?menuid=20&topmenu=272&id=205

5.4 Foreigners’ Registration / Visa applicationResidence permitIn September 2011 the electronic residence permit (eAT) was introduced in the Federal Re­public of Germany. With the introduction of eAT, the EU regulations No 1030/2002 and No. 380/2002 were implemented. The goal is not only a Europe­wide standardization of residence permits for foreigners who are not citizens of the European Union but also the increased protec­tion against improper use. This new procedure also applies to those foreigners, who as members of EU or Swiss citizens until now had a working certificate via a right of residence in paper form.The cost for the eAT is currently 100.00 €. For each extension or modification of the permit, these costs arise again.Articles 52 Paragraph 5 of the Residence Ordinance (AufenthV) states that foreigners who re­ceive a grant from public funds for their stay in Germany, are exempt from the fees for 1. the issuance of a national visa; 2. the issuance, renewal, reissue as well as the issue and transfer of residence permits

in exceptional cases, 3. the granting of a probational residence permit, 4. the processing of applications for performance of official acts referred to

in Paragraph 2 and 5. corresponding activities for the execution of the electronic proof of identity This also applies to the spouse or domestic partner and unmarried minor children, if they are taken into consideration in the funding.

Foreigner’s Registration Office (Ausländerbehörde Einwohnermeldeamt)

new Town Hall (neues Rathaus)

Hiroshimaplatz 1 – 4

37083 Göttingen

Phone +49 (0) 551/400­2527

www.goettingen.de

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6 DRIVInG lICEnSEYour driver’s license is valid for a temporary stay in the Federal Republic of Germany.If you have a valid national or international driver’s license, in the Federal Republic of Germa­ny you may drive motor vehicles of categories for which your license is issued. You must ad­here to the requirements and restrictions of your driver’s license here too. Your driving license is valid even if you have not yet reached the minimum age prescribed for the corresponding class in the Federal Republic of Germany. The license must be carried while operating the ve­hicle. If you have an international driver’s license, no translation is required.

You must carry a translation of the national driver’s license with you if it:has been issued in a non­member state of the European Union (EU) or in a party state to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA) (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) or is not written in the German language or does not correspond to the Convention on Road Traffic of November 8, 1968. To find out whether your driver’s license complies, please ask the compe­tent authorities of the issuing state.

German­language translations may, among others, be carried out by German or international­ly recognized automobile clubs of the country issuing the license, official bodies of the country issuing the driving license, court­appointed and generally sworn interpreters and translators, and German diplomatic representations. If you have a driver’s license from a member state of the European Union (EU) or party state to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA), it usually remains valid even after taking up residence in the Federal Republic of Germany until its expiration date. A national driver’s license is required, an internation-al driver’s license is not sufficient.

Basic limitationsCombating driver’s license tourismSpecial arrangements for students

1. The following basic restrictions must be observed:Class A1With Class A1, up to age 18 only light motorcycles (125 cc, 11 kW) with a maximum design speed of 80 kilometers per hour may be driven.

Classes C1 and C1EA driver’s license in these classes is only valid in the Federal Republic of Germany up until the license holder reaches the age of 50.

Classes C, CE, D, DE, D1 and D1EA driver’s license in theses classes is only valid until the expiration of five years from date of is­sue, even if it is valid for a longer period in its home country.

Classes C, C1, CE, C1E, D, D1, DE and D1EThe validity of a driving license in these classes is further extended by five years upon request, if appropriate health and eyesight requirements are met. For more information, contact your local driver’s license authority. If your driver’s license is no longer valid according to the afore­mentioned limitations at the time of transfer of normal residence to Germany, you may still drive for six months in the Federal Republic of Germany. During this time you must apply for an extension. A violation of the age requirements to drive light motorcycles or participat­ing in street traffic with a driver’s license that expired under the law of the issuing State or the German provisions shall be punished as if driving without a license. If your foreign driver’s li­cense expires soon or if it is no longer valid, you will receive a German driver’s license in the appropriate class upon request.

2. Combating driver’s license tourismThe Third EC Driving Licence Directive contains provisions to prevent the acquisition of driver’s licenses abroad by persons with alcohol or drug problems in circumvention of EC law and to provide national authorities with better opportunities to not recognize such licenses. The most important revision is:»A Member State shall refuse to recognize the validity of a driving license issued by an-other member state to a person whose driver’s license has been restricted, suspended or withdrawn in the sovereignty o<f the first-stated Member State.«

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With this regulation, the German authorities have again an efficient means of keeping unsuit­able drivers away from the steering wheel due to alcohol or drug abuse, although they have ac­quired a driver’s license from another Member State again after the withdrawal of their driv­ing license.The required implementation in national law entered into force on January 19, 2009. Foreign EU or EEA driver’s licenses issued from this date on will no longer be recognized in Germany if their owners have had their license previously revoked in Germany. It also no longer matters whether the holder of such license only appeared to have moved his residence to the issuing state.The previously existing principle of mutual recognition without exception of driver’s licenses issued by another Member State, as emphasized by the European Court of Justice in several judgments, is restricted to the benefit of better control of driver’s license tourism.To the extent reference is made in different media to Article 13 Paragraph 2 of the 3rd Driving License Directive, it is often stated that driving licenses issued in other EU member states are recognized, as of 01/19/2013 in Germany, this does not apply. This provision on the grandfa­thering applies only as long as a special regulation, such as in particular Article 11 Paragraph 4 of the 3rd Driving License Directive, explicitly defines the conditions for mutual recognition of foreign non­EU driving licenses and therefore the opening of full grandfathering is already directly regulated in the Directive. Thus, this particular provision in Article 11, Paragraph 4 of the General Provision goes beyond the existing protection in Article 13 Paragraph 2 of the 3rd Driving License Directive.Due to the provisions of the Third EC Driving License Directive, Member States of the EU are also obligated to refuse to issue an EU driver’s license if the applicant’s license has been revoked in another Member State. With this new regulation, Germany thus also recognizes the with­drawal of a foreign license and will issue a German driver’s license only if the applicant dem­onstrates that there are no objections to a new license both under the laws of the withdrawal state as well as under German law.

3. Special arrangements for studentsA visit to a university or school alone does not imply transfer of normal residence. Licenses ac­quired by students during their study period in the Federal Republic of Germany in their home state are therefore valid here. Students from other Member States may also acquire a driver’s license in the Federal Republic of Germany, provided they stay here for at least six months.The same applies vice versa for those with normal residence in the Federal Republic of Ger­many, if you attend a university or school in another Member State for at least six months.You have a foreign driver’s license that was not granted by a Member State of the Europe-an Union (EU) or parties to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (ERW) and you are taking up residence in the Federal Republic of Germany.

If you hold a driver’s license from a state that is not a member of the EU or the EEA, it is valid for six months after justifying legal residence in the Federal Republic of Germany. After this period, your license will no longer be recognized.For continued participation in domestic road traffic, a driver’s license issued in the Federal Re­public of Germany is then required. The conditions for the grant of the German driver’s license depends on the country where you acquired your license. Regarding the purchase and the relat­ed conditions for the German driver’s license, please contact the respective driver’s license au­thority for your place of residence in advance. In exceptional cases, the driver’s license author­ity can extend the deadline upon request up to six months if you can prove that you will not have your main place of residence longer than 12 months in the Federal Republic of Germany.Driving a motor vehicle with a foreign driver’s license that is not or no longer recognized here will be punished as if driving without a license.

The City of Göttingen

Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall)Straßenverkehrsamt (Road Traffic Licensing Department)P.O. Box 383137028 Göttingen

District of Göttingen

KFZ­Zulassungsstelle (DMV Registration Office) Führerscheinstelle (Driver’s License Office)Reinhäuser Landstraße 437083 Göttingen

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7 BAnKInG, MAIl, PHOnE, InTERnET 7.1 MoneyIn Germany it is still common to pay cash for small sums of money in department stores, clothes shops and restaurants. Credit cards or EC­cards are generally accepted. If you are plan­ning to stay more than 2 months, you will probably want to open a current account (Girokon­to) at a bank as soon as possible. Your salary or grant will be transferred to it and it is easier to transfer regular payments such as rent and electricity.If you have frequent payments from or to your bank account in your home country, ask your home bank whether it works together with a bank in Germany. This could save both costs and time in transferring money to the bank abroad.Please note: Some banks levy charges for holding an account.

7.2 Opening a bank accountCurrent account: To open an account you need your passport or registration card. With a cur­rent account (Girokonto) you can pay in and take out money, arrange a standing order (Dauer­auftrag) for regular payments of the same amount (e.g. rent), transfer money to another account (Überweisung) or an authorize a direct debit (Einzugsermächtigung).EC­card / electronic cash: Once you have opened a current account, you can order an EC­card from your bank. The card works like a credit card with the same advantages and risks. If you lose your EC­card, contact your bank as soon as possible or cancel the EC­card/credit card.

7.3 MailPlease consult www.deutschepost.de for information about post offices, mailing, charges and German postal codes. The website is also in English.

7.4 Public phonesYou can call any number in Germany or abroad from any public telephone box. However, to some countries there is no direct dialing, so you must call an operator first at 0010 and ask for a connection. In most public phone boxes it is also possible to be rung back, there should be a number on the phone or above it.Payphones have become fairly rare in Germany, however. Most public phones are now card­ operated. You can buy a phone card at post offices or newspaper stands.

8 ElECTRICITY / POwER SUPPlYYou can register with the local provider E.ON, via the Internet at www.eon-mitte.com(Carsten Pape, Phone: +49 (0) 551/909­3185, mobile: +49 (0)151/16115596, carsten.pape@eon­mitte.com )You can compare different power supply companies and rates under: www.verivox.de

Note: The European wall power is 220 volts. To use electrical devices with any other voltage requirement you will need a voltage converter or a travel adaptor.

9 PUBlIC TRAnSPORTATIOnNote that every city or administrative district has its own regional transport system, with its own charges, tickets and services. There is no uniform system throughout Germany.Ms. Meyer­Blank’s office has local bus and train timetables and maps of the local transport system.On buses you can buy a single ticket. They are sold at ticket machines at the tram stations or can be purchased from the bus driver. However, it is often cheaper to buy multi­journey­tick­ets or even a weekly or a monthly ticket at one of the GoeVB (Göttinger Verkehrsbetriebe) ser­vice centres or from the driver.

Common tickets terminology

Einzelfahrt ticket valid for one trip

Tageskarte ticket valid all day long

wochenkarte / 7-Tageskarte is valid for a whole week and costs about as much as 5 tickets would

Monatskarte is valid for entire current calendar month or 30 days

Jahreskarte is valid for one year and costs about as much as 10 monthly tickets

The public transportation company Göttinger Verkehrsbetriebe (GoeVB) offers reduced prices for students. Please visit their website for price information: www.goevb.de

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10 GERMAn lAnGUAGE COURSESLanguage is the key to the culture of a country. To help you to feel more at home in Germany, the Volkshochschule (http://vhs-goettingen.de/) and Kreisvolkshochschule (http://www.kvhs-goettingen.de) off ers German courses, one for beginners and one for advanced persons.

11 DAYCARE AnD KInDERGARTEnAre there childcare facilities in my area? What are the costs? Are places available? You will ask yourself these and similar questions if you are looking for daycare for your child. Th e city of Göttingen would like to help you fi nd answers, as family­friendliness and compatibility with family life are very important in Göttingen. Göttingen seeks to be attractive to young fam­ilies. For this reason, the City Council of Göttingen cooperates with independent providers of daycare centers and day care persons to make the care services desired by the parents avail­able – whether in the form of institutional care places for with under­threes (creche) and school children (day­care centers and primary schools with all­day care) kindergarten places with half­, three­quarter or full­day care or child day care by qualifi ed persons. To always have an »open ear« for your needs, we regularly conduct parent surveys.Fore more information: http://www.kita.goettingen.de/betreuungsangebote/index.htmlTh e Max Planck Institute have an arrangement with the Kinderhaus Göttingen. We have an allocation of child care places. For more information please contact Ms. Meyer­Blank.

12 SCHOOlSFinding a school for your children aged 6 – 18 years is not a problem. Generally, where you live determines which school your children to go. Th e school year begins after the summer holi­days, any time between from July to September, depending on the federal state. Attendance at state­run schools in Germany is free of charge. Th ere are only a very few private or interna­tional schools that charge tuition.http://www.howtogermany.com/pages/education.html provides a good overview of the German School System. In a German school, lessons are held in German. Th at is undoubted­ly the quickest way for your child to learn the language.

IMPRInTMax-Planck-Institut für Dynamik und SelbstorganisationAndreas Bock – Direktionsbevollmächtigter –Am Faßberg 17Tel. +49 (0) 551 / 5176-700andreas.bock@ds.mpg.de

layoutBasta Werbeagentur GmbHAm Reinsgraben 337085 Göttingenwww.basta.de

DruckPR Druckerei GmbHWilli-Eichler-Straße 137079 Göttingenwww.pr-druckerei.de

13 MORE InFORMATIOn – wElCOME CEnTER GÖTTInGEnTh e Welcome Center is a service facility for international students, researchers and academics at the Georg August University in Göttingen (http://www.uni­goettingen.de/en/87827.html). Th e team provides information and targeted assistance with respect to all areas and topics. Additionally they off er Dual Career Service for newly appointed professors. Th e Welcome Cen­ter is a valuable additional resource.

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Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization

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