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    Letter of Invitation
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Visa Requirements & Letter of Invitation

General Information

Travelling to Germany is easy. The documents you need vary depending on where you are from.

If you are a citizen of the European Union, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein: all you need is your Identification Card, or a valid passport. Minors travelling with their ID card must have a document that shows parental authorisation.

If you are from any of the following countries: Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, United States, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, Nicaragua, New Zealand, Panama, Paraguay, Korea, San Marino, the Holy See, Singapore, Uruguay, and Venezuela: all you need is a valid passport to enter Germany, where you can stay for a maximum of 90 days.

If you are from any other country, according to the criteria of the EU: you must request a visa at the German Consulate of your country of residence. You will also need a valid passport.

For these cases, the German authorities may ask documents showing where you will stay, confirmation of an organised tour, return air tickets, tourist circuit, or a personal invitation letter. You may also be asked to show proof of having enough financial resources to support yourself during your stay in Germany. Since conditions may vary, we recommend you contact your local German Consulate or Embassy for more information on these requirements.

Letter of Invitation

Participants that require an official invitation letter in order to obtain a visa should apply for this invitation by at least 6 weeks prior to the meeting at the very latest. The deadline for this type of "Letter of Invitation" is 01 July 2008.

Participants that require an invitation in order to raise travel funds or for administrative purposes should also apply for this invitation by at least 4 weeks prior to the meeting at the latest. It should be understood, however, that such an invitation is not a commitment on the part of the organizers to provide financial support. Therefore, the deadline for this type of "Letter of Invitation" is 01 July 2008.

It should be understood that the organizers can only issue an Invitation which includes the time of the assembly plus the Saturdays and Sundays directly before and after the conference, respectively.

Please send your request for a "Letter of Invitation" to Ralf Srama (ralf.srama@mpi-hd.mpg.de) or Gabriele Weese (gabriele.weese@mpi-hd.mpg.de).