Visa Requirements & Letter of Invitation

General Information

The documents you need to enter Germany vary depending on where you are from.

If you are a citizen of the European Union, Bulgaria, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Romania and Switzerland: 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 a German Consulate in your country of residence. You will also need a valid passport.

For these cases, 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. More information can be found at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Letter of Invitation

Participants that require an official letter of invitation in order to obtain a visa, to raise travel funds or for administrative purposes should apply for this invitation by at least 8 weeks prior to the meeting at the very latest. It should be understood, however, that such an invitation is not a commitment on the part of the organisers to provide financial support. The deadline for requesting a Letter of Invitation is 22 June 2012.

It should be understood that the organisers can only issue an invitation which includes the period of the conference plus the Saturdays and Sundays directly before and after the conference, respectively.