When partners or children accompany a scholarship holder on a stay in Germany, additional organisational issues often arise. As well as the scholarship holder’s entry and residence, the travel times, documentation and specific needs of accompanying family members must also be taken into account.
Furthermore, not everyone always travels together or stays for the same period. This makes it all the more important to clarify at an early stage which regulations apply to partners and children and which options are available for the specific family situation.
What options are available for accompanying family members?
Whether family members can be covered under the same insurance policy as the scholarship holder depends on the specific policy and the conditions of the stay.
One possible solution is the ISHCP – International Science HealthCare Plan. Under certain conditions, financially dependent family members can also be covered under the same terms. One of the requirements is that the scholarship is not subject to compulsory social insurance.
Another option is FlexMed Global Impat. This policy is specifically designed for international scholarship holders who come to Germany through a scholarship or research funding organisation based in Germany, or through a relevant German funding programme. Compared to the ISHCP, FlexMed Global Impat offers a more comprehensive range of cover and includes, amongst other things, pre-existing conditions. Accompanying family members can also be included on the policy.
Travelling together – but not always at the same time
The start date of a scholarship often determines the timeframe. However, this does not necessarily have to be the same for partners or children. Perhaps the scholarship holder travels to Germany first, whilst the family follows a few weeks later. Sometimes part of the family stays for only a few months or returns earlier. For this reason, the actual arrival and departure dates of each family member should be taken into account from the outset.
Travelling with children raises additional questions
Anyone coming to Germany with children should check a few points particularly early on.
These include, for example:
- upcoming routine health check-ups
- vaccinations
- medication required on a regular basis
- ongoing treatments
- important medical documents for the stay
With the ISHCP, for example, the U1 to U9 check-ups and standard vaccinations in accordance with the prescribed vaccination schedule are included. Depending on your family situation, this plan may therefore be a viable option.
Regardless of the solution you choose, it is advisable to have vaccination records and relevant medical documents ready upon arrival.
Consider pregnancy at an early stage
An existing or planned pregnancy may also play a role in your preparations. Depending on the chosen plan, different conditions and benefits apply in this regard. With the ISHCP, for example, an additional benefit for pregnancy and childbirth can be arranged.
Whether this option suits your individual situation should be clarified as early as possible – as should any other special medical needs within the family.
Making sure you have the right documents for all family members
If several family members are coming to Germany, proof of insurance is often required for each of them. Depending on their residence status, insurance certificates for partners or children may be necessary. The documents should clearly state who is insured and the period for which the cover applies. It is therefore worth checking the names and validity periods carefully, particularly if the arrival dates differ.
Further information on this is available in the IHC article ‘Proof of insurance for authorities and universities’.
The article ‘Health insurance for the visa’ may also be helpful when preparing your application.
If your stay changes
Research and scholarship stays do not always go exactly to plan: a project may be extended, the family may arrive later or return earlier, or individual family members may stay longer than originally planned.
In such cases, it is important to check whether the existing insurance periods need to be adjusted. If an IHC tariff is being used or is an option, it should be clarified at an early stage which adjustments are possible and which deadlines need to be observed.
Before departure: What is important?
For a joint stay, the following points in particular should be finalised before the trip:
- Who is travelling with you?
- When will each family member arrive and depart?
- What documents are required for partners and children?
- Are there any special requirements for children or during pregnancy?
- What insurance options are available?
- Could an IHC policy suit your individual situation?
If these questions are clarified at an early stage, preparing for your stay as a family will be much less stressful.
Well prepared for Germany as a family
If partners or children are coming to Germany with you, it is worth treating the stay as a joint project from the very beginning.
With the ISHCP and – depending on the funding arrangement – FlexMed Global Impat, IHC offers two possible solutions for international scholarship holders, which can also take accompanying family members into account.
Are you planning a scholarship stay in Germany and is your family coming with you? The IHC team will be happy to advise you on which IHC plan suits your personal situation and your funding programme.
