As always, the International Office and your Peer Student (if you do not have one, I highly recommend it) are your best friends. There are two major forms that must be completed and turned in at the Emigration Office. On your first visit, make sure that you have enough time as there can be a lengthy wait involved, and bring someone fluent in German if you are not. While the people at the office were very friendly and helpful, they do not speak fluent English, especially in a situation such as this. That being said, I did not have any problems getting everything worked out. It is also worth noting that, while the office does not open until 9:00, the main doors are open earlier. You want to get their before the crowd. As soon as the doors open, you need to rush up the stairs imediatly in front of you and to the terminal at the far wall (I am not responsible for an future construction or process changes). This is relatively easy to manage, simply run through in English, say you have not made an appointment, and that you are a student. Once your ticket number is called you will meet someone and take the first real step of the process. They will take one of the forms that you have completed (this one is to register specifically with the city of Braunschweig) and check your Passport. Well they may not check your passport, but you should always have it with you anyway. They will then set another appointment with you and tell you what you will need to bring.
The first thing that you will need is the second completed packet that you were given by the IO. There is also an additional form that you will need to get from the IO. This is more important if you are staying longer than I am and are participating in an internship. If (like me) you are only there for one semester of just studies, then the document simply needs to state your reason for study, your field, and length of stay. You will also need proof of Health Insurance during your stay in Germany. I simply showed them the acceptance packed that I received from DAK via email and that was enough. I do not think it was necessary, but they also made a copy of my health insurance card that I received in the mail. They also require you to have some proof of finances, just making sure you wren't planning on living in a box, and a simple bank statement is enough for this requirement. As a note to the security conscious, there is no need for any of your account details to be visible, simply white out your account number and copy they paper. They have no problem as long as it is a real bank with real money. They are quite picky about that last part. That is all of the actual paperwork, but there are some additional things that you will need to have with you.
So I fibbed, you will also need your sheet with all of your matriculation (don't panic! words that big have sight based on movement) information. This is something that you will receive in the mail once you have registered as a student at TU-Braunschweig and it contains, among many other things, your student ID. At some point (maybe tomorrow) I will also tell you the wonders of that little slip of paper. Your ID is not what they need but the large sheet of paper it was attached too. Lastly (almost), you will need a photo for the to take. They paint a clear picture of what they want here. The size should be roughly 3.5cm wide by 4.5cm tall and you want your face to be the vast majority of the photo. Also, you cannot be showing your teeth, smiling, looking way, have anything in your eyes (hair or glasses), no hats (unless for religious reasons), with your head held straight, and your hands cannot be in the picture. They also prefer to have your eyes in the center line of the picture. I know this sounds crazy but I am not making this up. You can try and get all of this worked out at home, or simply use the conveniently located photo booths that walk you through the whole process and only cost 6 Euros. Small note, the will only take 5 Euro Bills or 1 or 2 Euro coins. Take a deep breath and stay calm. I am now going to reveal a secret that I sincerely wish I had known.
There is a fee that comes with the processing of your Visa. 100 Euros. Now the secret, you can get around this fee! If you bring in proof of Scholarships, they worker has the right to wave the fee. I do not know why, and I do not know if this is true for all of Germany, but here in Braunschweig it is a very real and useful thing to know. I am currently trying to find any proof I can in order to circumvent this charge. Never saw anything like this in all my searching about German Visas, so I hope that people with questions about getting a Visa in Germany will be able to find this blog, even if it requires that I use the words Visa, Germany, and other combinations (such as German Visa, Visa in Germany, or Residence Visa in Germany) more often that would otherwise be natural. Hopefully, anyone searching for information on the process for a German Visa will be sent here. Now after all of that, I was told that the process would take approximately three weeks. I was given a sheet of paper that states I have applied and that the application is being processed so that I will not be deported before it arrives. Fortunately, because I was unaware of the potential benefits of my scholarships, I was told I did not have to pay until I picked up my Visa in three weeks. I hope I can find what I need. Oh, and German Visa Application Process.
For those of you who love checklists, here is a bullet list (almost the same thing) of what you will need.
- City registration paper work
- received from BS IO
- Visa application packet
- also received from BS IO
- Reason and Duration of stay
- Upon request from BS IO (I think there is a pattern, just not sure what)
- Proof of Health Insurance
- Proof of Finances
- Bank Statement
- Photo
- 3.5*4.5 cm
- No hat, no smile, nothing in front of eyes, and centered in frame
- 100 Euros
- Bring proof of Scholarships to circumvent this charge!!!
Well, I hope that someone out there finds all of this usefull. Das is Alles, Gute Nacht.
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