Getting a German Visa
We spend over four hours in the waiting room at the immigration office today (yes – we had an appointment). It’s not the most exciting place to be spending your time – too worried that if you go to the bathroom, you’ll miss having your name called or your number appearing on the screen.
Hanging out at the immigration office waiting room isn’t a part of living in a new country that you really think about… until you have to do it.
It reminds me of spending the day at the Denver DMV to get my driver’s license. But longer.
I feel pretty lucky to report that as I share the good, the bad, and the bits and pieces between in creating a life abroad, it’s gosh darn lucky that the biggest “bad” to date is sitting in a waiting room.
Have a great Thursday.









February 4th, 2010 at 9:14 am
Great point!
BTW, I’m about to land in Denver in about 20 minutes. SO excited!
February 4th, 2010 at 9:55 am
Ah, yes, I have vague memories of this from my semester as a student in Bonn… vague mainly due to language gaps. Glad you are so upbeat about the four hours there!
February 4th, 2010 at 11:14 am
ugh, the Auslandersamt! no likey! you poor thing!
when we first came, we noticed the bathrooms to the one in Giessen were so trashed, filthy, no toilet seats, etc. Go to a different office in the same building – totally clean bathrooms. It was so passive-aggressive…
February 4th, 2010 at 11:35 am
Oh, I couldn’t imagine. I hate waiting in the drivers license office…4 hours would drive me nuts!
February 4th, 2010 at 11:56 am
When it comes to something you HAVE to do…like getting visas, or waiting for planes, I kind of like the wait. You can’t really do anything else, yet you are taking care of something important. Great time to catch up on reading or to just people watch.
I really enjoy your blog by the way!
February 5th, 2010 at 9:50 am
Somthing to look forward to I guess once I move to Germany. It cant be any worse though to the 6 hour layover I had in Chicago’s airport during Christmas one year on my way Germany.