I'm Back...

It has been some time since I posted anything on my blog and it's time to fire it up again.

For the past six months or so I've been side tracked with a Deutsch Integrationskurs and now I am studying for the B1-Prüfung (exam) upcoming on May 9th. The Deutsch Integrationskurs is a 600 hour course for learning the German language, integrating into the German culture learning about recent German history and the Politics. The course has been pretty interesting considering we only speak German and there are people from Russia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece, Romania, Columbia, Venezuela, Brazil, Mongolia, Slovakia and Moldavia in the class. It's sort of like a movie we've probably all seen where the American guy is teaching English as a second language to a group of people who all speak a different language. We have had a few pot luck parties and the food is varied and pretty darn good.

At the end of the course I take an nine hour exam that covers reading, writing, hearing and speaking German. I took the A1-Prüfung about a year ago and passed with no problem. This one is going to be a little different I think.

So, if I pass the B1 exam what does that do for me? My Visa will be good for two or three years before I will need to reapply. If I don't pass then I will need to reapply every year until I do pass the exam - or - until I have lived in Germany for six years when the Visa automatically becomes permanent. Interestingly enough, if you hold an EU Passport all of this is not necessary. Fortunately, I won't get kicked out of the country.

Deport

I have to say the whole exercise is a bit frustrating, as I have no problems getting along on a day to day basis living in Germany, even with my limited Deutsch sprechen. I certainly have no problem ordering Nüernberger Bratwürste und Bier.

Nüenberger Bratwürste erobern die Welt
(Nürnberg Bratwürst conquer the World)

On the other hand, I of course understand the idea of being "invited" by the immigrations folks at the Ausländeramt to participate in the course and exam. Germany has been the go to country for folks immigrating (or Ayslbewerber, i.e. asylum seekers) from countries outside of the EU for some time now. Germany would prefer that people who are living here are able to contribute to the overall society. For those who need to earn a living that means speaking the language. Not such a bad idea.

The Visa Saga

Germany allows you to stay in the country for 90 days without the need for a Visa.  The U.S. State Department web site sort of suggests that even though you can start the Visa application process before you leave the U.S. it's just as easy to start it once you arrive in Germany.  Hmmmm!  Not necessarily so.

About two weeks after arriving I started the process.  Filled out lots of guess what?  Paperwork.  Submitted everything to the Ausländeramt and waited.  And waited.  And waited.  Nothing!

The application is for both a Visa and a Work Permit, and since I have a pending work contract to do consulting for a company in Nürnberg I started getting a bit anxious.  Not to mention that 90 days was rapidly approaching.

My friend Christian, who owns the company I have the pending work contract with, and I went to the Ausländeramt in our nice business suits to see what we could find out. Christian, being the sweet tonged devil that he is manged to get us in to see the nice lady who had my file.

Now since the original application was made Judith and I were married in Reno in February (that's another installment).  After explaining this fact it seemed to make a significant difference in my status.  Being married to a German citizen negates the need for a Work Permit - you only need a Visa.  Ah Hah - good news.  Well sort of...

All we needed to do was get a certified copy of the marriage license from Washoe County and an Apostille from the State of Nevada's Secretary of State.  What is an Apostille you may wonder?  It's simple - an Apostille is a certified document that says the other certified document is certified - a certification of a certification.  This is actually a very simple process and was accomplished with no fuss or muss.

But... there's one more tank trap to get across as well.
 

I must pass the German Language A1 test.  Not so easy!  This all has to do with integration of aliens into the German society.  So OK, I've been taking German lessons for awhile now.  But, I can tell you, passing the German Language A1 test was not going to happen before my 90 days in Germany was up.  Fortunately, the nice lady understood this dilemma and gave me a six month temporary Visa.

In addition to the private lessons I've been taking I have enrolled at the Buildungszentrum (Education Center) for intensive German lessons.  Oh Boy!! 




So far, all of this must sound pretty daunting.  Well yes, it is, but I have a wonderful wife and friends who are helping and supporting the effort.  It's a matter of chipping away at each hurdle a bit at a time.  There's been a fair share of upside things going as well, and I'll get to those.

In the mean time the Container arrived in late January - that was a relief!!