Visa and More

If you need fast and individual information, our service team is there for you on the phones from Tuesday to Friday between 11am and 7pm. Find the phone number on our homepage and get our experts' advice on everything visa as quickly and as conveniently as possible.

And as usual, for all questions concerning the green card lottery just call our service team.

QUESTION: I have a small company. We have the opportunity of working in the US - with ca. 4 employees for ca. 5 months. What visa is appropriate for us and what steps do we have to take. Do we need a work visa?

ANSWER: No. You should choose the B-1 Business Visa. The status you will get at the US border (not the US consulate) will allow you to work for a limited period of time, as long as you can demonstrate that the US employer will directly pay your company abroad.

The payments must go directly to your company abroad, direct or indirect compensation for your workers in the US is not permitted. Any kind of work is limited to the services you are rendering to the employer in the US. Together with your employees' applications you should submit documentation from the US about the exact work you will be doing and all the specifics of the contract, as well as documentation about your company and salary records.

We would be glad to help you formulate any of the letters or compile the additional documentation necessary for the B-visa applications and preparation for the visa interview.

QUESTION: Situation: I need a visa for the US for about 2-3 weeks, because I am invited to my friends' wedding who I haven't seen for six years. I am living in Germany. I have a Ukrainian passport with a permanent residence permit for Germany.

ANSWER: You need the B-2 Visa. You can apply at a personal interview at the appropriate US consulate (Frankfurt or Berlin, depending on your place of residence.) During the summer travel season, make sure to schedule this in good time, you have to be prepared for a waiting time of up to two weeks and about ten days before you get you passport with the visa inside back.

To your application you should add documentation about your stay in Germany, a copy of your lease agreement, documentation about your employment situation such as employment contract and salary documentation and other documents proving your intention to return to Germany.

QUESTION: On September 25, 2004, I want to fly from Frankfurt to Detroit where my sister has been living for 40 years now and on October 5 I want to fly back to Frankfurt form Orlando, Florida. I have had a visitor visa in my passport ever since my first visit to the US in 1983. Do I have to take any additional steps to be allowed to enter the US on September 25 and stay for ten days?

ANSWER: No, the visa from back then is no longer valid anyway. It expired in 1993, even if it has been issued as "indefinite" back then. Since 1995, B-visas are no longer valid indefinitely, but only for ten years. You could apply for a new B-Visa, or you could - since you are only staying for ten days and thus less than 90 days, and provided that you are a citizen of a country participating in the Visa Waiver Program - enter the US without a formal visa.

It is also possible to enter the US with your B-Visa one last time, it will be invalidated at the border. The officer might recommend that you apply for a new B-Visa, provided that makes sense in your specific situation.

QUESTION: I am currently in California with a visa valid for 5 months. I would like to start college in August - Do I have to apply for the F-1 Visa in Germany or can I do that in the US? What other requirements do I have to meet?

ANSWER: You have to apply for an adjustment of status at US Citizenship and Immigration Services in good time, processing may take several months.

Depending on what visa you are holding now, it might be difficult to get an adjustment of status approved, e.g. if you are holding the J-1 (especially au pair). In case you do get the adjustment of status it is vitally important that you have a valid visa in case you leave the US and try to re-enter it, without a valid visa you might be denied admission.

Important (!): Even if your adjustment of status application is approved in the US, the US consulate may deny you the visa depending on your current situation. This often happens in case it is not clear what close ties you have to your home country. The longer and more frequent your stays in the US in the past, the higher is the possibility of a visa denial.

Useful advice:

In case you even have to spell anything, here are the example words of the phonetic international alphabet for you:

Alfa for A, Bravo, Baker for B, Charlie for C, Delta, Dog for D, Echo, Easy, Edison for E, Foxtrot, Fox for F, Golf for G, Hotel, How, Harry for H, India, Italy for I, Juliet, Jack for J, Kilo, King for K, Lima, Lucy, Love for L, Mike, Martha for M, November for N, Oscar for O, Papa, Peter, Paris for P, Quebec, Queen for Q, Romeo, Roger for R, Sierra, Sugar for S, Tango, Tommy for T, Uniform, Uncle for U, Victor for V, Whisky, Washington for W, X-Ray for X, Yankee, Yellow for Y, Zulu, Zebra for Z.