Visa & More: Frequently Asked Questions

Below, you will find a selection of visa questions we have been asked by our customers over the last few days. Please note that none of the answers below is an actual substitute for individual consulting and can only touch on the real issues. We would like to point out that we do not take responsibility for the correctness of this information.

If you need fats and individual information, our service team is there for you on the phones from Tuesday to Friday between 10am and 5pm. Find the phone number on our homepage and get our experts' advice on everything visa as quickly and as conveniently as possible. Please note that our phone number has changed due to legal requirements!

Any questions can also be submitted via our homepage at any time.

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

YOUR QUESTION: I am about to get m Abitur (German university entrance qualification) and afterwards, I would like to visit my family in the US and do an internship in a nursery school while I'm there (if possible). I need a visa because I'm a Bosnian citizen.

OUR ANSWER: You will need the so-called B-2 visa. Requirements are an extended stay, sufficient financial means, no too close family ties to the US and a suitable itinerary. You will need an interview appointment at the US embassy, an application for a non-immigration visa and a valid passport. The fee for a visa is currently €80. You should be prepared to explain conclusively why you will have to return to Germany. It is not advisable to present invitations from relatives in the US. However, you cannot do an internship with a B-2 visa. And because you do not have any job training, you don't qualify for the J-1 visa you would need for an internship.

YOUR QUESTION: My wife will receive the H-1B visa and I the H-4. With that, I am not allowed to work in the US. Can I have my permanent residence in the US and work in Germany?

OUR ANSWER: That is possible. You can use the visa, but you don't have to. It is an option, not obligatory. Just make sure to also submit a tax declaration to the US Internal Revenue Service, even if you have a so-called zero income there. The tax declaration, however, is obligatory for H-4 visa holders.

YOUR QUESTION: I am in the process of founding a company in El Paso, Texas in partnership with an American and a British LTD. However, I need the E-visa in order to live there and run the business.

OUR ANSWER: To obtain the E-visa, you will first of all have to prove that you own at least 50% of the company. That means 50% of investment has to be made by you or controlled by you. For the application, you will need documentation about the sum of investment, hiring of staff and the legal structure of the company. So you should be able to present the Article of Incorporation or the Limited Liability Company, depending on what form you chose for tax reasons. The company should already be fully functional.

YOUR QUESTION: I am holding the R-visa, type B1/B2, valid until 2016. I have recently been to the US as a tourist for four weeks. My question is, can I go to the US again this year, and if not, what do I need?

OUR ANSWER: You are allowed to stay in the US for up to 180 days at a time, or enter the country multiple times for a total of 180 days. You should, however, not try to enter the country too soon, since you only recently got back. We recommend an absence of two months before getting on a plane to the US again.

YOUR QUESTION: I currently have a permanent employment contract with a publishing company. Now I might get the opportunity of doing a training in an American publishing company. Since I don't know a lot about the different types of visa, I need your help. Thank you.

OUR ANSWER: You will need the so-called J-1 visa (Exchange Visitor Visa). For that, you have to register with an authorized exchange organization, which will provide you with form DS-2019. Usually, you will have to pay a fee, calculated depending on the length of your stay. The visa will be issued after you have attended an interview at your local US consulate general. The processing time for registration depends on the provider, some have premium packages that include faster processing for a fee.