Visa & More: Frequently Asked Questions

As always, we will use this chapter to answer some exemplary questions we have been asked via the internet over the past days and weeks. In general, answering questions via the internet (free of charge) may take a while, since we get dozens of questions from all over the world every day. For individual cases - especially for the more complex problems - we reserve the right to refer you to our telephone consulting service in order to guarantee you the best possible assistance.

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.

YOUR QUESTION: Our daughter has been invited by a family in Georgia, friends of ours, to live with them and work as an au pair after her Abitur (university entrance qualification) next year. Is it possible for her to obtain the J-1 Visa. Can my friend act as a sponsor?

OUR ANSWER: No, unfortunately not. She can only get a visa with the help of an authorized organization, since US authorities do not recognize privately organized stays for the J-1 visa and can thus not grant an admission permit. Your only option is to have the family in the US listed as a host family at an authorized organization.

ADDITIONAL QUESTION: I want to work as an au pair for 1 year. However, the exchange is not being organized by an organization. Does this mean I will not qualify for the J-1 visa? Do I have to return to Germany after 6 months?

OUR ANSWER: You will need a J-1 visa, F-1 visas will only be issued for study programs. After the six months you will have to return to Germany, unless you apply for a change of status in the US. These requests are frequently denied after an au pair status.

YOUR QUESTION: I (19) would like to go to the US for half a year (California or Washington) after completing my job training (administrative assistant) next year in June. However, I do not want to have regular employment there, but just job a little. What do I need, would the B-visa be sufficient? Where do I have to apply?

OUR ASNWER: You cannot work in the US with a B-visa. The US are not the best country for jobbing, since the immigration regulations make this very difficult. You would definitely need a work permit. So we recommend applying for a work & travel program (e.g. at council.de), many exchange organizations offer these.

YOUR QUESTION: If I give birth in the US, will my child automatically be a US citizen? If so, will I get an unlimited residence and work permit because of that?

OUR ANSWER: Your child will automatically be a US citizen in case you give birth in the US. You should know, however, that women advanced in pregnancy will often not be admitted into the country or not be transported by the airlines. You will not automatically get a residence permit because of this, your child may apply for you as soon as it comes of age (21).

YOUR QUESTION: After having completed her year as an au pair, our daughter would now like to attend college in the US for four years. Is there a certain waiting time after a 12-months stay? Is it better to apply in the US or back in Germany...?

OUR ANSWER: Your daughter may apply for a so-called adjustment of status in the US. To F-1. A waiting time only exists for certain J-1 visas for a change to certain other visas (not F-1). In this case however, approval is still not very likely, because the US don't want the young people to develop too close ties to the US. In case the F-1 status is approved, she has to be holding a valid visa in order to re-enter the US. She could otherwise simply apply at the consulate, but the same problem mentioned above still applies.

YOUR QUESTION: I am planning to go to the US for two weeks with my girlfriend on October 30, 2004 (I have a Slovenian passport, my girlfriend a German one). I am not quite sure about the entry regulations of October 26, 2004. Could you tell us whether we need a visa? And also, we want to get married there and I would like to know whether I will need a visa for this?

OUR ANSWER: You both don't need a visa (Slovenia participates in the Visa Waiver Program as well). The immigration regulations have only been tightened concerning the passports, you won't generally need a visa from October 26, 2004. Only people without a valid passport have to apply for a visa. So you can still use the Visa Waiver Program as long as you are holding a machine-readable passport. You do not need a special visa to get married in the US.