Aufenthaltstitel

We all know I have a problem keeping up with posts. Here's something I should have updated about three weeks ago... it may be a little stale but it still happened!


I was starting to get pretty nervous having not heard back from the residence permit/visa place with a little over a week left to stay in town. Sebastian suggested I contact the embassy to see if they could help and they responded the same day! Their comforting words told me to sit tight and they'd help out when things got closer. America is so great. Turns out I didn't need their help because finally I received an email inviting me back for another meeting! Surprise!

Melissa had an appointment for the next day but she came with me anyway hoping that they would see her as my +1. The place is on the other side of the universe so it was great to have some company for the hour commute. I brought a snack and a book and saddled up for a long wait. When my Frau called me in, she asked for my passport and told me to go downstairs and pay. When I returned, she gave me back my passport with my Aufenthaltstitel. Easy as pie?

As Melissa was already in another room, I "hunted her up" (a term I picked up from Fern) to see if she needed any help. She did. Her Frau spoke no English and Melissa speaks no Deutsch. When I entered the room the lady was yelling at her and Melissa was saying, "do you speak english?" repeatedly. With the few broken words I know I was able to explain to the lady why Melissa was here outside of her appointment time and that she already had a temporary visa. The lady was still a grouch but much friendlier now that she understood. After some rummaging through files the lady finally gave Melissa her aufenthaltstitel too! What a successful day plus I felt pretty good about helping out with my language skills (I'm sure she would have gotten it anyway but I'd like to think I saved the day)

This photo is blurry on purpose

The aufenthaltstitel photo has specific requirements - no smiling, hair has to be down, blah blah. I had my hair up all day and had to take it down for the photo. No smiling and washed out from the horrible flash my photo looks just like a celebrity mug shot on Perez. My hair is so flat that when I showed it to Antje she thought it looked like a burka. And this photo is permanently affixed in my passport.

So happily ever after! I can legally stay here through October 31, which is a Monday. I'm looking forward to not getting shaken down at the airport anymore but maybe the mug shot will cause a new set of problems...