Apply for an American visa in Germany

June 5438+October 2004 10, we began to prepare for going to the United States, and we first applied for an American visa. Germans don't need a visa (visa on arrival) to go to America. They can stay in the United States for three months with German passports. If it is more than 3 months, you need a long-term visa. First of all, you should go to the website of the American Embassy to find out what information you need to provide, download the registration form and take visa photos. The requirements for visa photos in the United States are very strange. The photographer's expression should be "neutral": no smile, eyes wide open and closed. In order to save money, we took photos at home, and the result was very funny, much like the photos of wanted criminals in the police station. Get all kinds of information ready and start making an appointment by phone. I couldn't get through the phone all morning, and then I called again in the afternoon. I finally know the date of the visa interview-two weeks later.

In June+10, 5438, Germany was still covered with snow and the cold wind roared. We got up early and arrived at the American Embassy in Frankfurt. There was a long queue in front of the door. The American embassy is surrounded by large concrete piers and steel wire mesh, and heavy tanks and armed police are parked at the door. This posture is reminiscent of the war years. "Please don't take pictures" is posted in an obvious place. The policeman jumped to the ground with cold, trying to put his head in his neck. A blond boy kept handing out a piece of paper, shouting safety regulations in English and German at the same time: "You are not allowed to bring anything into the embassy except documents." The people in the queue have all left, so go and find a place to store your extra things. I think opening a storage room around here will definitely make money.

Standing in the cold wind for more than two hours, it was our turn to enter the security gate. The gatehouse is equipped with a full set of security inspection equipment, and the inspection process is the same as that on the plane. A policewoman wearing an American police uniform with scarlet nails will obviously bring inconvenience to security inspection. It took her a long time to pick up a piece of paper. Later, when I arrived in the United States, I found that female judges, prosecutors and bank managers all had scarlet long nails.

Walking out of the security room for 2 minutes, we arrived at the visa waiting hall, and George W. Bush's smiling head hung in a conspicuous position. When you enter the visa room, you must wait in line. The visa room is very similar to the business hall of a bank, with a row of glass windows, and a visa officer sits behind each glass window. Someone instructed the visa applicant to submit the visa materials from one window, change a colored paper card (different colors represent different windows), and then line up at the window where you should go. After waiting for nearly two hours, I began to answer the visa officer's questions, because Mike was transferred from a multinational company and passed the interview in two minutes. Then I scanned my fingerprint, which was the first time I "pressed my fingerprint", and it felt very strange. Finally, the female visa officer said, "You can come and get your passport next week." We thought we were finished, but when I got my passport, I found that my visa was one year less than Mike's. Mike asked, "Why is my visa for three years and my wife's visa for two years?" The answer is simple: "Because your wife is from China." I feel a little uncomfortable. Isn't America the most equal and free country? Mike comforted: "My visa is L- 1 (manager of a multinational company) and your visa is L-2(L- 1 family). This visa includes a work permit. Not every family member who goes to Germany can get this visa. Besides, we will come back in two years. "

Small think tank:

American visas have several advantages:

1. With an American visa, it is easy to get a Canadian visa. Generally speaking, you can get a Canadian visa on the same day, and the visa time in Canada is basically the same as that in the United States (if you have a two-year American visa, Canada will give you a two-year Canadian visa).

If you come back from the United States and the plane stops in Japan, you can also get a transit visa soon.

If you have an American visa, South Korea doesn't need it at all.

Major visa types in the United States:

A- 1。 Foreign ambassadors, senior officials, diplomatic or consular officials and their families

B- 1。 Short business visit

B-2。 American tourist visa for short-term travel

C- 1。 Alien transit

F- 1。 Full-time law school students, American study visa.

H- 1b。 Short-term professional workers in designated occupations

H-3。 intern

J- 1。 Exchange visiting scholars of approved projects

K- 1。 American marriage visa gives the fiance (wife) of an American citizen to immigrate to the United States.

L- 1a。 L 1 visa for executives and managers of American branches.

L-2。 Spouses and children of L- 1

M- 1。 Short-term vocational training visa for students to come to the United States during holidays. This kind of training may not be a language school, but generally a university.