US embassy at Frankfurt

[gnh]

I need to go to Germany at the end of next month for work and plan to get my visa stamped at the Frankfurt embassy. (H1 visa expired in Feb of this year)

I had only one question..can we pick up the passport after the stamping at the consulate or is that option not available at this consulate? I will be staying at a company guesthouse and do not want to lose my passport in the mail.

[naveenpratapsingh]

Although it is 6 years but I got my H1B visa stamped in Frankfurt. They do not allow you to pick your passport. They send it through the general mail.

Also they put my case for additional processing because they needed to do bakground verification from consulate in India. I was working there for last 6 months and they said this time is not long enough for them to take decision on their own. They gave me a time frame of 4 weeks but I got an email from them within 4 weeks that i can send my passport for stamping.

I would seriously advice you to rethink your decision of going to Frankfurt. For me I was working for the same company who was relocating me to US, So I had no issues.

All the best..

[raysaikat]

Originally Posted by gnh

I need to go to Germany at the end of next month for work and plan to get my visa stamped at the Frankfurt embassy. (H1 visa expired in Feb of this year)

I had only one question..can we pick up the passport after the stamping at the consulate or is that option not available at this consulate? I will be staying at a company guesthouse and do not want to lose my passport in the mail.

Be prepared for staying in Germany for 3-4 months. It is quite likely that they will need additional information/approval from US or your home consulate before they can issue you the VISA stamp. I had to stay close to 2 months there for getting the VISA.

[gnh]

Originally Posted by raysaikat

Be prepared for staying in Germany for 3-4 months. It is quite likely that they will need additional information/approval from US or your home consulate before they can issue you the VISA stamp. I had to stay close to 2 months there for getting the VISA.

Where you doing a renewal or a first time visa stamping?

I am not too concerned about staying there as I am going to the head office of my company for training. If I have to stay there,I can work from there.

But I don't understand why it would take so long as if your case is straightforward..you get your visa in one day from Canada or Mexico?

[gnh]

Originally Posted by naveenpratapsingh

Although it is 6 years but I got my H1B visa stamped in Frankfurt. They do not allow you to pick your passport. They send it through the general mail.

Also they put my case for additional processing because they needed to do bakground verification from consulate in India. I was working there for last 6 months and they said this time is not long enough for them to take decision on their own. They gave me a time frame of 4 weeks but I got an email from them within 4 weeks that i can send my passport for stamping.

I would seriously advice you to rethink your decision of going to Frankfurt. For me I was working for the same company who was relocating me to US, So I had no issues.

All the best..

Was it your first time stamping..I am not sure why they would need verification from consulate in India for a renewal? I haven't even been in India for the last 3 years!!

[ubdvit]

Originally Posted by gnh

I need to go to Germany at the end of next month for work and plan to get my visa stamped at the Frankfurt embassy. (H1 visa expired in Feb of this year)

I had only one question..can we pick up the passport after the stamping at the consulate or is that option not available at this consulate? I will be staying at a company guesthouse and do not want to lose my passport in the mail.

I got mine in Aug, after a wait of 2-3 months. Be prepared.

Ask the interviewing officer for a pickup option, otherwise they will not let you pick up and will mail it to you.

Average email response time is 2-3 days.

[gnh]

Originally Posted by ubdvit

I got mine in Aug, after a wait of 2-3 months. Be prepared.

Ask the interviewing officer for a pickup option, otherwise they will not let you pick up and will mail it to you.

Average email response time is 2-3 days.

Was it a first time stamping for you?..I am getting worried now. My case is pretty clean..big multi national employer with no history of problems in the initial H1B petition,first stamping or extension. I have never worked for anyone else on H1B.

Thanks for the advise about asking for the pick up option. I will so as you say.

[mjdup]

I got stamped twice at US consulate in Munich and the passport was mailed to me, not an option to pick it up. Both times, I got the passport with visa stamped in exactly 3 days. This was like 2 years ago so may be things are different at US consulate, Frankfurt.

Hope this helps,

[ubdvit]

Originally Posted by gnh

Was it a first time stamping for you?..I am getting worried now. My case is pretty clean..big multi national employer with no history of problems in the initial H1B petition,first stamping or extension. I have never worked for anyone else on H1B.

Thanks for the advise about asking for the pick up option. I will so as you say.

You may not have to wait long; still be prepared just in case.

Their standard response is your pp will be returned in 3-5 business days. You have to give them a self-addressed envelop with 55 cents, IIRC. If they give you the option to pick up, they will send you an email to pick it up at 3pm from the front window.