3.3 Get a visa appointment in the USA

As soon as all the necessary documents are available, you can book an appointment at the embassy . You can use the RK-Visa appointment booking system for this. Unfortunately, the embassies in the USA have similar scheduling difficulties as other embassies around the world. However, it can help to prepare the visa application properly and then contact the embassy by email or contact form with the documents already prepared and ask for an appointment. If the application is well prepared and the embassy staff see that processing is quick, they may sometimes grant a special appointment. The Federal Foreign Office provides a list of all embassy email addresses .

After the visa appointment has taken place, the embassy or consulate general will review your application. The review takes about 2 - 4 weeks in the USA. After the review, you can collect your passport or visa from the embassy or have the passport sent to you by express for an additional charge. You can then enter Germany.

4. Residence permit for US citizens in Berlin

If you are already in Germany and want to apply for a residence permit as a US citizen, you must contact your relevant immigration authority . In Berlin, for example, residence permits for American citizens are issued by the State Office for Immigration (LEA). The State Office for Immigration provides special information for US citizens on its website . If you, as a US citizen, want to apply for a residence permit at the Berlin immigration authority in accordance with Section 26 Paragraph 1 of the Residence Ordinance, you must submit the following documents:

• Application form for a residence permit (completed)

• Form Declaration of Employment Relationship (completed)

• Valid passport

• 1 current biometric photo

• employment contract

• rental agreement with indication of living space

• Proof of monthly rent (e.g. bank statement)#

• proof of your health insurance

• registration certificate

The collected documents must then be submitted using the LEA contact form . The immigration office will then give you an appointment. Booking an appointment is no longer possible in Berlin (see VISAGUARD blog post on the abolition of the appointment system in Berlin ).

5. Retirement visa for US citizens

Many Americans come to Germany to retire here (or in Europe in general). Retirees in particular appreciate the opportunity to spend several months a year in Europe without having to deal with the strict visa restrictions for tourists . At the same time, many maintain their residence in the United States and use Germany as a convenient base for travel within the Schengen area. However, since no gainful employment is carried out during this time, it is not so easy to obtain a visa for retirement in Germany.

Unfortunately, there is no direct "Golden Visa" program in Germany, as is known in other countries. However, there are ways to obtain a visa through investments (see only Section 7 of the Residence Act). One option is to purchase a property or start a company (see Section 21 of the Residence Act). A corresponding visa can be applied for for an amount of around 250,000 - 500,000 euros. It should be noted, however, that the issuing of investment visas in Germany is at the discretion of the authorities . The embassy can issue the visa, but it does not have to. It is therefore advisable to commission a lawyer to arrange the Golden Visa or Investor Visa.