美国F1去德国换新护照的问题（德国签证，终结篇）

美国F-1到德国开会签证（late May）注意事项感谢分享经验的其他朋友，祝你签证顺利，祝我找工作顺利

就三点：
1．持有效美国签证 （申请时护照有效期六个月）
2．我在Los Angeles 邮寄申请, 我打电话骚扰无数次，人很nice，
http://www.germany.info/relaunch/info/missions/consulates/losangeles/losangeles.html
3. 我按要求准备所有材料，comments after each requirement.
- fully completed application form (only German and English versions accepted) and required declaration
**填完后你的申请表格资料可以保存在你的电脑供修改
- two passport photographs (strict requirements, see details)：**I modify a little bit using US visa photo and Chinese passport photo

- valid national passport and one copy
- original valid US alien registration card or valid US resident visa (type
A, E, F, G, H, I, J, L, O, R) and one copy**唯一的疏忽是: 我忘了附上签证的复印件，最后他们也没找我麻烦

- your current bank statement (I don't have a bank account / My friends in
Germany pay for my visit) and one copy
我问银行要了一封信，有开户日期，三月平均和一年平均balance的信息。也许一般的-your current bank statement也就够了，总之，拿出准备美国签证的认真去拿生根就觉得容易。

- confirmation letter from your health insurance stating coverage with a minimum of 37.500.- US-$ for trips outside the US (Why do I need health insurance?) and one copy
**我用的是travel insurance, 将我的policy 打印出来，特别highlight 了在美国境外的相应条款和保险金额

- business references (letter from your US employer, invitation from German company or organization, stating that it will bear all accumulating expenses) (I'm self-employed and run my own business)
**老板的stipend 支持信，会议的邀请信 （电子版打印出来），会议的stipend通知

- proof of hotel reservation and airline reservation and one copy**大家都很忙，按照会议的日程fake hotel 和 airline, 拿到签证再说，聪明吧？ I was so wrong 此属商业签证，跟美国的F-1时不同的，同学们啊，想在会议完了在欧洲走走没问题。签证会比你呈交的计划早一天，晚两天（我老板的情况， 中国+绿卡）- 一星期 （我的情况，穷学生）。 我用会议的hotel 和days inn （after conference）分别定的hotel （check 他们的cancellation policy, 要记得cancel before any penalty, e.g. cancellation deadline for conference organized hotel is 15 days before
conference start, days in is 2 weeks before arrival time too. 所以一定要早早早。 最终住 hostel 的可能性很大，有没有除柏林外的欧洲其他地方的朋友愿意招呼一下啊，我们还没定去那里玩）， 机票是真的.

- visa fees
$80 + $20 (web $15, I called then they told me that is updated to $20, bad!,
 total $100 money order), they want you to mail in application.

Apr.9 out via priority (4.05 + $0.5 delivery confirmation), Apr 11 arrive, (
Wednesday), Apr 16 (Monday) issued visa, Apr 17 9AM out from LA, overnight
Fedex Apr18 morning ~10AM reach me, actually only take them 4 business days to handle.

还没想好在德国以及欧洲怎么玩，会议后有大约十天时间 正在研究lonely planet Germany and Europe
抱歉不能一一回之前ISMRM问我问题的朋友，那时我也是啥都不懂，什么安排也没定啊。

来源：未名空间（www.mitbbs.cn）