The Integration Course - My Actual Journey

A month after getting married in Germany, I applied for a residence permit and was given a Bestätigung über die Verflichtung zur Teilnahme am Integrationskurs. This meant that I am obliged to take an integration course. 

Deciding to register 

Once you receive your Bestätigung, you are supposed to enrol as soon as possible, but it was not until 8 months later, on the first week of March 2020, that I finally decided to register in an integration course. 

I hesitated to enrol earlier because I thought, that based on my learning style, self-studying will be better. My husband bought me all the books I requested. I was certainly not in lack of learning materials (and awesome support) at home. The problem is, I am not disciplined enough to study regularly. In the end, I decided that it is better to enrol in a course so I have a structure to follow. 

We live in the Hunsrück area and the nearest Volkhochschule (VHS) that offers an integration course within 15km(!) radius is at least 1,5 hour bus-ride away in the middle of nowhere. At certain times of the day, the bus also just comes once every hour. When compared with the travelling time to other course providers outside our area, there is really no big difference. So, upon discussing with my husband, I chose to register at a course provider in the same town where he also works. The place is two train-ride away from home but an advantage is that the mode of transportation is more frequent. Also, my husband can fetch me on his way home from work and I saved money and time one-way.

The registration process

The first step was to inquire from my chosen course provider, VHS-Bingen. We made a phone call and found out that a personal appearance is required for registration. We were also instructed to bring the following documents:

• my residence permit
• valid Philippine passport
• Bestätigung über die Verflichtung zur Teilnahme am Integrationskurs

During the registration, I was asked a few details, such as what my mother language is, the total number of years I attended school and if I have visited a Deutschkurs before. The lady who attended to us took the original copy of my Bestätigung. She made a colored photocopy of the document to give back to me. I was then given an Anmeldebestätigung as proof of registration. It stated the Termin for my Einstufungstest. We did not have to pay at the time of registration.

Two days later, the first corona lockdown was imposed in Germany. I received notice that the Einstufungstest was cancelled until further notice.

It was not until two months later that the Einstufungstest happened. The exam was a multiple-choice type with 70 items and a time limit of 30minutes. The questions were extensive, ranging from A1 - B1 level. After the exam, I was told to wait for the result. The proctor checked it right infront of me. A short time later she informed me that, based on my result, I will start at module 6. It means that I only needed 100 lesson-hours for the language course. I tried to tell her that I did not visit any German language course before and I am not yet confident with my German. I passed the A1 level exam by self-studying. I asked if it would be better if I at least start at module 4. She said that based on my result, I already have a good grasp of the language and starting from a lower module will just bore me. She added though that because of the pandemic, she cannot tell when the course will begin. I just have to wait.

In September 2020, I finally received a Deutschkursanmeldung detailing the start of the course in November of the same year. The notice also included the health protocols we need to follow in view of the pandemic. We have to wear masks all the time. We paid the course cost of  €195. 

A view of the river Nahe on the day I took my Einstufungstest.

The language course

On the first day of the course, I went to the wrong venue! I went to the secretariat building, where I took my assessment test, instead of the training venue. Integration lesson No. 1, how to ask for directions and read the Google map (in German) which an admin kindly printed out for me. 

I arrived a few minutes late to our class. Luckily the teacher was not there to notice my tardiness. When the teacher entered the room, I introduced myself and was asked if I already have a course book. I had to pay €13 for a set (course book and activity book). The book I paid for was for Module 5 and not 6.

My classmates came from different parts of the world: Pakistan, Turkey, Morocco, Ukraine, Romania, Eritrea, Dominican Republic, Kazakhstan and Mongolia. They came to Germany under various circumstances. Most of them barely speak English and we were all forced to communicate in German. I was the only Filipina in a class of 13 people. I learned that one student supposed to also be in our class got corona infection 3 days before I joined the class. He was not able to attend the course anymore. It created a big scare for everyone when the school was informed of it but with the advice of the Gesundheitsamt, the class was allowed to continue. Health protocols are strictly followed.

Three of my classmates were ''repeaters''; they already finished the integration course but did not reach the B1 level in the language test. They were entitled to repeat module 6 and re-take the language exam for free. 

My schedule was Monday to Friday, 12.45PM - 3.45PM. The course lasted from 09.11.2020 until 11.12.2020 for a total of 100 lesson-hours. The exam was scheduled right after the end of the course, 12.12.2020. We needed to sign a daily attendance sheet. 

It was surprising that, even on the first day, the teacher asked my classmates to recite answers to an assignment from an obviously previous lesson. It turned out that they are a blocked class, continuing from A1 - B1, which started in November of 2019. I was the new girl in town, everyone else knows each other. I guess the class was the earliest suitable course that I can be placed in. The VHS is obligated to give me a slot within the 6-month period counting from the date of assessment. 

On the first week, I admittedly started to doubt my decision of visiting the course. The cold and wet November weather also did not add motivation. I am not saying that the course was super-easy. It was simply boring. Everything discussed can be found in our course book, including the answers. I could have also just stayed home and study on my own. After getting thru the first 2 weeks, I recognized the advantage of attending a class. It certainly established routine and discipline for me. I was ''forced'' to open my books daily. It also helped a lot that I was sort of pressured to talk exclusively in German all the time.

Two weeks before the end of the language course, we stopped using our course book. Instead, we did daily test simulation exercises --- learning wise, this is the biggest plus in attending an integration course. During these two weeks, the teacher gave valuable tips which helped me pass the language exam. Tips that I probably won't be able to learn just as easily on my own. It was also at this point that we were asked to ''pair'' ourselves with a speaking partner and practice for the mündlische Prüfung. 

Same spot, on the day I finally started my Integration Course.

The scene already turned into Autumn colors.

The language exam (Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer)

Our language exam was held on a Saturday, the day after the end of the language course. We received a formal invitation for the exam 5 days before. The language exam is free for me. There was one classmate though who was surprised when she did not receive any notice. Upon verification, it turned out that her host family (she was an Au-pair) did not pay for the exam. Because of this, she cannot take the exam and if she wants to, she needed to wait for another two months. It seems there are different rules that apply for her case. Unfortunately for me, she was also my practice partner for Sprechen. So for the final exam, I was paired with another girl --- someone nobody wants to be paired with! Waaa.

I entered the morning venue 20 minutes early and there were also other examinees there apart from the people in my class. There was a list of examinees posted on a wall, with the corresponding schedule for the mündlische Prüfung which was set in a separate venue in the afternoon. The Hören, Lesen and Schreiben part lasted 2 hours and were all done in the morning.

For the first 3 parts of the exam, the venue was a big hall with enough space to keep the distance rules. Before the exam started, a few rules were given by one of the proctors (there were at least 3 of them):

• All phones must be turned off and put inside a brown envelope labelled with our name, the said envelope was then gathered in a basket and put on top of a table away from the examinees.
• Once the exam has started, no one is allowed to go out, not even to visit the washroom. We were all given time to go before the exam commenced.
• Absolutely no talking or making any kind of noise that can cause disturbance.
• We were allowed only these on our table: pencils, eraser and sharpener.

We were warned that violation of these rules may result in immediate disqualification to take the exam. We were also given time to check, and correct when necessary, the information in the cover page of our answer sheets. I used up the full alloted time of 2 hours and took my time to polish off my Schreiben.

Based on the posted schedule, I knew ahead that there was a gap of 2 hours until my turn for the mündlische Prüfung. After having lunch, I had time to mingle, as much as distance rules allowed, with my classmates and exchange opinions and feelings about our performance for the morning exam.

The mündlische Prüfung lasted less than the scheduled 20 minutes. It was held in a room within the secretariat buidling adjacent to the morning venue. We were told to wait at a designated hall and around 15 minutes before our turn, we moved to an isolation sort-of room to wait for the examiners to call us in to the actual exam room. 

I was a little bit nervous, which was prolonged as we did not have our turn as scheduled. They had to open and air the exam room each time a pair of examinees was done before they let in a new pair. This took time and delayed the schedule for almost an hour. When it was our turn, I did not finish my diligently prepared introduction for Teil 1. The examiner asked me follow up questions after just 4 or 5 sentences. I felt that it was hurried, but on the other hand, it was also to our advantage. It lessened our ''chance'' to make mistakes. There were two proctors, a man and a woman. The man asked the questions and the other observed and wrote her evaluation on a sheet of paper. They tried to make us comfortable with some small-talk before we started. 

The result: Zertifikat Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer

I asked one of the proctors how long to expect before we receive the exam results and she said within 5 - 6 weeks. But I already started to anxiously check the mailbox after one week. My agony was not prolonged though, I received the Zertifikat Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer on 06.01.2021, just 3 weeks after I took the exam. I passed with flying colors. Big thanks to my husband who served as my drill sergeant at home. He was always there to correct my assignments and gave me great tips especially for the Schreiben part where I got a perfect score. 

The orientation course

The orientation course started immediately after the language exam. There was scant information about how to go on with it, so I asked my husband to send an enquiry to the secretariat regarding the registration and payment. It turned out that since I was enrolled in an integration course, I am also automatically registered. The cost was another €195. 

I had the same schedule as the language course, Monday to Friday, 12.45PM - 3.45PM. One classmate was added. He is from Indonesia. A few other people from the language course did not continue with the orientation course. All in all, there were just 9 students.

On the first day of the course, there was uncertainty in the air, a second hard lockdown was looming. The next day, the teacher informed us that we need to continue via online class, VHS-Bingen will close following the nationwide lockdown rules. The session was spent setting up Zoom accounts where we were set to conduct our online class. We were also given a printed copy of the 300 Fragenkatalog for the Leben in Deutschland exam and the corresponding answer key.

The online class was held the same time as the scheduled daily face-to-face class. The teacher had to make screenshots of us as proof of attendance. We used the book, 100 Stunden Deutschland and I must say it was more interesting than the language course. Not only because this time, there are no grammar rules to think of but the topics discussed have always been interesting for me. We were able to finish the book and there was also a daily review of the Fragenkatalog. The teacher also showed us movies related to the course which made the class less boring. 

  

Leben in Deutschland (LID) exam

The LID exam was postponed until the lockdown was lifted. It was held on 11.03.2021. We have a WhatsApp group chat and we were informed by our teacher of the new schedule. A formal invitation was also sent by the school.

The Leben in Deutschland exam is an easy multiple-choice exam. All 33 questions were derived from the 300 Fragenkatalog. 

I managed to answer all 33 questions in less than 10 minutes but I took my time to review everything again, twice. We were given an hour to finish it.

The LID result, Zertifikat Integrationskurs, and a little confusion...

I was informed that results were already out when one of my classmates sent me a WhatsApp to ask if I received mine. It seems other people in our batch already received their Leben in Deutschland ergebnis just two weeks after the exam.

My husband sent an E-Mail to VHS for more information. They replied the same day and informed him of my results but they said that the certificate will come directly from Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (BAMF). I got 33 out of 33, a perfect score! They also added that students who did not attend the class regularly may get their certificates late. That was a bit confusing for us, but thinking there was just some misunderstanding, we waited.

The VHS sent another E-Mail a few days later, stating that I am not eligible for a Zetifikat because I didn't attend the course ''regularly'' adding that if there will be future issues with our ABH during the application for German citizenship, ''just contact us again.'' We replied to the course provider stating that, first, it was not me who decided how many hours I attend the course; I was placed by the school based on my assessment. Second, and most importantly, I have a perfect attendance for the total 200 hours that I was enrolled in. On the same day my husband sent the E-Mail, I received my certificates per Post; the Leben in Deutschland ergebnis and the Zertifikat Integrationskurs. So, honestly, we don't know what happened there. But I am finally done and have officially fulfilled my obligation! Yay!

The refund process

The certificates also came with an application form for the refund of 50% of my contribution to the integration cost (50% of 390 Euro). 

I am eligible for a refund since I passed the language and orientation course within two years of the date on my Bestätigung über die Verflichtung zur Teilnahme am Integrationskurs. 

The form was pre-filled up with my personal information; I only needed to provide the bank details where the refund can be transferred and affix my signature. I sent the application form along with a photocopy of my Zertifikat Integrationskurs to the responsible regional office of BAMF per Post. The full amount of 195 Euro was refunded to me via bank transfer just a few days later. It was a hassle-free and quick process.

Learning materials

I finished my integration course despite the pandemic and I hope that this will also inspire others to continue and persevere in their own journey. If an actual class is still not possible, use your time to study ahead on your own.

Here are some of the learning materials I used. I included books, online sources (websites and YouTube channels).

Books

Schritte international Neu: I have a complete set of this one, from A1 - B1 (6 books all in all). I also did self-study for my A1 Exam and I used these books from the very beginning partnered with Schritte Ubüngsgrammatik.

Mit Erfolg zum Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer: This is highly recommended as a very good source for self-study. This is even the same book my teachers used in the actual integration course.

I also have this one, although this is not for DTZ, it also has a lot of valuable sample exercises.

Websites/Online Source

Deutsche Welle (DW). Check out Nico's Weg and this one is my favorite, Harry - gefangen in der Zeit. 

Goethe Institut. BTW, Goethe also has this fun App, although it is more for A1. Give it a go. It is actually a fun way to learn (or relearn A1).

CosmoLearning (this is also by German with Jenny)

B1 Vocabulary list.

This is the link to the Leben in Deutschland Fragenkatalog.

YouTube Channels

Learn German with Anja
Benjamin - der Deutschlehrer

Bonus Tip: In most Filipino groups in Facebook, the members usually give valuable and up to date tips. Use the search function in the group's page and type key words such as ''Integration Course'' or ''B1'' and you will be able to see all the posts relating to these topics.

There are of course much, much more free and available sources online. Pinoy tayo! We are enterprising. We have diskarte. Research, google. Read.

Last thoughts...

One thing I observed, most of my classmates seem to lose their interest once the language course is over. They barely attended the daily class, or will just come for the obligatory screen-shot attendance and turn-off their cam and mic soon afterwards. Even the teachers noted the lack of discipline for attendance. I don't know if these particular people did pass the exam. Maybe for them it's just easy-peasy. There are no grammar rules, no conjugation of verbs and gender conjugation to master. You can memorize the answers to the 300 LID Fragenkatalog without understanding or absorbing the context and pass the exam.

For me, the orientation course is the most interesting part of the whole integration course. Germany has been called das Land der Dichter und Denker. The German culture is part of World Heritage. Long before I met my husband, I was already fascinated with the works of Rainer Maria Rilke and Hermann Hesse. Letters to a Young Poet is one of my favorite books. German movies such as Metropolis and M by Fritz Lang were also already my top favorites films. I believe that the key to understanding the language, is also understanding the culture. The orientation course has certainly whet my appetite to learn more about my new home. 

8 Important Deadlines To Take Note Of After Arriving in Germany (with a Marriage Visa)

Most of us just set our focus on the long, and sometimes complicated, process of applying for a marriage visa that we sometimes forget other issues we need to take care of in relation to our moving to Germany. The German government is very structured and strict. Failure of compliance with certain rules may mean being fined. It is therefore important to get an overview of the deadlines of important things you need to do as soon as you arrive in Germany. You and your partner can take note of this even before your arrival. Make a list of the things you need to do and the timings to do them. Whenever possible, contact the responsible Behörde in advance and make initial enquiries. This will give you an idea when to do what first, how much it may cost, and what documents you need to prepare ahead of time. 

1. Get married

Deadline: as stated in your Form 11/121

I did not want to state the obvious, but I will anyway. Get married. If you don't get married to the same person your marriage visa is intended for, you will be sent home. And if you or your partner (or both of you) changed your mind about getting married, the rest of this list does not matter.

2. Residence registration (Anmeldung)

Deadline: 2 weeks from arrival

As a strict rule, you only have 2 weeks to complete the process of registering after arrival. The deadline may not be easy to meet due to the difficulty of getting an appointment, much more now in the time of a pandemic. In my case, we missed the deadline because we thought it will be less of a hassle for us if I register only after we got married. Another reason was that we simply got busy with our wedding guests from abroad (my sister and her family and a cousin). We took time to bring them around for sight-seeing.

I was only able to register around 4 weeks after my arrival. The officer who attended us during my registration told us, quite sternly, that there is actually a fine for not meeting the deadline. My husband explained politely why I did not register in time, i.e. So that I don't need to first register with my maiden name, then a very short time later change my registration data to my married name. Fortunately, she considered our reason. This may not be the case for others, so this should be the first thing to do upon arrival. 

Here are the documents I needed for registration:

• my valid passport (with the valid marriage visa, of course)

• Marriage certificate

• Wohnungsgeberbestätigung (proof of residence certificate) - this is a form that our apartment owner had to sign certifying that I live in the apartment 

• Registration form - this was accomplished during the Anmeldung process.  

There was a short interview. It was simple enough to understand even with my A1 level German, but my husband was there to help as my interpreter in times when I was uncertain. I was asked my personal information based on my passport such as, Geburtsname, Geburtsort, etc. I was also asked what my religion is. After the registration was completed, I was given a Meldebescheinigung or certificate of registration.

Important: In Germany, if you declare a religon, you will be expected to pay church tax, which is based on your income and income tax. 

3. Application for a German tax ID 

Deadline: latest before you submit your income tax declaration for the year you arrived in Germany

Disclaimer: I just mentioned tax-ID here because it is part of the process of registration of residence and should be issued to you after Anmeldung. I do not claim to have a lot of knowledge on the subject of the German tax sytem. It is very complicated, and not just because of the language. For example, a tax number is different from a tax ID. You will need both to file your income tax declaration. 

Every person registered in Germany (or everyone liable to pay taxes here) automatically receives a tax ID. The German tax ID is an 11-digit unique and permanent number that is used for all tax purposes. Around two weeks after registration of residence, your tax ID notification will be sent to you at your registered address.

In my case however, and this may happen to you too, I did not receive my tax ID notification even months after I registered. My husband wrote to the responsible Finanzamt (tax office) to inform them that we got married and that I am now registered and living in Germany. He did not receive any feedback. The subject went out of his radar until he was preparing the income tax declaration the following year --- which is based on the income for the previous year, the year we got married. So, he sent another E-Mail to the Finanzamt to inform them that he is ready to submit his income tax declaration and he will do so without my missing tax ID. My tax ID notification came per Post a few days later.

To make things simple, if you don't receive your tax ID after you register, inform your local Finanzamt. If you lost, forgot or misplaced your tax ID, you can use this link to apply for a renotification.

Important: A missing tax ID and/or tax number is no excuse for not filing your tax declaration and most importantly, it is no excuse for not paying taxes. 

4. Applying for a residence permit

Deadline: apply as soon as you are married and well before the expiry of your marriage visa

Upon initial enquiry, the responsible Ausländerbehörde (immigration office/ABH) informed us that the residence permit is dependent on my Philippine passport details. I wanted to use my husband's name and my passport was expiring in less than a year, so we were advised to renew it prior to application.

We contacted ABH for an appointment after I received my new passport and they sent me a letter per Post confirming my appointment with instructions to bring the following documents:

• valid passport

• accomplished and signed application form - the form was enclosed in the letter I received.

• Gemeinsame Erklarüng über das Bestehen einer schützenswerten ehelichen Lebensgemeinschaft - this is quite a mouthful but in simple translation, it refers to a joint declaration of you and your husband that you are in a legitimate marriage worthy of protection (by the law). The form was also enclosed in the letter.

• biometric photo, not older than 6 months

• certification of residence (aktuelle erweiterte Meldebescheinigung vom Einwohnermeldamt)

• wedding certificate (Heiratsurkunde) in original and a copy

• 100,00 Euro

During my appointment, I was given a Fiktionsbescheinigung. This served as my temporary residence permit while my residence permit is on process. I was also given an appointment on when I should come to claim my electronic residence permit or Aufenthaltstitel (eAT), which was more or less a month from the date of application and 3 days short of the expiry of my marriage visa. I was given a 3-year residence permit.

It was also at this point that I was given a Bestätigung über die Verflichtung zur Teilnahme am Integrationskurs. This meant that I am obliged to take an integration course. 

5. Renewal of soon-to-expire Philippine passport

Deadline: as needed or as early as 9 months prior to expiry

The renewal of Philippine passport can be done either at the Philippine Embassy in Berlin or the Philippine Consulate General in Frankfurt. A personal appearance is needed.

This process is very easy, because the forms and procedures are not in German. Ha ha. I made an appointment and attended my Termin with complete documents. The whole process lasted less than an hour. I received my new passport less than 3 weeks later. My husband was quite surprised that a Philippine government office can work faster than a German one.

6. Renewal of Philippine passport with change of surname (due to marriage) and report of marriage (ROM)

Deadline (ROM): as needed but not later than one year from date of marriage

This is can also be done either at the Philippine Embassy in Berlin or the Philippine Consulate General in Frankfurt. I made a separate entry for this because it is my choice to use my husband's last name. Under Philippine law (Republic Act No. 386, particularly Article 370), the use of our husband's last name is permissive but not obligatory.  

Article 370. A married woman may use:
(1) Her maiden first name and surname and add her husband's surname, or
(2) Her maiden first name and her husband's surname or
(3) Her husband's full name, but prefixing a word indicating that she is his wife, such as "Mrs."

The consulate officer informed me that the standard process is, I need to officially report my marriage first before I can change my passport name. This means that the ROM that is needed for the change of passport name should be issued by the Philippine Statistics Agency (PSA). Which in turn means that I need to wait 2-3 months before I can proceed. She added, however, that it can be expedited, for a fee. I did all simultaneously: renewal of soon-to-expire passport, report of marriage and change of passport name.

Here is a breakdown of the amount I paid in July 2019:

E-passport            54,00 Euro

ROM                     22,50

Expedite Fee          9,00

You can find here the downloadable application form for ROM and here is the checklist for the documents required.

Important: Due to the current pandemic situation, the Philippine Embassy in Berlin and the consulate in Frankfurt are imposing appointment protocols in relation to their consular services. Please refer directly to their website for updated information.

7. Taking care of your Health Insurance

Deadline: before the expiry of your Travel Health Insurance. 

Germany has a very excellent healthcare system, but you need to be covered by either a public or private health insurance to use it. This is mandatory. 

My husband has public health insurance and for public health insurance, there is the so-called family co-insurance policy. This means that dependent family members (such as wife and kids) may enrol at no cost with the public health insurance provider with whom one family member (husband, for example) is already enrolled. This is subject to certain conditions such as:

• dependent/s should be living in Germany
• they are not enrolled under other health insurance
• they have no income or have a monthly income that does not exceed 425 - 450 Euro

I am eligible for co-insurance and soon after marriage, my husband sent an E-mail to his insurance provider informing of his marriage and asking for instructions on how to co-insure me. The insurance company replied with straighforward instructions. We filled-up a form and submitted it along with a biometric photo of me and a scanned copy of my Meldebescheinigung. This was all done online. A few days later, I received my health insurance card per Post.

Important: The health insurance issue should be a part of you and your partner's plan from the time you planned to get married and move here. It could prove to be very expensive if you don't prepare for it. The family co-insurance policy does not apply to private health insurance providers.

8. Enroll in an integration course

Deadline: If you are obliged or entitled to attend an integration course and if a date is specified in the certificate of eligibility under ''The eligibility to participate or requirement to participate is valid until...'', then you must register with a course provider no later than this date.

Please read the separate article I wrote discussing integration courses in Germany.

I just want to add one important thing although this one does not have a deadline: take note of German emergency numbers.

My husband has already made me memorize these numbers even when I was just visiting Germany.

These are the two main emergency numbers in Germany:

• 110 - for emergencies requiring the police

• 112 - for fire and rescue emergencies

How to use the emergency numbers: 

1. Dial and wait to be connected to an operator. 

2. Describe as clearly as possible what the emergency is. The operators may speak English, as well as German, but it is always better to be able to understand and communicate the 5 Ws auf Deutsch.

• Wer ruft an? - Who is calling? --- Identify yourself.
• Wo ist etwas geschehen? - Where did what happened? --- Describe your location, give directions how you can be reached. (Ort, Straße, markante Punkte)
• Was ist geschehen? Was kannst du sehen? - What happened? --- Describe as clearly as possible what happened or what is happening.
• Wie viele Verletze/Erkrankte/Betroffene? - How many are injured/sick? --- If applicable, give the SCOPE of the emergency. For example, if it is a traffic accident, how many cars are involved? If it is a fire emergency, are there people trapped, how many?

3. Follow the operator's advice and do not hang up until you are told to do so. 

• Warten auf Rückfragen! (das Gespräch nicht unaufgefordert beenden)

4. After hanging up, keep your phone free in case they need to call you back for further questions or instructions.

There are, of course, many more things to do and take care of as you settle in your new life in Germany. Your list of deadlines and its specifics may also be different from mine. I hope that by sharing my own experience, I am able to help you to make life a little bit organized on your first months of stay.

Ich hoffe, Sie werden sich schnell und gut in Ihrer neuen Heimat einleben und wohlfühlen.

My Starry Night Dreams and US Tourist Visa Application

The Starry Night
image source

In 2017 my husband, knowing my love for Van Gogh, promised to show me (a) Starry Night and the World. The catch? They are all in New York and I need a US Tourist Visa to travel to the USA.

The preparation

Before anything else, my husband and I both spent effort in gathering as much information as we can about a US Tourist Visa application. The first place to visit and get official information about this is the US Embassy in the Philippines website. We learned that for my purpose of travel to the US, I should apply for a Tourist (B-2) Visa. On the website, one can also immediately see the visa appointment wait time and we found out that it is possible for me to apply for a US Tourist Visa before our planned entry date, which was just a month from my target application date.

A big difference between applying for a Schengen Visa and a US Tourist Visa is that, for the latter, the applicant will immediately know during the interview at the US Embassy in Manila if the visa application is approved or denied. I find this better compared with a Schengen Visa application where you have the prolonged agony of waiting for your passport for days after the interview, not knowing if your visa was approved or not.

The biggest thing in common though is that as with a Schengen Visa application, one of the most important criteria for the approval of a US Tourist Visa application is proof of rootedness and financial capacity. This posed as a challenge for me.

With the possibility of a higher income and to be more flexible in travelling to Germany, I registered as a practicing professional (self-employed) and resigned from my job earlier that year. Choosing to prioritize my personal life over career, I travelled twice to Germany in the months following my resignation. I had no chance to work during these months and had no reasonable income to present in support of my US Tourist Visa application. These travels are also evidenced by my passport.

Another challenge is that while a Schegen Visa application has a specific list of documentary requirements, there is no such list for a US Tourist Visa Application. This makes the application result more unpredictable as the basis will just be the data you declared in your application form and the personal interview. Most travel forums will suggest a long list of documents that one may bring to support the application such as Employment Certificate, Bank Statements and etc. I had no such thing. 

For these reasons, I was hesitant to apply. I do not want to waste time and money spent on application fee, hotel and accommodation plus airfare. My husband (as always) encouraged me to give it a try. 

Application items

The following is a MUST to bring to your interview appointment at the US Embassy in Manila:

1. A Nonimmigrant Visa Electronic Application (DS-160) Form. 

2. A passport valid for travel to the United States with a validity date at least six months beyond your intended period of stay in the United States.

3. One (1) 2"x2" (5cmx5cm) photograph. 

4. A receipt showing payment of your US$160 non-refundable nonimmigrant visa application processing fee, paid in local currency. 

5. Interview appointment letter confirming that you booked an appointment.

 

Supporting documents 

Most, if not all, travel forums will tell you NOT to mention if you have relatives in the US. I do not want to hide the fact that I do have a sister in the US. She is married to an American and has a 2 year old son which I have not yet met at the time of visa application. So, I also prepared documents to support this as part of my application. These are the supporting documents I brought with me:

Original copy of old passport 

Invitation Letter from my sister, a photocopy of her residence card and passport data page. I also included a photocopy of the passport data page of my brother-in-law 

My valid PRC Card 

My ITR for the previous year (when I was still employed)

  

The officer who interviewed me did not ask for any other documents aside from my current passport and old passport.

Here you can find very detailed instructions of the application process and I will not discuss it further. I will instead write more about my actual experience on the day I appeared at the US Embassy in Manila.

Interview day

My schedule was at 7.30 am on a Friday morning in the summer of June 2017. My husband travelled all the way from Germany to give me moral support on that day. We stayed at a hotel 10 minutes walking distance from the US Embassy. I chose the earliest possible slot when booking my appointment, but the sun was already high when we arrived at the embassy grounds 45 minutes earlier. I was confused on what to do at first but around 15 minutes before my scheduled time a man in a security guard uniform held up a sign: 7:30AM and shouted, ''Tourist Visa...Tourist Visa''. I took it as cue to queue where he was standing, a number of people also followed behind me. At exactly 7:30AM, our line was told to enter the gated US Embassy grounds and we took turns to do the following procedures:

1st stop - before entering another gate we lined up at a counter for the verification of our appointment time and date. A barcode sticker was put at the back cover of my passport. I was also given a big colored laminated card to distinguish the type of visa I was applying for.

2nd stop - we were ushered (by appointment time and visa type) to sit on a row of seats on a covered courtyard. 

3rd stop - security check before entering another building. This is like the security check at the airport with scanners and X-Ray machines. Be aware that no cellphones and no food is allowed inside. I know this ahead as it was also stated in my Appointment Letter. 

4th stop - checking of DS-160 Application Form and passport picture. Since I was confused about how to enter my middle name, I mentioned it and the lady behind the counter said, she already corrected it based on my passport details.  

5th stop - scanning of fingerprints.  

Finally, I was ushered to await my turn for the actual interview. 

 

I noticed a large waiting area with rows of chairs obviously intended for the applicants but since we were the first or second batch of the day, we were just told to stand in a short line as all the windows for the visa counter were still closed.

At around 8.30AM, the shuttered visa counter windows opened one by one and people ahead of me were slowly called in for the interview.

US Tourist Visa interview questions

The US Embassy visa section is certainly way bigger than that of the German embassy, which has only 5 counters as far as I can remember. I was interviewed by a lady officer on counter 35 and these are the questions she asked me:

Purpose of visit to the USA? – I want to go to New York and at the same time visit my sister in Florida.

What do you want to see in New York? – I want to see the Starry Night by Van Gogh.

Do you have relatives in the US? – Yes. My sister. 

Ahhh, yes. What is her status? - she is a legal permanent resident there. 

Any other relatives in the US? – Yes. I have some distant cousins there but I seldom communicate with them and I also don't intend to visit them.

Are you travelling with someone else? – Yes. My boyfriend.

Does he have a US Visa? – He is a German citizen, he has visited the US several times, I believe he just needs an ESTA. 

Who is paying for your trip? – My boyfriend is paying for the plane tickets and hotel in New York and the rest of the trip we will be staying with my sister and her family.

Have you been to other countries before? – Yes, I have been to Singapore, Malaysia and Germany. Also, France and Luxembourg.

How many times have you been to Germany? – 2 times for a total of 120 days.

Do you like it in Germany? – Aside from because my boyfriend is there? (smiles) Yes. I love Germany, I love that it’s so green. I love the architecture and history.

OK. Let me just type a few things here…

Your visa is approved, have a nice trip.

These questions were thrown in fast. You will not have time to think out your answer, which is probably one way also to see if the applicant is lying or not. The question-and-answer portion lasted less than 10 minutes. The officer took more time typing in her computer, barely looking at me. Three (3) working days later I received my passport with a 10-year multiple entry B1/B2 US Visa.

So, how did I get approved even without a steady source of income?

I know that it helped a lot that I have a travel history. It also helped a lot that I already was in a serious relationship. But most of all, I believe that my honesty paid off and honesty always pays off.

Had I lied about who will pay for the trip, I will probably be denied. Because then I would have to lie to prove it.

Had I declared a 6-digit amount income in my DS-160 Application Form despite not able to prove the source (or worse, faking the source), the result will probably be different. Because then it will also not be consistent with the travels I had in the recent months prior to my US Tourist Visa application. 

If I hid the fact that I do have a sister in the US because most ‘’experts’’ online say that having a relative in the US will mean your visa application will be denied, I would have been 100% denied. Because, believe me, the embassy has its own ways of knowing these kinds of details.

My husband travelled all the way to Manila to be with me on the day of my interview. He was, of course, not allowed to enter the embassy premises and had to wait outside along with all the other applicants waiting to be called in. As soon as he caught a sight of me exiting the embassy gate, he made a thumbs up sign as a question if I made it or not. He said I was poker-faced. Ha ha. I felt it was so surreal as I gave him a thumbs up sign in reply. 

To close my story, I think as in all visa applications (and life in general, really!), just do your thing according to YOU. Do not believe what other people say because their experience will also be based on their own circumstances. Gather information from official sources. Build your visa application according to your own circumstances. Highlight your good points. Think quality over quantity. Stick to simple answers during the interview. Do not ever elaborate unless asked to. The more you talk, the more questions will come, the more mistakes you may make. Quite simply, just try it with all honesty.

That's me at the MoMA!

By the way, my husband proposed in New York. So, a little over two years after I got my US Tourist Visa, and with a plan for a grand honeymoon, I had to re-apply due to change of name in my passport. This time I was absolutely unemployed, but that's a story to share another day.

Integration Courses: What You Need To Know

What are integration courses?

As part of the Immigration Act of 2005, integration courses are mandatory ''if you cannot make yourself understood in German at a simple, adequate level''. Upon issuance of your residence permit, the responsible immigration office (Ausländerbehörde/ABH) will decide if attendance to an integration course is required. If you are entitled to attend an integration course, you will be given a certificate of eligibility (Berechtigungsschein). The general integration course consists of a language course with 600 lesson-hours and an orientation course with 100 lesson-hours.

The language course

The language course consists of modules of 100 lesson-hours each. A total of 6 modules are broken down into:

• Modules 1 & 2: A1 (A1.1 + A1.2) Level
• Modules 3 & 4: A2 (A 2.1 + A2.2) Level
• Modules 5 & 6: B1 (B1.1 + B1.2) Level

In the language course you will learn the vocabulary necessary to speak and write in everyday situations. The topics include important aspects of everyday life in Germany, such as work and career, contact with authorities and interactions with neighbours and colleagues. You will also learn how to write E-Mails and accomplish forms.

At the end of the language course, you will need to take the German Language Test for Immigrants (Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer/DTZ). The aim is to achieve the B-1 level of German language skills.

The orientation course

The orientation course starts immediately after the language course. The course tackles such topics as the German legal system, history, and culture, rights and obligations in Germany. Values that are important in Germany such as freedom of religion, tolerance and gender equality will also be discussed in the course.

You will complete the course by taking the Life in Germany (Leben in Deutschland) test.

Registration and attendance

If you are entitled or obliged to attend an integration course, you will receive a written confirmation from your ABH when you receive your residence permit. In my case, I was obliged to attend the course and was given a Bestätigung über die Verflichtung zur Teilnahme am Integrationskurs (confirmation of the obligation to participate in the integration course). 

Once you have received the written confirmation, you need to choose a course provider in your local area thru the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge/BAMF.) Some ABH also provide a list of course providers.

Your chosen course provider will carry out an assessment (Einstufungstest) before the integration course begins. This will help them determine the right course for you and with which module you should start.

It is important to know that your entitlement to attend an integration course will expire if you do not start an integration course within one year after registering with a course provider, or if you stop attendance for more than a year at your own will.

After the final examination

You have successfully completed the integration course if you can prove in the language test that you have reached B1 level and if you pass the Leben in Deutschland test. An Integration Course Certificate (Zertificat Integrationskurs) will then be awarded to you.

Contribution to the costs

Each lesson unit of the integration course costs €1.95, which means for the overall 700 lesson units, you are expected to contribute and pay the amount of €1.365.

You can apply for cost exemptions in certain cases. For example if you receive unemployment benefit II (Arbeitslosengeld II) or social assistance (Sozialhilfe).

You may also be eligible for refunds if you pass the final examination at the end of the integration course within two years of the confirmation of eligibility to attend the course. Half of your payments may get reimbursed.

Rights and obligations

In general, you have the right to freely choose a course provider in your area. Once you register for a course, the course provider is obliged to confirm the estimated start of the course. The course should start at the latest within six weeks of you registering for the course. If it is not possible for a course to start within this six-week period, the course provider is also obliged to inform you. You then can decide yourself whether you wait longer or register with a different course provider.

During the course, you are entitled to: regular instruction, well-trained teachers and well-equipped classrooms. You have the right to receive a certificate if you attend the lessons regularly.

You are obliged to attend the lessons regularly and take the final examination. You also need to pay a contribution towards the costs before the start of a course module. You will have the option to pay per 100 lesson unit, which amounts to €195. If you are entitled to get exempted from the costs, you must submit the application before the integration course starts. ''No-shows'' must also pay for the current course.

Other things you need to know

If you have been obliged to attend an integration course by the ABH, you must apply at your course provider of choice as quickly as possible and attend the course in the proper manner. Failure to do so may have the following subsequences for you:

• It may influence the decision concerning the extension of your residence permit.
• If you are receiving social assistance, payments may be reduced.
• When deemed necessary, you may be called on by the ABH to pay your contribution to the entire integration course in advance in one sum (€1.95 per lesson hours).
• You may be fined.

Immigrants from a non-EU country, which includes those of us from the Philippines, must meet certain requirements if they wish to obtain an unlimited right of residence in Germany. Among these requirements is that they must have an adequate command of the German language as well as basic knowledge of the legal and social system in Germany. These can be evidenced when a person has successfully completed the integration course. Moreover, this also allows them to acquire German citizenship earlier if desired.

The knowledge of the German language acquired in the integration courses also make everyday life easier and improves the immigrants' chances of finding a job in Germany.

Please visit the BAMF website for more info.