i had posted a while back and wanted to share my experience about the Berlin embassy.
My worries about having to apply for F1 renewal with EAD still pending were unfounded - EAD turn-around has been very quick in recent months: 5 weeks in my case (11/2006), instead of the usual 3 months. the visa renewal was equally smooth:
- make appointment by phone. it really takes a long time to actually get through, but then i got an appointment for the following week. ask a lot of questions.
- pay fee €80. this has to be paid via some sort of escrow company and takes several business days to trickle through. bring receipt!
- gather documents. refer to embassy site requirement list. i wasnt even asked about Financial documents, since i ll be on OPT and support myself. also no mention about evidence of my intent to return home.
- actual 'interview' was a joke. after being screened and signed in, you submit your documents and wait (45 minutes in my case). you get called to window (like DMV) and they ask some very basic questions. based on my own and the interviews around me its basically a) where you wanna work / go to school, b) what exactly you wanna study / work and c) maybe something about yourself personally. at the end I was told that the Visa would be renewed and mailed to me. it took no more than 5 min, so i was in and out in about an hour. staff was very curteous btw.
I hope this helped anyone who is looking to renew their F1.
good luck,
S.
My worries about having to apply for F1 renewal with EAD still pending were unfounded - EAD turn-around has been very quick in recent months: 5 weeks in my case (11/2006), instead of the usual 3 months. the visa renewal was equally smooth:
- make appointment by phone. it really takes a long time to actually get through, but then i got an appointment for the following week. ask a lot of questions.
- pay fee €80. this has to be paid via some sort of escrow company and takes several business days to trickle through. bring receipt!
- gather documents. refer to embassy site requirement list. i wasnt even asked about Financial documents, since i ll be on OPT and support myself. also no mention about evidence of my intent to return home.
- actual 'interview' was a joke. after being screened and signed in, you submit your documents and wait (45 minutes in my case). you get called to window (like DMV) and they ask some very basic questions. based on my own and the interviews around me its basically a) where you wanna work / go to school, b) what exactly you wanna study / work and c) maybe something about yourself personally. at the end I was told that the Visa would be renewed and mailed to me. it took no more than 5 min, so i was in and out in about an hour. staff was very curteous btw.
I hope this helped anyone who is looking to renew their F1.
good luck,
S.