Don't mind me, I just hate paperwork

[afuna]

It is really annoying that one of the things you need to include in your visa application is where you will be staying. I mean yeah I get that they'll want to know your plans so they'll know you aren't going to suddenly turn delinquent on them.

But when the process is so opaque that you can't know when the next available appointment date is unless you pay 32 pesos a minute to call their help line and ask, it's difficult to book hotel + travel because there's no way for you to schedule your travel dates to take the visa delay into account.

It's a good thing that we weren't able to find lodgings in the UK for May, because I just found out that the earliest possible appointment for Germany is in May, so I wouldn't have had time to apply for the appropriate visa anyway. But that was just luck.


The second worst thing about the process is giving them a record of your bank account statements. It's not like I have a lot of money worth stealing, but it just feels really creepy. (And what if I have too little money? Or (ahhahahha) too much and it pings some kind of -- this here person is suspicious let's not let her and her tourism dollars in?)


At least the UK thing is ready. Now I guess I'll just have to start booking hotel + flights with the assumption that I will have a German visa in time.

*grumble grumble*

Comments

[yvi]

Would my address or something help? I'm not sure what's asked on these applications.

[afuna]

Oooh would you be willing to? I think that might help.

If you're willing to supply some documentation along the lines of #3 on the visitor visa procedure, I think that would help!

(And if that's a bit much, I can apply for the tourism visa no prob)

[yvi]

Hmm, I can certainly do the informal invitation with my residence information, but I am unsure about the "proof of relationship" stuff... Can you make somethinmg of that?

Gosh, this application is a nightmare.

[afuna]

*looks* HUH I thought it was an OR rather than an and. I'm unsure about the proof of relationship, too. I think that if there's nothing we can do about it, then there's nothing we can do about it! (In favor of leaving it blank *g*)

Oh! Do you know what "Formal Obligation" is under #4? I'm guessing that it means something in particular, but I can't figure out what.

[afuna]

Keep forgetting to catch you on in IRC *G* Do you have the time to do an informal invitation by this week? I'm trying to sort out an outgoing flight from Germany so I can do plane tickets, and then I can finally get that visa appointment.

[yvi]

Sure! Should it be in German or English? Also, I'd need both your legal name and the address of the embassy (or whereever that application goes to). I'd then just hack it into my usual LaTeX letter format. Or do you need something signed and scanned? (I can also do that)

[afuna]

Hmm. *thinks* I'm of two minds, but I think that English might be better. I know that embassies usually hire some local staff to do paperwork-type things, and preliminary screening of visas might fall under that.

I will PM you my legal name and the address of the embassy! Unfortunately they're not very clear about the requirements but I suspect a signed letter might go over better than a fully digital, if that's not too much extra trouble! ♥