So, after various misadventures of varying kinds, the procedure for the autorisation de séjour temporaire to go to Luxembourg is finally almost finished! I just got word from the Luxembourgish Embassy in D.C. that they sent my application to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for final approval and that, if all goes as expected, I should be in Luxembourg as early as the 10th of October. Granted, it's a little later than I originally hoped (I was originally hoping for September), but a lot earlier than my new adviser feared would be the case.
I also have another trip being planned that's coming together rather nicely: in December, I'll be going to India for a friend's wedding. It'll be a three-part excursion, with part one being frolicking in northern India (Delhi, Jaipur, and Agra) before travelling south for part two in Pune (the actual wedding) and finishing up in Mumbai and other parts of the state of Maharashtra for part three. There'll be five of us travelling up north before the wedding, including one of my friends from here in Kent, so that'll be a great time. Definitely am looking forward to that trip. I just sent in for the visa (India requires almost everyone to have a visa in advance), so hopefully that won't take long.
More to come, but things are looking quite promising. I excited.
16 September 2015
27 July 2015
Anticipation and Preparation
Moving to a foreign country invariably involves an innumerable amount of paperwork, and preparing to go off on my next adventure is no exception. What I wasn't expecting, though, was how much more paperwork is necessary for Luxembourg compared to the amount I needed to go to France and Germany.
To elaborate:
· Germany doesn't require an advance visa for US citizens, but an Aufenthaltstitel (residence permit) has to be secured within 90 days of entering the country.
Back in 2011, the permit required my passport, a passport photograph, the application form, a confirmation of my internship from BASF, proof of lodging, and €50 in cash. Fairly straightforward, though it had to all be done in German, which was a bit daunting. Took about three weeks.
· France requires Americans to have a visa issued in advance by a French consulate to stay for more than 90 days. Then, within 90 days of the first entry to France, you have to get an extra sticker that "transforms" the visa into a residence permit for the duration of its validity.
Because I was going under a language assistant temporary work visa and was applying in Frankfurt, though, all this required was my passport and a photocopy of the data page and my German residence permit, a photograph, my fingerprints, and my work contract and arrêté de nomination (an official ministerial decree declaring that I was appointed a language assistant to specific schools). I did have to personally go to the consulate. No charge due to it being an exchange program visa, and I was able to pick the visa up the following day. The validation sticker required a medical exam along with a copy of my passport data page, French visa, and German entry stamp and proof of accommodation.
· Luxembourg doesn't require a visa for US citizens, per se, but an autorisation de séjour temporaire (authorization for temporary residence) has to be obtained before entering Luxembourg. This acts as a visa substitute that has to be used within 90 days to get a Luxembourg residence permit.
However, the paperwork necessary consists of:
- Certified copy of my birth certificate;
- Copy of every single page of my passport, used or otherwise;
- Background check clearance letter;
- Copy of a current CV;
- Copy of my most recent degree certificate;
- Enrollment letter from the university;
- Work contract from Luxembourg.
All of it has to be mailed to the Luxembourg Embassy in DC, and it can take up to 3 months. Not as fun, especially when I'm waiting on documents from Luxembourg to arrive. And, with it being summertime, that makes things quite a bit slower. That said, I have everything except the stuff from Luxembourg in my possession, so, once I get the contract and enrollment letter in my hands, it'll be mailing time.
Still looking at getting out of here hopefully around the middle to end of September at the latest: I think I can probably get on the plane over there, at the latest, about two weeks after I get the AST, though it won't be cheap to get the ticket and getting the housing arranged might be tricky. It's still all very exciting, though, and I can't wait to both start the new project and get over there.
So, yeah, more to come soon. Possibly.
To elaborate:
· Germany doesn't require an advance visa for US citizens, but an Aufenthaltstitel (residence permit) has to be secured within 90 days of entering the country.
Back in 2011, the permit required my passport, a passport photograph, the application form, a confirmation of my internship from BASF, proof of lodging, and €50 in cash. Fairly straightforward, though it had to all be done in German, which was a bit daunting. Took about three weeks.
· France requires Americans to have a visa issued in advance by a French consulate to stay for more than 90 days. Then, within 90 days of the first entry to France, you have to get an extra sticker that "transforms" the visa into a residence permit for the duration of its validity.
Because I was going under a language assistant temporary work visa and was applying in Frankfurt, though, all this required was my passport and a photocopy of the data page and my German residence permit, a photograph, my fingerprints, and my work contract and arrêté de nomination (an official ministerial decree declaring that I was appointed a language assistant to specific schools). I did have to personally go to the consulate. No charge due to it being an exchange program visa, and I was able to pick the visa up the following day. The validation sticker required a medical exam along with a copy of my passport data page, French visa, and German entry stamp and proof of accommodation.
· Luxembourg doesn't require a visa for US citizens, per se, but an autorisation de séjour temporaire (authorization for temporary residence) has to be obtained before entering Luxembourg. This acts as a visa substitute that has to be used within 90 days to get a Luxembourg residence permit.
However, the paperwork necessary consists of:
- Certified copy of my birth certificate;
- Copy of every single page of my passport, used or otherwise;
- Background check clearance letter;
- Copy of a current CV;
- Copy of my most recent degree certificate;
- Enrollment letter from the university;
- Work contract from Luxembourg.
All of it has to be mailed to the Luxembourg Embassy in DC, and it can take up to 3 months. Not as fun, especially when I'm waiting on documents from Luxembourg to arrive. And, with it being summertime, that makes things quite a bit slower. That said, I have everything except the stuff from Luxembourg in my possession, so, once I get the contract and enrollment letter in my hands, it'll be mailing time.
Still looking at getting out of here hopefully around the middle to end of September at the latest: I think I can probably get on the plane over there, at the latest, about two weeks after I get the AST, though it won't be cheap to get the ticket and getting the housing arranged might be tricky. It's still all very exciting, though, and I can't wait to both start the new project and get over there.
So, yeah, more to come soon. Possibly.
27 June 2015
Thawing Glaciers, Thawing Blogs
After two years of no posting (yeah, I haven't gotten a lot of travelling in... yay school) and around four years after having started this blog, I am happy to announce that I just got word that I will be receiving funding from the National Research Foundation of Luxembourg to go to Luxembourg to finish my Ph.D. I'm quite excited.
Only problem is that I don't know yet when I'll get to go over there, so more info to come, but... yeah, this is really exciting.
Only problem is that I don't know yet when I'll get to go over there, so more info to come, but... yeah, this is really exciting.
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