Applying for a USA B1/B2 Visa for an alien resident in Germany
I hold an EU Blue Card and an Indian Passport and have submitted a paper to a conference in the USA due to occur in September 2019. The Blue Card will expire in August 2019 but have already obtained an extension for the same.
In order to present the paper in the conference I need to apply for a B1/B2 visa for the USA and not sure if I may be allowed to apply for one in Germany since I am not a German Citizen.
Are there any specific documents that I might need in order to apply for the B1/B2 Visa since I am not a citizen of the country where I am actually applying?
Best Answer
It's generally necessary to apply for visas in your place of residence, not in your country of nationality. The US recommends this, but does not require it. (There is an exception for US visa applications whereby people who have overstayed a US visa in the past have to apply in their country of citizenship. I suppose this does not apply to you.)
The process is outlined on the website of the US embassy and consulates in Germany. Applications in Germany are processed by a third-party service provider at http://ustraveldocs.com/de/.
The recommendation to apply in your place of residence may be found on the State Department's website, for example on its page concerning visitor visas:
You should schedule an appointment for your visa interview at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the country where you live. You may schedule your interview at another U.S. Embassy or Consulate, but be aware that it may be more difficult to qualify for a visa outside of the country where you live.
(emphasis added)
One reason for this recommendation is that the consulate will want to verify your ties to your place of residence. It is much more difficult for a consular officer in India to verify your employment, your blue card, your residence, and so on, than it is for a consular officer in Germany to do so.
Pictures about "Applying for a USA B1/B2 Visa for an alien resident in Germany"
Can I apply for a U.S. visa in Germany?
Welcome to the U.S. Visa Information Service for Germany. You can also learn how to pay the required visa application fee, and book a nonimmigrant interview appointment at the U.S. Embassy in Berlin and the Consulates in Frankfurt and Munich.Can I apply for U.S. green card from Germany?
Citizens of Germany can apply for the Green Card Lottery. After an evaluation of countries that have sent fewer immigrants to the US for the last 5 years, the US State Department has chosen Germany to be part of the Green Card Lottery.Can I travel with German residence permit to USA?
German citizens do not need a visa to travel to the US for visits of up to 90 days for tourism, business, or transit purposes. ESTA authorization is granted to German nationals for 2 years or until the associated passport expires, whichever date is sooner.Can you apply for a U.S. visa outside your country of residence?
You should schedule an appointment for your visa interview at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the country where you live. You may schedule your interview at another U.S. Embassy or Consulate, but be aware that it may be more difficult to qualify for a visa outside of the country where you live.Tips for USA Tourist Visa Interview 2020 - B1/B2 Visa Interview Questions and Answers
More answers regarding applying for a USA B1/B2 Visa for an alien resident in Germany
Answer 2
You can apply online for a B1/B2 visa from any country where you are legally present. Apart from your passport and EU Blue Card, documents you’ll need include evidence of:
The purpose of your trip,
Your intent to depart the United States after your trip, and/or
Your ability to pay all costs of the trip.
Evidence of your employment and/or your family ties may be sufficient to show the purpose of your trip and your intent to return to your home country. If you cannot cover all the costs for your trip, you may show evidence that another person will cover some or all costs for your trip.
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/tourism-visit/visitor.html#apply
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Pixabay, Aaron Kittredge, Enric Cruz López, Maria Orlova