Hi everybody,

In september 2009 I went to Berlin's ABH asking for info regarding getting NE (in theory I comply with all the requisites). I was asked to fill a form and was told that I'd be contacted later with an appointment to bring the required documents. Almost 7 months have passed and haven't heard from them. I've been there a couple of time and all I get is "your request is being processed, you'll get a letter with an appointment to bring the documents". So, so for they only have the filled fornulaire...What are they processing if no documents have been added to the request? For me, this is taking way too long, I've read threads here where people have got heir NE in a much shorter time.
In addition, now when I go the ABH Berlin I can't get to talk to the Beamter who used to take care of my file as now my file is in another office -a new one that only processes NE application.
My current visa will expire en August 2010, I have a 5 year extension of my work contract, so It should be easy to get an extension of my visa, but I wanted to get NE before...what should I do? Is it normal that processing NE takes so long?

thanks so much for your feed back and may you all be healthy

Ari

This is not normal. I got my NE in 2006 on same day.

I took an appointment for the whole family. She asked me to fill form and pay the fees. in 2 hours i had a NE.

It all depends on how you present yourself. I spoke german even though i had little knowledge of it.

I laughed when she cracked a joke even though i did not understand a bit of it.

But dont worry about your expiry. As long as your app is in bearbeitung you cannot be sent back .

may be due to your contract. is "permanent contract" one of the requirement?

Absolutely not. I had a contract of only 6 months.
The woman in the ABH was very friendly. Only thing was i was the 1st person she started with that day.

I would also say sometimes Luck plays a vital role.

Hi Arianna,

IMHO, 7 months is definitely too much.

I did the same than you but in october 2007.

I first wrote an email to Berlin´s ABH and then went, filled a form and they told me I will be given via post a date to which I should assist with my wife to ABH and providing indications on the needed documents.

That happened (if I´m not wrong) about two WEEKS later and they gave me the date for one month later.

I went to the date, answered some questions, provided the documents and received the NE the same day, even some days before my 5 years in DE.

I would advice you to take care actively on this. One important question I did the lady in the first appointment was the fact I changed my living place. I read here and in Info4alien (I guess also you should post the same message there because there are some guys of this forum working in ABH Berlin) that your file normally stays where you originally arrived in DE and the ABH of Berlin (in your case) must request to send it internally, fact that usually take some time.

Good luck and keep us informed!

In KVR Munich,When I initially wanted to apply for NE,I was asked to come after 6 weeks(some background check in berlin).After 6 weeks, I went with required documents and they issued NE on the same day.

Hi all,

It is a similar situation waiting for over 6months.
I had given all documents(salary statements, arbeitsvertag,miete vertrag,lebenslauf) in October 2009 for NE fuer Hochqualifizeirte. I went to ABH four times since then and followed up, but he said he will send me a letter when my NE papers are checked. I also asked him if there is any formulare to be filled, he told nothing else is required.

I just left it as nothing else could be done.

HI everybody,

I thank you all for taking the time and sharing your feed back. After reading Truster answer, It seems to me that although in the past NE application used to take some few weeks, now it's normal that it takes several months!
Why could this be?
In my case, I'm guessing they're only taking time to reach my visa's expiration date on August and then "let me go"
(they're not aware of my having and extension of 5 years).
I wonder whether I should let them now about my new contract...would that help speeding my NE process?

thanks a lot for your time & interest.
May you all be healthy

Ari

Hi,
Just a curious question. If you have a job extention for 5 years, how does NE or a normal work permit/visa extention differ? I guess you should typically wait for the visa end date and let the authorities decide your next steps.

In my case, my visa came to an end in 2008, prior to two months of expiry, I contacted foriegn office for an appointment for visa extention (Without realizing that I am already eligible for NE). Infact the foriegn office asked me to apply for NE which took slightly less than 2 months (my visa expiry deadline).

Thanks.
B

@ vebalu

I did not want to wait for the visa extension based on the 5-year extension of my work contract, because the visa expires in August 2010, and already by August 2009 (last year) I filled the requisites for NE, so why waitintg another year for having NE? At least that's what I thought when I applied 7 months ago not knowing that it could take so long.

Actually, I could have even applied before as a high qualified researcher (§19 Abs 2. Nr. 1)as it was suggested to me in this forum some time ago when I've got a grant to lead a research group, but I waited one more year in order to reach 5 years of residnece in DE. Somehow I thought (stupid me!)that it'd be easier/faster/less complicate than convincing ABH that I comply with §19 Abs 2. Nr. 1.

And now I'm stuck
I wonder if I can change the NE application based on §19 Abs 2. Nr. 1.

the Best for you all
Ari

It's all very strange, in 2008 I got NE based on §9 in Köln in 2 or 3 weeks. Sometimes formal requests from a lawyer speed up things a lot. If what you suspect is true and they just wait for your visa to expire lawyer's inquiry can provide a motivational boost for them.
NE can be granted any time if you fulfill the requirements, there's no connection between NE and the expiration date of your current visa. To my knowledge, it's easier to get NE based on §9 rather than on §19 simply because §19 is not used very often and clerks don't feel themselves on a safe ground. Still, there's no formal recepie, so don't blame yourself for choosing a wrong paragraph. Good luck!