hello, i would appreciate some help if someone out there can answer a few questions for me.
I am a New Zealand citizen who received a working holiday visa for Germany in august 2003 valid for 1 year. I had left germany for a three month holiday with my german girlfriend in may 2004, three months before it expired but flew into france in late july also before it expired.
I received a stamp in my passport from the French customs which, to my knowledge, entitles me to three months in France and also the shengen lands.
My girlfriend had contacted the Auslanderamt while we were in Ireland and the said that it was not a big deal to get a new visa entitling me to a six month period were i could look for work and when, or if, i found a job i could stay for longer still.
After a short holiday in France we returned to Germany,but as there is no border between France and germany i received no stamp in my passport and on arrival at the auslanderamt i was told that i was completly illegal in Germany and that i must leave immediately!! As i was entitled to be in France i returned there, and began the slow process of trying to get information on what i could do.
I spoke with the deutsche botschaft in Lyon and Paris, and they both said that as i was entitled to be in france i was in fact entitled to be in Germany and i could return!
i went back to Germany and was told that i must have health insurance to get a visa,which i don't have, but was told by all the insurance companys that i need a stamp or visa in my passport to get insurance.
So now i have driven to Hungary for a stamp in my passport (and a short holiday) but are not sure what happens on the border when i come back as i was told by the new zealand embassy that i must stay out of the shengen lands for three months to receive another three month visa on the austrian border.
I have been told such contrasting storys from everyone i am not sure who to beleive or what to do and would appreciate some help, answers or suggestions.
Also i was told from the woman in the German embassy in lyon that even after my german working holidayvisa had expired i would automatically have another three month tourist visa added on wether i had left the country or not! is that true? thanking you in advance, david b

They are confused with old law although they had lot of time to learn it.
What will be with new law, next year.

It is obvious what you should do to avoid all your problems.
Mary your german girlfriend.
After all you came from New Zealand to Germany because of her.