Getting long-term visa processed in Germany

[amandagmu]

Hello all,

Did anyone here get a long-term (6+ months) visa processed in Germany? I'm currently spending some time with my husband in Berlin before heading over to Beijing for research. I got everything done in the U.S. except for the chest x-ray and the university invitation paperwork has taken forever to arrive. (Long story short: I started this process months ago, but the paperwork only arrived in the last few weeks... to my US address! I am having them forward everything to Berlin so I can leave from here.)

The embassy website in Berlin says it shouldn't be a problem for me to get my visa to go to China from here, but I need that stupid chest x-ray for the visa paperwork. I haven't called the embassy yet since my situation is more complicated (to say the least) then its average visitor. If there is anyone from Germany on here who has been to the embassy or consulates in Germany for a 6+ month visa, could you please tell me 1) how did it go? Was it easy and smooth? and 2) where do you recommend I go for the chest x-ray? Mein Deutsch ist nicht so gut, but my husband speaks a bit....

[zhouhaochen]

we have had quite a few people apply for long term visas in Berlin and it did work, however, different every time. It seems to depend on the visa officer. It seems that you can re-apply though if it didnt work (one girl I know got two different valid visas in her passport and that worked fine). So to make sure u get it, I suggest to go as early as possible, try, hope and if it doesnt work, try again.

Usually I could not see a reason why it shouldnt though.

[baambi]

When I applied for my 8 month visa in Berlin it was OK not to have to the X-Ray but only the paper saying that my lungs were OK. Any doctor should be able to write that. Afterwards I still had to have the Medical Examination in China, including X-Ray.