Work Visa - Part 1

Yesterday (Thursday) I went into Potsdam to apply for my work visa. You may be wondering, "Why is it that you have been working for two weeks and are only now applying for your visa?" Well, the system here is remarkably flexible. Basically, my understanding is that I need a visa to be here for more than 3 months.

In any case, it is time (I felt) to take care of the visa issue. Actually, I had gone into town to get the visa on Wednesday, but the office which deals with visas is not open on Wednesdays. The office is open Tuesdays 9am-6pm, Thursdays & Fridays 9am-12pm and 1pm - 6pm. When do the visa people eat lunch on Tuesdays? Difficult to say.

So I arrive at the Rathaus (city hall) and proceed to the room where, according to the sign at the front of the building, the visa office is supposed to be. Alas, the office has moved to "Haus 20". Fortunately, there is a sequence of green arrows leading from the old office, down the stairs, outside and across the alley to "Haus 20" where the visa offices are currently located.

In the office I present my contract, my registration with the police, my health insurance certificate, by "biometric" passport photos (not exactly sure how these are different from other passport photos, but they cost 7Euro for 6 of them), and my passport. Forms are filled and everything is returned to me except the photos and my passport. The passport needs to stay at their office for several days while they complete the visa. In the meantime, I am given the following half sheet of paper.
[The pen is to cover up my passport number.] As she was handing this paper to me, the very nice woman helping me said, "If the police stop you or question you, just show them this piece of paper." Let's hope it doesn't come to that...

I"ll be back next week to (hopefully) recover the passport with visa enclosed.