Hi everyone, I updated the process of appealing my visa refusal to The Berlin Administrative Court in my previous post.
So, what happened?
On January 29, 2025, J informed me that two letters from The Berlin Administrative Court had arrived at his mother's house, as the letters were addressed there. The next day, J's mother brought him the letters to J's house. The letters stated that processing the appeal would require a fee of 500 EUR, and the procedural costs would be 5000 EUR. We assumed this would cover lawyer fees, etc. if we wished to proceed with the appeal. J and I were immediately taken aback. J expressed his disillusionment with the humanity of the system we live in. Naturally, I found it absurd as well. Consequently, we withdrew our appeal.
I explained to J that this was precisely why the Embassy for the Schengen visa area outsourced visa processing to a third party. The uncooperative officer refused to identify the missing or insufficient documents, leading to the visa denial. The rejected visa application fee is non-refundable, and applicants must reapply, incurring further costs.
J struggled to come up with any ideas after the incident. I knew he felt just as disappointed as I did. I remained enthusiastic about meeting him in a visa-free country for my nationality. Alternatively, I would take a German A1 language course to prepare for my future with him and my own personal growth. J maintained his usual positivity, suggesting that the problems in Germany might only be just beginning if I somehow managed to get there.
I've now moved past the pain and disappointment of the visa refusal. Starting next Monday, February 10, 2025, I will begin an offline A1 language course with four sessions per week. This will help distract me from the feeling of helplessness caused by bureaucracy.
J had mentioned his plans to take me on a vacation to the Czech Republic, visiting a ski area with his 12-year-old son, K, after I applied for the visa.
Currently, from February 3rd to 8th, 2025, J and K are enjoying their winter vacation in the snowy mountains. The pain in my heart has gradually subsided as I've maintained communication with J. I am also busy preparing for the A1 course.
I then received an email from a friend who knew about my visa refusal. I had already researched advice from the international backpacker community, which suggested applying for a visa from another Schengen country if you are not confident about a German Schengen visa. However, another rule stated that applicants should apply for a visa in the country where they will be staying the longest. At the time of my initial application, I hadn't considered this. I only thought that my destination was Germany, where I would stay with J for an extended period, and I didn't plan to apply for a tourist visa. I applied for a visitor visa instead.
Then, last night, after receiving an email from my friend, who also suggested applying for a visa in the city closest to the one in Germany I planned to visit, I realized something. I knew that J's location was only about a 2-hour trip to the Czech Republic, and J, along with his son and mother, often vacationed there, as he had frequently told me. I suddenly felt foolish.
If things had turned out differently, I would have applied for a tourist visa through the Czech Republic, vacationed with J and K from February 3rd to 8th, which I believe would have been enough time to explore the country, and then 'returned' to Germany with J in his car. Although my stay in Germany might have been shorter, it would have been better than nothing, right? It's truly unfortunate. Now it's all too late. While I regret it, it's not a bitter or distressing regret; instead, it's a new experience and lesson learned.
J also informed me that he was trying to make the most of his winter vacation with his son, but upon arriving at the ski area, he received an email regarding issues on his website. This meant that some product pages on his site might not function, which is his livelihood. J has had to address these issues during his vacation, keeping busy with calls and emails from his smartphone. I hope that these problems are resolved quickly. It's not pleasant to spend a vacation with a worried mind.
I've distracted myself by reading. I recently finished the translated book "The Door-to-Door Bookstore" by German author Carsten Henn and felt a pang of sadness as I reached the last page.
"Is the book about us?"
"All good books are about real people."
This sentence sparked an idea for me to write a book again. In the past, I was also a book writer. I have published several books, although I am not a popular author. I stopped writing after my father's death in 2018. It's been incredibly difficult to start again, despite several attempts. I often imagine myself sitting down to write, and then looking out the window at the vast expanse of white snow. Before that can happen, I'm keeping myself occupied by preparing for the A1 course through self-study via YouTube videos.
Additionally, I've started reading a new book that has captivated me from the moment I began. "Snow Dancer" is also by a German author, Antje Babendererde. It's a story about a young adult's search for identity and their quest to find their biological father. It's incredibly interesting, beautiful, and well-written. I've found many things that relate to Germany and, of course, J, and even K. I've often smiled and laughed at the German mindset depicted in this book.
That's my story for today. It turns out that not all rejections are bad. They simply have to happen. The most important thing is how you deal with them. There are always solutions and compromises, as my friend says. And miraculously, I always have a plan B alongside plan A in everything I face and even plans C and D.
Until we meet again in my next story!
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