Time sure flies! I can apply for my Niederlassungserlaubnis this August. My current US Passport expires in August of 2025, and then I would have to turn around and renew the NE card a year later. So, should I just go ahead and renew the passport soon before applying for the NE, and if so how early before applying for the NE should I do it? Would appreciate wisdom from anyone who has completed this process. I am very grateful that we are back in business here sharing our collective knowledge. again to those who made it possible.
Is that just a thing for non-European nationals? My permit runs from 2021 until 2026, then my passport expired in 2022 and was renewed until 2032, but it didn't affect my permit validity.
FrauFruit: Exactly. The permission to reside is indefinite, but the card expires when the passport expires. So, is there any better or worse way to simplify this experience was my original question?
Esacfusa: The thread is directed to Americans who have knowledge geared to our specific situation. Our AE and NE cards show our US Passport Number and show an expiration date that is identical to our passport expiration date.
Yes, I see that. It just made me check my permit out to see if there was any correlation, fortunately, not, but I hope you find a solution. Maybe renew your passport a couple of months in advance so that when you go along to renew your permit, you're good for another 5 years twice over.
Sorry I didn't address your original question, Bethannbitt.
If I were you, I would go ahead and renew my passport and then go for the NE card. Not sure if it's the best way but it is what I would do. You may have to explain why you are renewing your passport early.
TBH, getting my NE card was just a trip to the Ausländeramt and a short wait. No big deal. I forget what it cost.
Fraufruit wrote: ↑Sun Mar 10, 2024 10:47 am
I were you, I would go ahead and renew my passport and then go for the NE card. Not sure if it's the best way but it is what I would do. You may have to explain why you are renewing your passport early.
That was what I thought I saw on the old TT. I don’t think renewing early is a problem. BTW, unfortunately I had to apply for my current passport, issued in 2015, within 3 months of having just renewed the prior one. Returned back to the US from Armenia, stupidly left it in my purse for a week, and some evil person stole the purse. So I had to pay double for that passport! Live and learn!
Yes, renew your passport first and THEN get your NE. Tell the consulate you need it ASAP as you are being issued an NE. They will likely oblige. You don't need a reason to renew your passport early. They don't care.
kaffeemitmilch wrote: ↑Thu Apr 04, 2024 5:04 pm
Yes, renew your passport first and THEN get your NE. Tell the consulate you need it ASAP as you are being issued an NE. They will likely oblige. You don't need a reason to renew your passport early. They don't care.
That’s quite helpful. Another question: We fly to Greece for vacation during the the last two weeks of August. If we get our passports renewed here in April/June can we fly to/from Greece in August as long as show our old passport that’s tied to the current Aufenthaltserlaubnis, along with the newly issued passport. Directly after we return from Greece we want to submit the NE application.
Otherwise we have to wait until August to get our passports renewed, setting back the time at which we can apply for the NE, and possibly interfering with a fall trip to the US.
That’s quite helpful. Another question: We fly to Greece for vacation during the the last two weeks of August. If we get our passports renewed here in April/June can we fly to/from Greece in August as long as show our old passport that’s tied to the current Aufenthaltserlaubnis, along with the newly issued passport. Directly after we return from Greece we want to submit the NE application.
Otherwise we have to wait until August to get our passports renewed, setting back the time at which we can apply for the NE, and possibly interfering with a fall trip to the US.
Well, Greece is Schengen so you are unlikely to be checked.
IIRC, there were posts about people doing this. BTW I think the new renewal process is online, at least in Frankfurt. Otherwise, when I renewed mine, they let me keep it until I got my new one so you might be able to renew anyway. Contact your ABH. It may be really fast where you live, and if you submit the renewal in person you will be given proof of having been approved, as I was.
Yesterday we mailed our current passports and renewal applications to the Passport Section at the US consulate in Frankfurt. The instructions for using DHL for the prepaid return envelopes were outdated on the embassy website (DHL ExpressEasy is no longer available), but fortunately a woman at our local post office had encountered this issue before and showed us how to handle it. Here’s a link for renewal by mail, https://de.usembassy.gov/renew-by-mail/
bethannbitt wrote: ↑Sun Jun 09, 2024 1:53 am
Yesterday we mailed our current passports and renewal applications to the Passport Section at the US consulate in Frankfurt. The instructions for using DHL for the prepaid return envelopes were outdated on the embassy website (DHL ExpressEasy is no longer available), but fortunately a woman at our local post office had encountered this issue before and showed us how to handle it. Here’s a link for renewal by mail, https://de.usembassy.gov/renew-by-mail/
Yeah I guess it's called something different. Domestic express or something. DId you add a note that you need it ASAP for your NE?
kaffeemitmilch wrote: ↑Mon Jun 10, 2024 11:20 am
Yeah I guess it's called something different. Domestic express or something. DId you add a note that you need it ASAP for your NE?
I think it’s that, and costs 4,40 now instead of the old 11€.
Didn’t say about the NE, just the the upcoming trip to Greece in mid-August, cuz according to their timeline we should have them back before I am eligible to apply in August anyway. BTW, a friend in the US just applied by mail and had her new passport back within 2 weeks! I’ll keep you posted when mine arrives.
SmartSelect_20240610_234721_Chrome.jpg (287.43 KiB) Viewed 1522 times
Maybe you can still buy these pre-paid return mailing envelopes (non-padded and approximately size DIN C5), with a DHL ExpressEasy shipping label, send them to the consulate and they can attach them to your application package?
I would call the consulate and ask first.
kaffeemitmilch wrote: ↑Mon Jun 10, 2024 11:20 am
Yeah I guess it's called something different. Domestic express or something.
I think it’s that, and costs 4,40 now instead of the old 11€.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but 4.40€ is too cheap.
Maybe you can still buy these pre-paid return mailing envelopes (non-padded and approximately size DIN C5), with a DHL ExpressEasy shipping label, send them to the consulate and they can attach them to your application package?
I would call the consulate and ask first.
The product that you displayed is what I originally purchased online. I showed up with the scans on my iPhone at the only to learn that the product is for a small carton, not an envelope! I was informed that that product can not be used on an envelope. The friendly and seemingly knowledgeable postal lady directed me to go back to the DHL website and ask for a refund (which I am thankfully set to receive within 10 days) and to use the above product, as several other Americans in Konstanz have done exactly for this purpose. She is aware that the US website is incorrectly informing people about a nonexistent product for 11€ that’s clickable under ExpressVerstand.
IMO the US website needs updating. As I told her „Das überrascht mich nicht. Meine Regierung braucht Hilfe.“ I’ll keep folks posted cuz they need to know how to handle this mess. TO BE CONTINUED
Last edited by bethannbitt on Tue Jun 11, 2024 1:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
UPDATE: Despite my uneasy feeling that my homeland is a nation in decline, along with my general frustration at the recent runaround, I have very good news to share.
An hour ago the Frankfurt Passport folks emailed us to inform us that our applications have been received and are on hold for 90 days or until they receive either a downloaded or a printed DHL Express label. So we redid the gig and emailed the scans of the 12€ product as I now await the refund for the ones I purchased Friday. It would make me happy if the US website was updated, but it’s a relief that the folks in Frankfurt are on task and didn’t leave us hanging. Before the email came I tried to call them and that went nowhere. Email and the digital life are a godsend sometimes. TO BE CONTINUED
bethannbitt wrote: ↑Tue Jul 02, 2024 10:55 pm
UPDATE: Our new passports, along with the old ones in tow, arrived 3 weeks after our applications were mailed. and
Yup, they're generally quite good. I usually put fake travel plans in the application so that they send them back in a week
kaffeemitmilch wrote: ↑Thu Jul 04, 2024 9:39 am
Yup, they're generally quite good. I usually put fake travel plans in the application so that they send them back in a week
Yes. Turnaround was good, especially as my friend in Kansas recently had 2 week turnaround domestically. As to fake travel plans, I considered it, but in most areas of life I attempt to avoid crying „wolf“ so as not to tax the system. It was helpful not to have to go to a consulate, although at least I would have been able to do it in Züri (1 hr via train) even though I live in . The 5-year long awaited Niederlassungserlaubnis process starts in August. TO BE CONTINUED.
My current US Passport expires in August of 2025, and then I would have to turn around and renew the NE card a year later. So, should I just go ahead and renew the passport soon before applying for the NE, and if so how early before applying for the NE should I do it? Would appreciate wisdom from anyone who has completed this process. I am very grateful that we are back in business here sharing our collective knowledge. 
again to those who made it possible.
That’s quite helpful. Another question: We fly to Greece for vacation during the the last two weeks of August. If we get our passports renewed here in April/June can we fly to/from Greece in August as long as show our old passport that’s tied to the current Aufenthaltserlaubnis, along with the newly issued passport. Directly after we return from Greece we want to submit the NE application.
only to learn that the product is for a small carton, not an envelope! 
I was informed that that product can not be used on an envelope. The friendly and seemingly knowledgeable postal lady directed me to go back to the DHL website and ask for a refund (which I am thankfully set to receive within 10 days) and to use the above product, as several other Americans in Konstanz have done exactly for this purpose. She is aware that the US website is incorrectly informing people about a nonexistent product for 11€ that’s clickable under ExpressVerstand.
It would make me happy if the US website was updated, but it’s a relief that the folks in Frankfurt are on task and didn’t leave us hanging. Before the email came I tried to call them and that went nowhere. Email and the digital life are a godsend sometimes. TO BE CONTINUED
and 
and
It was helpful not to have to go to a consulate, although at least I would have been able to do it in Züri (1 hr via train) even though I live in 
. The 5-year long awaited Niederlassungserlaubnis process starts in August. 