Closing the distance from Sout Africa to Germany. Advice and encouragement needed.

[dotk]

Hi peeps!!
I haven't been around on the forum too much since I often felt our situation was so different that I didn't find much help here. (Note this is really just due to our situation...the forum is great and I see a lot of people giving great advice here!!)

But I wanna give it a shot and see if anyone is/has been in a similar situation and could give advice or just encouragement.
My bf is South African, I am German and we have been planning to close the distance during the first half of 2016 via a study visa for him. He would be taking German classes before actually studying but that is covered within a study visa as well.

We made plans last summer during his visit and started getting all the paperwork once he was back home. Apperently we have the worst of luck though cause a small thing has delayed everything by almost three months now. The police clearance needed for the visa application took longer to be issued, then got lost in the mail then got re-issued but couldn't be picked up by a courier yet since he moved in the meantime and is now supposedly being picked up by a courier service (which should take days but it has been more than a week already again plus things went wrong the first time of ordering the courier too). It is super messy and we don't really know how to plan anymore.

Originally he'd had an appointment at the german consulate mid November. That had to be cancelled since the police clearance was missing. By now I have had to reschedule his health insurance, German course (which he is required to have booked and to prove at the appointment) and we are soon running ut of time cause the clearance mustn't be older than three months...It was issued November 19th.

Sorry...I am really rambling here cause I feel so alone in this situation. But to get to my questions:

Does anyone have experinece with obtaining a study visa from an African country? Can you give insights into what the motivational letter needs to say? He has drafted it but is really not sure what the german authorities will be looking for. Yes, there is a guide from the DAAD about the letter but it leaves questions still. I am just super scared that the visa might get denied because of that letter.

It is not easy to find any information online from people who have gone through this. I only found a few blogs/postfrom a few years ago and even then there wasn't mcuh about the specifics to be found. Instead I read that a study visa got denied because "it didn't seem possible for the applicant to be able to finish his sutdies in germany"--what the heck??? How can anyone say that? It seems up to luck and chance if he will get this visa.

So I would greatly appreciate any input from anyone who has gone through this or knows any resources I could go to.

I am beyond frustrated with the situation. He was supposed to be coming here by now...instead the visa hasn't even been applied for yet. I am trying to plan pessimistic....but I would have never imagined that getting a stupid police clearance certificate would take four months!!!

Edit: thanks for hearing me out!

[lucybelle]

I don't know specifically African nation to Germany but I am quite familiar with poor country to USA. And with that case it's really just up to the officer who interviews them. Make sure he practices his answers to questions, dresses nicely, enunciates his words clearly, is confident and polite but not overtly friendly. He needs to prepare as if this were a job interview. Make sure he brings at least two copies of everything, it should all be organized and labeled for easy access.

Best wishes.

[differentcountries]

When they are worried about the realism of studies, they often mean money. Make sure that it is stated clearly how he plans to finance his studies/make a living.

I am sure they will also ask him about his previous visits/visas to Germany. It could go either way because he visited and left as he should before, at the same time he has visited so much that they get he is trying to close the distance. They might ask questions to prove that he is genuinely interested in learning German and the other subjects.

[MissingMyDutchLove]

To piggyback off of differentcountries, I would really suggest not mentioning you at all. Make sure that his letter reflects his own aspirations and reasons for wanting to relocate without you in the picture. There tends to be a much more positive response when it's clear that he really wants it for his own self-growth and not just to close the distance.

[dotk]

Hey guys and thanks for your input.
Yes, he is not going to mention me if he can. Not sure he would lie about me if he was asked straight whether he had a gf in Germany.
Finances are taken care of since he is going to have a blocked account with the required 8000 and some € on it.

The main thing is really....what is going to be a valid reason for him to want to study here? Valid in the sense that the German authorities will find it valid. I have read some stories about people getting rejected because "the reasons for studying in Germany weren't evident enough" (even though the people in question did gve their reasons.
So I wonder what will qualify as "valid" to them?

This letter is a sure pain in the a** and the only thing that is missing now for his visa application.

The interview etc. should not be a problem because he is very eloquent and professional. But this letter gives me and him headaches.
Yeah, I am basically just whining. lol. He will out together a draft and then we'll see.

Anyways, thanks for chipping in!