I wrote an email asking about how to get a German Passport and I got a telephone appointment first and foremost.
My husband is with me because my German skill is simply terrible after all these years. Mann said that he needs to start learning my language in case heaven forbid, we all have to move back to the Philippines.
The telephone meeting took an hour and I was asked whether I was adopted, if my parents have other citizenship other than Filipinos, if we live in an apartment or own house and if we are a recipient of government funds. Basically, they want to make sure if I will be a liability or an asset for Germany.
A few days later, I got a letter which includes the application for German citizenship and a list of checked boxes that I must submit together in my next appointment which would require my personal appearance next time at their office.
One of the requirements is an authenticated, legalized and translated birth certificate. First I had my mom obtain my birth certificate at PSA but when she was at DFA for authentication, she was told that all things must be done online. They could have already gotten my PSA birth certificate from my mom but no, we have to do everything all over again online and pay for another PSA birth certificate at 300 pesos. All in all, the total cost for the DFA authenticated birth certificate is:
PSA certificate: 300 pesos
DFA apostille/ authentication: 200 pesos
Delivery Fee: 350 pesos
Convenience Fee: 30 pesos
A regular citizen will be squeezed and made 880 pesos poorer just for birth certificate alone. But it is what it is and people never really complain (or maybe they did?) because anyway, why bother? It will be like poor Juan vs. the system.
So while I complete the requirements before my next appointment with the Ausländerbehörde in 6 months, I will continue this series later as well.
Greetings,
Karlota
