E-2 visa applications submitted to the U.S. consulate in Frankfurt must be no longer than 90 pages. Some consulates specify that certain documents, such as forms DS-160 and DS-156E, are not counted towards the page limit (see e.g. U.S. Consulate in Toronto). The U.S. consulate in Frankfurt, however, does not make this specification. Absent more specific confirmation directly from the consulate, applicant should not exceed the 90 page limit.

After submitting Form DS-160 electronically, the required documents must be sent by courier to the consulate in Frankfurt. Payment of the Machine Readable Visa (MRV) fee must be done via wire transfer or online debit. An applicant must wait until the consulate has reviewed the documents and confirmed receipt of the MRV fee before scheduling an interview. Although the consulate will confirm receipt of payment, an official receipt cannot be provided according to U.S. Travel Docs, the company that manages scheduling for the U.S. consulate in Frankfurt.

The published list of documents also indicates the order in which they should appear in the visa application, however, applicants may find that the consulate favors a different order when they appear for their interview. The U.S. consulate in Frankfurt instructs applicants to appear with only the following documents in-hand:
• Passport
• DS-160 confirmation page
• Photograph (if not uploaded with DS-160)
• Curriculum Vitae
• Letter from U.S. employer
• Job Description
• DS-156E

During the interview, an applicant must know the company structure, the number of employees and the job description of each one, and the operational details of the enterprise. The answers to these questions, of course, should already be in the application package sent to the consulate weeks earlier. If these answers confirm that the applicant qualifies for an E-visa, then the visa will be sent by courier to an address in Germany. Thus, the applicant must have an address in Germany to receive delivery, which may be a challenge for visa applicants who have been operating consistently in the U.S. for a significant amount of time. Arranging for delivery at a friend’s or relative’s home or place of business may be a viable solution to this problem.

The substantive requirements for an E-2 visa are the same everywhere, but procedural requirements vary widely. By being aware of Frankfurt’s unique procedural requirements, E-2 applicants at this consular post can increase their likelihood of success. Please note, however, that these requirements can change without notice, and should be double-checked with each application.