Oh thank goodness. Hopefully things will now get sorted out properly. So happy for you

For both of you 

Your lawyer is Father ChristmasLots of activity with my lawyer but the end result is that I'm getting what they call a "fictional" visa (don't ask why it's called that, I just figured it is a quirk of German) which acknowledges my right to stay while some behind the scenes stuff gets sorted out. I will pick that up on Monday morning, which means another three hour wait starting at 6am, but hopefully with a more positive result this time.

Not only is an a early night allowed I think it's essential. Doctors orders x

No, it just means that I don't have to worry about getting booted out of Germany while they are sorting out an actual visa. My current visa runs out tomorrow and the head the foreigner's office, i.e. the guy my lawyer needs to talk to, is out of the office until after Christmas, so my understanding is that the fictional visa bridges that gap.does your fictional visa guarantee you a non-fictional visa in the future, or will you have to go throgh the process all over again?
