D Visa application proof of housing, intended duration of stay

It is up to the individual embassy or consulate to decide whether you get the visa - and what they require for it - and they do differ from each other.
So you probably have no other chance than asking them (although it might be difficult, as with all officialdom), or using the safest option - i.e. only the dates your internship is confirmed for and showing booked accommodation for the whole period.
Be glad if, in the current situation, you can travel at all!

The reason one one cannot get through to German consular officials is that most non-EU citizens including Americans are currently banned from entering Germany unless they would already have a residency here. They aren't issuing visas! This is widely known so I'm not sure why you expect some kind of exception?

The situation can change suddenly and unannounced but Germany is having increasing rates of infection and just entered a new lock-down phase. So expecting any change for the better in the foreseeable future is groundless. Quite the opposite in fact. This is just the current reality.

I am posting 2 links that gives information about the ban:

https://www.germany.info/us-en/covid-19/2321562https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/einr … oronavirus

I would also add that people making it to Germany from outside the EU, say by having a EU residency or being EU citizens that live elsewhere, they will also have to quarantine for 2 weeks upon arrival.

Thanks @beppi I appreciate your reply.  As for the other poster, let me say this. People post to forums looking for support.  During such difficult times, why add to the negativity?  If you participate in forums, I encourage you to stay quiet if you don't have something constructive to say.  The consulate is accepting applications for visas and I have an appointment.   I have a goal to work in another country.  I worked toward this goal for 3 years.  I have studied all of the websites.   I am aware of the travel restrictions, the recent surge, as well as the quarantine requirements.  I am aware that getting the visa might be impossible and also that the employer can also withdraw the job offer at any time.  Notwithstanding, I will drive many hours for my appointment.  Maybe the consulate will not approve the application.  Maybe it will be a waste of time.  Who knows?  The approval process can take several months.  I will never have this opportunity again, so I am willing to try.

Sorry but posting facts is not "negativity". Claiming this is inappropriate. If you have an appointment for a visa interview then I question why you posted at all complaining about not being able to get one. Total contradiction.

What some people might not know is that in many countries, German visa applications processing is outsourced. I honestly don't know how they usually do it in the States but this is nearly always the way it is done in India for example. The companies that do it charge money and seem to take applications despite that the final issuing is only done by the consulate. 

And when  visas are not being issued, then it is  tantamount to fraud. Theoretically, it might mean that people are higher up on the waiting list once visas start to be issued again but when the time limits are pasted then one is out of luck. And they cannot guarantee when visas will be issued gain. At best one might just get their application fee back (unlikely) but if the time runs out for them then too bad, they will have missed the job or internship offer.

And I accept that exceptions are always possible if officials grant one but I backed up my factual information with reliable links, hopefully they finish reviewing the second one since it is directly from the German authorities. And nothing in them would even suggest an exception to what I wrote.

Also, I have no conflict what Beppi wrote but must point out that he is mentioning general information and not addressing the issue of Covid and what bans are in place. If one wants to try and ignore it and act like it isn't an issue then good luck with that but don't complain when reality catches up with you.

Tom: Not all embassies in all countries have stopped their visa services, and not all entries from those countries are banned. I know that for a fact, because I welcomed some non-European students here recently (not from the USA, though, so cannot tell the situation there). They had difficulties applying, waited a long time and had to test on arrival and quaratine until a negative result arrived.
But that was about two months ago. The situation is of course volatile, differs from country to country and can change any moment without prior notice. Asking the individual embassy or consulate is the only reliable way of finding out what they currently do or don't issue.
But I am pretty sure they won't invite the OP for an interview just to tell him he has no chance.
(And I do admire his determination to try against all odds.)

beppi wrote:

Tom: Not all embassies in all countries have stopped their visa services, and not all entries from those countries are banned. I know that for a fact, because I welcomed some non-European students here recently (not from the USA, though, so cannot tell the situation there). They had difficulties applying, waited a long time and had to test on arrival and quaratine until a negative result arrived.

But that was about two months ago. The situation is of course volatile, differs from country to country and can change any moment without prior notice. Asking the individual embassy or consulate is the only reliable way of finding out what they currently do or don't issue.
But I am pretty sure they won't invite the OP for an interview just to tell him he has no chance.
(And I do admire his determination to try against all odds.)

Strawman argument; I didn't say all visas nor all non-EU people. There are some exceptions; countries that have been deemed a low risk for Covid like Thailand the last time I looked. This is clearly stated on the German Government site I gave a link to, which for some reason the site administrators still have under review.

But it makes it clear what the exceptions are and the USA is NOT a low risk exempted country nor is an internship listed as a possible exception. I don't make the rules and it is not my personal opinion or negativity. I posted facts according to the German government and the posters simply doesn't want to accept it.

If one gets official responses that are different then fine, share that with us but I don't accept being accused of bias for posting facts. And absolutely, if a consulate gives and interview then that sounds like a possibility but the poster complained that the consulate was not reachable. His follow up that he has a interview then only logically sounds possible through an outsourced company which I pointed out might take applications although no visas are actually being issued for the time being. I know this is happening in India. If he actually has an interview at a German consulate then I question his first post claiming not being able to get through to them. Again, this is totally contradictory.

Please calm down, both of you. This is certainly not something to get emotionally upset about!
Tom certainly has some good points here, but Hvr has an interview set up and will hear the answer from the source - Thanks for coming back here to report!

Hvrposter wrote:

I have an appointment at the consulate, but it is difficult to reach the consulate on the phone to ask questions.  They cut you off instead of transferring.

My apologies for any confusion.  I booked a visa application appointment online via the consulate's website.  To reach the consulate by phone, however, is more difficult.  The consulate takes calls one afternoon per week.  I was unable to get through to anyone at the consulate by phone on the days that I tried.  The consulate experiences a high level of calls and emails at this time.  It is very understandable that calls might not go through for that reason. 

The following web page explains the appointment system and the hours when telephone calls are accepted.  Email is also an option, but the high volume of emails limits the consulate's ability to answer everyone's queries.

https://www.germany.info/us-en/embassy- … 62-1-panel

The visa application appointment at the consulate is tomorrow!!  I will provide an update later with information gained during the visit to the consulate.

A hotel reservation for 2 weeks was sufficient for proof of housing.  The Consulate advised me to that the "Intended duration of stay in Germany" on the visa application should match the dates indicated on the employer's letter of intent.   The employer provided a revised letter with the end date extended to end of July.

Great to hear - and thanks for coming back to post it here.
Good luck and have a nice time in Germany!

Hvrposter wrote:

A hotel reservation for 2 weeks was sufficient for proof of housing.  The Consulate advised me to that the "Intended duration of stay in Germany" on the visa application should match the dates indicated on the employer's letter of intent.   The employer provided a revised letter with the end date extended to end of July.

I am curious about what Covid restrictions should apply to your situation. From my understanding the time period in question is not until summer 2021 - so are they giving tentative approval assuming things will be more under control then or is there really much of a guarantee that as an American you will actually be able to go. Things are getting stricter here on almost a daily basis and I have yet to see any official information that would suggest that one could presently come in such a situation. Or are internships being judged to be so important as to give an exception?