Looking online, I see that this is a complex process. In Berlin, they only do “citizen services” on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:30-3:00 on a first come-first served basis. Also, you will not be let in before 12:30 (meaning you must line up outside) and no bags/purses/backpacks/or phones will be allowed in. Oh, and no lockers – meaning that you cannot store anything.
I book my train ticket and my Berlin mass transit pass for the day. I am conscience that I cannot bring everything I might want to keep me occupied on the train and I will have several hours between the time the train arrives in Berlin and the time I can get into the embassy. The day is cold, and most everything proceeds uneventfully except a U-Bahn stop – where I need to change trains – is under construction causing me to walk for 15 minutes to get to the other U-Bahn train line and missing my connection so I had to wait. Oh, and each notary costs $50 (!) so if you include the train ticket and other costs, and a day lost, this was an expensive undertaking.
I hope I don’t have to do this again…