I have done flight training in Germany and hence hold a German EASA Private Pilot License. For this I did the appropriate flight training which is documented in my logbook. But in Germany these logbook entries are not endorsed by an Instructor, it is the flight school sending the paperwork to the CAA that confirms you fulfilled all requirements.
Now I am in the situation, that I want to get a stand-alone FAA license. The two Part 61 flight schools I enquired so far both stated, that without logbook endorsement, non of the flown hours could be credited for the requirements of 61.109. But I also have German pilot friends that claim they also had no endorsements and that this was no problem while getting the license.
Is there maybe an official position paper of the FAA or something that states in more detail, what a foreign pilot needs to bring to prove being eligible?
And of course I know, that I will need additional training, but hopefully not 45 hours again. Therefore if the assumption of StephenS in the first answer is correct and I can use my logbook to prove part of the 20h DUAL (later night training is endorsed and 2.5h flying with CFIs in the US), then maybe I can reduce the requirement to about 15h. But where does the interpretation of only the 20h DUAL must be endorsed come from and not the SOLO or the rest to 40h? And what about the specific requirements in the section below in 61.109? If I have a cross country which is not endorsed, does it fulfill the requirement or not?
To keep this topic straight on this point, I am aware of all the necessities to start flight training: Regarding medical, I have a Class 3. Regarding student license, I have a 61.75 validation of my German license with ASEL and Instrument. Regarding Visa I am already staying in the US and working legally on a visa, the flight training is just part time.