As part of our quest for permission to stay in the USA we were required to be out of the USA for an undefined amount of time while paperwork was re-filed and applications were submitted. After some initial panic by our lawyer that we needed to go to South Africa 3 weeks after the process started, we finally established that being anywhere but the USA was the rule... we did not need to go to our country of citizenship.
So my sister and her husband (Bon and Dave) graciously invited us to stay with them in Vancouver. I've been there briefly before for their wedding... maybe 2 weeks in the summer of 2007. But I had a nursing baby and a 2yr old, and was busy helping with last minute wedding plans. So truthfully, although I appreciated the beauty of Vancouver (it really lives up to its name of one of hte most beautiful cities in the world) I didn't really get to know it at all.
That was about to change.
Less than 3 weeks after knowing we had to leave home for a while, we arrived in Vancouver on Nov 22, 2009 after setting off at 7pm Nov 21, 2009 and driving through the night. Rained the whole way except for a small stretch where it blizzarded!! But the kids slept for 12hrs and woke up as we approached Seattle. We popped in to see John and Amy for coffee and to change the kids out of pjs, and then arrived at Bon's house at about noon. A looong journey.
I have taken over 1000 pictures of our time there, and I can't begin to write about everything we saw and did. Didn't have a computer to blog on, so quick facebook updates was all I managed! Suffice it to say that the kids and I were busy every single day, we drove hundreds of miles seeing every sight (and park and indoor play area!!). I got to know the area well and enjoyed exploring. Canada is definitely still part of the Commonwealth and it surprised me how many things were more familiar to a South African than the culture shock of the USA had been to us when we arrived in 2004.
When our time there was up I had mixed feelings. I was unbelievably excited to get home to my life and friends and family here, but I also felt sad to be leaving.
It's a beautiful place. The kids loved it, Glen and I both loved it, and although it was a stressful time in our lives, we look forward to going back for more beautiful British Columbia.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Why so complicated?
I don't know why. It's ridiculous. But it is a choice we have made and so we deal with it.
Here are the details:
1. Glen applied for and got a job in Jan 2004.
2. New company applied on his behalf for a work permit.
3. Waiting game #1 began (in our case just over 8 months... we were told we were lucky)
4. Sold our house, said goodbye to the life we knew and friends and family, spent a fortune shipping boxes, cats, and ourselves across the world. Arrived in the USA on October 19, 2004. (20wks pregnant)
5. As a dependent on Glen's work visa I have no social security number and am not allowed by law to work. Can't even get a cellphone in my own name. Talk about dependent. VERY. I am, however, allowed to have a drivers license and best of all... no guilt about being a full time stay-at-home mom. Thank you.
6. Work permits are valid for 3 years and can be renewed for a further 3 years maximum. If you change jobs, you have to apply (through your new company) for a new visa.
7. Children born in the USA are automatically US citizens. So that's something. 8. Before your 6 years are up, if you want to stay in the country you can apply for a green card (permanent residence, NOT citizenship)
9. To apply for a green card you first need to file an application with the Dept of Labor certifying that you are the only person your company believes can fill your position. To do this the company has to advertise your position for 30 days in 3 different media. For another 30 days your company has to actively work through any valid resumes, interviews, etc and put together information showing that a US citizen can't fill your post. In this economy that's pretty difficult.
(Aside: This process was going to take us beyond our final visa expiry date, which explains why Glen was out of the country for 3 months from Nov 22, 2009 to Feb 17, 2010. The kids and I did not HAVE to go. But where else would we be... home is where the heart is)
10. Waiting game #2: The Dept of Labor will notify you of your labor certification (or denial) in 6-12 months. If your work visa expires during this time you have to renew it.
11. Once the Dept of Labor certifies you, you can then apply for your green card.
12. Waiting game #3: This time 5-10 years. Green card application is filed and you now get a "pending" status. During which time every year you are required to renew your visa, and during which time I STILL do not get a ssn or permission to work.
And then you get a greencard. And 5 years after that you are permitted to apply for citizenship.
If this goes smoothly and takes the least amount of time estimated, I will be 45 when I become a citizen.
YIKES!
(Another aside: Don't get me started on the subject of illegal immigrants)
Here are the details:
1. Glen applied for and got a job in Jan 2004.
2. New company applied on his behalf for a work permit.
3. Waiting game #1 began (in our case just over 8 months... we were told we were lucky)
4. Sold our house, said goodbye to the life we knew and friends and family, spent a fortune shipping boxes, cats, and ourselves across the world. Arrived in the USA on October 19, 2004. (20wks pregnant)
5. As a dependent on Glen's work visa I have no social security number and am not allowed by law to work. Can't even get a cellphone in my own name. Talk about dependent. VERY. I am, however, allowed to have a drivers license and best of all... no guilt about being a full time stay-at-home mom. Thank you.
6. Work permits are valid for 3 years and can be renewed for a further 3 years maximum. If you change jobs, you have to apply (through your new company) for a new visa.
7. Children born in the USA are automatically US citizens. So that's something. 8. Before your 6 years are up, if you want to stay in the country you can apply for a green card (permanent residence, NOT citizenship)
9. To apply for a green card you first need to file an application with the Dept of Labor certifying that you are the only person your company believes can fill your position. To do this the company has to advertise your position for 30 days in 3 different media. For another 30 days your company has to actively work through any valid resumes, interviews, etc and put together information showing that a US citizen can't fill your post. In this economy that's pretty difficult.
(Aside: This process was going to take us beyond our final visa expiry date, which explains why Glen was out of the country for 3 months from Nov 22, 2009 to Feb 17, 2010. The kids and I did not HAVE to go. But where else would we be... home is where the heart is)
10. Waiting game #2: The Dept of Labor will notify you of your labor certification (or denial) in 6-12 months. If your work visa expires during this time you have to renew it.
11. Once the Dept of Labor certifies you, you can then apply for your green card.
12. Waiting game #3: This time 5-10 years. Green card application is filed and you now get a "pending" status. During which time every year you are required to renew your visa, and during which time I STILL do not get a ssn or permission to work.
And then you get a greencard. And 5 years after that you are permitted to apply for citizenship.
If this goes smoothly and takes the least amount of time estimated, I will be 45 when I become a citizen.
YIKES!
(Another aside: Don't get me started on the subject of illegal immigrants)
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