Doing it all again :(

[Zephii]

This is just a rant. You may add your voice to mine if you would also like to rant about visas.

When he told me, we were walking through the plaza. I asked him "Why do we love each other? We must be crazy, because this is pretty shit!"

This time Obi is being more on-the-ball with his visa, after all that drama we had last time, I'm relieved to see it. Anyway, he researched what we needed to do for step two...

We got him into Australia on the prospective marriage visa (subclass 300), which is good for nine months. Long enought to get married. Once you're married, you must apply for the next visa, Temporary Residency (820).

So, with the forest we sent through the post last time, a man would think this time would be easy, right? Surely they have a file for us that's about as thick as the great wall of China, we send them the marriage certificate and bam, that's that... right?

Think again.

We have to do it ALL again. Everything on the checklist from last time. It's the exact same form, we just write a different subclass in the box. On a happy note, he tells me it costs half as much, only $900 yay!
I want to stab myself in the face. We need the certified copies of all our ID, statutory declarations from family and friends to confirm this is a real ongoing relationship. Photos to prove we've met in person. Proof of income. Proof of living together. Proof that we have joint savings, and that we share finances as befit man and wifey. Proof of when we last shat. We need to give them a history of our entire relationship up until the day we lodge the form, from the moment we met online. Last time they read our history they made me get a stat dec that said I was no longer with my ex >.<
They say he may not need to get the medical and police check again, I really hope that's the case.

I'm just over it. And, the best part (sarcasm there) is that in two years they'll send us more forms so that we can go on to apply for Permanent Residency, oh and give them more money, of course

So yes, that's where my visa journey is at... Where's yours?

[Engel]

Oh yeah, i feel your pain, though mine was a little easier. we skiped A LOT of paperwork, like the pictures and our relationship history, though the rest we did as well, by getting married in dennmark. and i got my spousal permit for 2 year, that is to be renewed annualy. after 3 years of being married i can apply to become a german citizen.

ive done so much paperwork, it looked like a signature war. some papers needed to be stamped. have certified copies, and another stamp.... i almost went insane. so glad that part is done for now at least! but still have the packing ahead of me (im back in germany since december, but end of march we will move to another flat, in the same city we live now, so must start to pack already)

[lucybelle]

Uuugghh!!! That SUCKS!!

I'll join in on your pity party

It took me about 3 months to get everything for my residency. It went like this: wait in line, stamp, wait in line, wait in line, wait in line, stamp, wait in line, wait in line, pay a lot of money, stamp.

So now that I have it all done I gave it to my director (the one sponsoring me for residency) and I don't think she's done anything with it yet. And it's been a month. What scares me is that all documents have to be turned in BEFORE they're 6 months old. I got my documents 5 months ago. So if this ... woman ... doesn't turn my shit in soon, I'll have to do the whole goddam thing over again.

[Dziubka]

I think this is pretty much what closing the distance looks like for a lot of us:

[greensweatergirl]

I feel your pain. I'm only on a youth migratory visa at the moment, and even that was hellish to get together. Letter from the bank. Statement from the bank. Biometrics. My own forest of paper documenting every trip I'd made outside of Canada in the past 10 years (great fun. I didn't even live in Canada for 3 of those years, and went on god knows how many trips around Asia). Passport photos.

And I know it's only the beginning of being monetarily raped by the UK Border Agency, because there are two more visas after this which come in at around 1300 pounds. Oh yeah, and the Migratory Advisory Committee has just made two new income recommendations regarding spousal visas to the UK Border Agency. Right now, the UK citizen needs to make about 14 000 pounds a year if they want to bring a spouse over. The MAC has made two new recommendations: a) increase this to 18 000 pounds or b) increase this to 26 000 pounds. We can meet the first one, but not the second. My SO cares for violent offenders and people with mental disorders (teaching them life skills), and that profession simply doesn't pay that much. Christ, the people who own his company don't make that much. Oh, and they haven't recommended looking at the spouse's projected income/income. So that could be dropped on us any time the UK Border Agency wants. And we want to stay here. Neither of us really like Canada.

Sorry, it just stresses me out.