and yes in deed it was unexpected. We got the SMS this morning from the Questura for my PdiS appointment. When my BF asked me to guess the date I laughinhly guessed November 19 (my birthday) and of course he laughed back and me. My appointment is for March 5 2008, yes you read correctly. I mailed out the kit on September 21, received the SMS on November 1 and will be interviewed on March 5 2008. If that ain't BS bureaucracy, I don't know what is. I am just happy I was not given an appointment after the expiration date of my VISA.
Further update on this topic, March 2008.
Ciao a tutti
Showing posts with label VISA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label VISA. Show all posts
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Monday, July 09, 2007
Italia, sto arrivando...wooooo hoooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You all know that today was the big day...here is how I did it!
While in Italy in April I visited "corso di lingua Italiana per gli stranieri" and inquired about there Italian lessons. After pondering for a day I went back and asked if I could register for the lessons beginning in October. They photocopied my passport and asked I come back in a few days. Unfortunately, I was leaving the next day so I therefore could not pick it up. A week later my BF picked up the letter and mailed me the original copy. I used a email copy to bring to the consulate just "to see" if what was written in the letter was sufficient for a student visa. I was told sadly that they letter only stated "I presented myself to register" and not that "I paid and registered". The lady at the consulate asked that I call the school and ask them to issue me a new letter stating that I paid for the course. Totally starting freaking out at this point because since its a "corso di lingua Italiana per gli stranieri" I did not have to pay. So I then asked my BF to go to the school and ask that they issue me a new letter. The school flat out said they would not do that for the reason I did not pay for the course. I waited about a month before I returned with the original letter (nothing changed), my flight itinerary (not an official booked ticket), bank statement for 3 months, my passport and one passport size picture. I was really nervous because it was the same lady I dealt with a month earlier who had told me that letter had to be changed. Anyway, I took a deep breath, presented her with my documents. Once she started to examine the letter I said to her "I asked the school to issue me a new letter but they would not" she smiled and said "no problem". She continued to shuffle the papers and said she will issue the visa for the duration of the course (Oct-July) but could not issue the visa beyond that time. I was asked to come back on June 26 to pick up my visa but was later called and asked to come on July 9 (visa's cannot be issued more than 90days of the visa start date).
I went back today and was all smiles when the gentlemen placed the visa in my brand new passport.
So that's my story of how I got my student visa. I paid nothing and got a whole lot in return.
~Cheerios~
While in Italy in April I visited "corso di lingua Italiana per gli stranieri" and inquired about there Italian lessons. After pondering for a day I went back and asked if I could register for the lessons beginning in October. They photocopied my passport and asked I come back in a few days. Unfortunately, I was leaving the next day so I therefore could not pick it up. A week later my BF picked up the letter and mailed me the original copy. I used a email copy to bring to the consulate just "to see" if what was written in the letter was sufficient for a student visa. I was told sadly that they letter only stated "I presented myself to register" and not that "I paid and registered". The lady at the consulate asked that I call the school and ask them to issue me a new letter stating that I paid for the course. Totally starting freaking out at this point because since its a "corso di lingua Italiana per gli stranieri" I did not have to pay. So I then asked my BF to go to the school and ask that they issue me a new letter. The school flat out said they would not do that for the reason I did not pay for the course. I waited about a month before I returned with the original letter (nothing changed), my flight itinerary (not an official booked ticket), bank statement for 3 months, my passport and one passport size picture. I was really nervous because it was the same lady I dealt with a month earlier who had told me that letter had to be changed. Anyway, I took a deep breath, presented her with my documents. Once she started to examine the letter I said to her "I asked the school to issue me a new letter but they would not" she smiled and said "no problem". She continued to shuffle the papers and said she will issue the visa for the duration of the course (Oct-July) but could not issue the visa beyond that time. I was asked to come back on June 26 to pick up my visa but was later called and asked to come on July 9 (visa's cannot be issued more than 90days of the visa start date).
I went back today and was all smiles when the gentlemen placed the visa in my brand new passport.
So that's my story of how I got my student visa. I paid nothing and got a whole lot in return.
~Cheerios~
Saturday, July 07, 2007
Ticket purchased
Howdie folks, how goes things? For me things are slowly coming along. Booked my flight to Italy this week. It cost less than I was originally quoted which was nice and I was able to get an open ticket which is good for one year. Unfortuantely Chicco and I are not flying back together as it cost way too much to be on his flight. So I will be leaving four hours after him, it would have been nice to fly with him but saving money is more importan.
On Monday, I pick up my visa. Am I worried? oh hell yes because I fear that they might change there mind and decide not to grant me a visa. I will be the happiest person on earth once I have that visa in my hand.
My colleagues have decided to have a goodbye party for me. How sweet of my colleagues to do this. It's a pot luck style bbq/patio party at one of my colleagues homes and I know it will be a night to remember.
My BF arrives in 40 days and of course I am excited. It's been a long time coming and the days just seem to be pulling along.
Cheers
On Monday, I pick up my visa. Am I worried? oh hell yes because I fear that they might change there mind and decide not to grant me a visa. I will be the happiest person on earth once I have that visa in my hand.
My colleagues have decided to have a goodbye party for me. How sweet of my colleagues to do this. It's a pot luck style bbq/patio party at one of my colleagues homes and I know it will be a night to remember.
My BF arrives in 40 days and of course I am excited. It's been a long time coming and the days just seem to be pulling along.
Cheers
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Resignation Letter
Why am I having a hard time drafting a resignation letter? I don't know what to say, its hard writing this letter because I really love my job. I am also very anxious to meet with my managers on Thursday. I have a couple more days to formulate something so I am going to go ahead an procrastinate some more.
I read again today to my BF, he was very supportive w/ my butchering of his lovely language. Counting down the days until I pick up my visa, I am so nervous that the consulate will change their minds. Can you imagine I showed up there and I was denied after I was told I was approved and given a pick up date. I would be so sad but not for long because nothing will stop me from being w/ Chicco. I am staying positive as that's all I can do. My BF is going to a job interview for me on Thursday for a nanny position. He will meet with the family that wants me as their nanny and he will negotiate my salary and work hours with my input of course.
Still enjoying my new bb even though my right hand is killing me. I seriously need to get myself to the physiotherapist.
See you later alligator!
I read again today to my BF, he was very supportive w/ my butchering of his lovely language. Counting down the days until I pick up my visa, I am so nervous that the consulate will change their minds. Can you imagine I showed up there and I was denied after I was told I was approved and given a pick up date. I would be so sad but not for long because nothing will stop me from being w/ Chicco. I am staying positive as that's all I can do. My BF is going to a job interview for me on Thursday for a nanny position. He will meet with the family that wants me as their nanny and he will negotiate my salary and work hours with my input of course.
Still enjoying my new bb even though my right hand is killing me. I seriously need to get myself to the physiotherapist.
See you later alligator!
Thursday, June 21, 2007
55 Days
I can't believe he will arrive in 55 days. Things are moving along as planned for the big move in September. My BF found us a lovely apartment which he will sign the contract for this weekend. I am excited to live outside of his mother's home and also not a stone throw away from his mother's home. We will be living in newly developed area w/ many new homes and apartments. I pick up my visa in 10days, a student visa is what I applied and have been approved for. I have to tell all about getting my student visa but I have to officially have it in my hand before I share the secret;). In a matter of 9 days I will officially provide my employer with my termination letter. Gosh what am I going to say in the letter? How will I present it to my team? (shouldn't be hard as the majority of the know). Leaving my job will be the hardest part as I truly love my job and the people I work with minus one person (keep that one the down low, just in case). Everything is coming into place, in just a matter of months I will be LEAVING ON A JET PLANE......can i get a A-Flickin-Men.....Don't know what else to tell you all but I will definitely post more.
Cheers
Cheers
Saturday, May 12, 2007
"I had the time of my life"
I am back from Italy and can truly say "I had the time of my life". Spending time w/ my BF and of course his mother made me realize how much I need to be with this man. My first days in Italy was all about business ie. job/visa inquires etc. I told my BF that I would not spend any more than 3 business days making those specific inquires. As I did not want my vacation spent in government line-ups. I will try to capture as much as possible about my trip in the next few blogs if I don't get through all of it in this post. First stop;
Immigration office-2days
As the office was only open on Tues/Thurs from 11am-1pm we didn't have much time. When we arrived there were a lot of people ahead of us as we got there at 1030amish. We took a number and didn't realize that many of the people came at 8am to collect their number. So we were basically looking at waiting the entire two hours and our chances of having to come back the next day were very high. Thank God my BF was with me because the lady in the office only spoke Italian. It also appeared that all of the immigrants also spoke Italian, which really surprised me. Anyway, at the end of it all we had no luck at the immigration office. We had a letter of job offer from a company that would provide me with work but were told that letter would not be accepted until the quotas were released. The staff had no idea when that would be. They advised us to apply for a student visa as that was the only way until the new immigration laws were passed. Here is a pics of me at the immigration office.
I realized on this trip that knowing the right people one can get things done. For the last 5 months I have been applying for a job with the American navy at their base in Vicenza. The position has been vacant since January, so you would think that they would at least provide me with an interview. We have a connection on the American base the hiring manager for the position that I have been applying for the last 5 months (what a coincidence). My BF was able to speak to her and she informed us that the only way to get a job on the base is if your Italian or American citizen. So there goes my chances of that job which was directly related to my present work in Toronto. In this case knowing the right person did not work for us. So moving right along. I then told my boyfriend that applying for a student visa would probably be the best bet. He searched on the internet for a reasonable priced non-private language school and found one not to far from his house. We then went to the school to apply and requested the letter of enrollment. The school told us that they had no problems with their students obtaining student visa to study, so we are very hopefully.
Apartment-1/2 day
Another one of those, if you know the right person things COULD work out. Once again we thought we did. Across the street from my BF's house lives this old man, a very wealthy old man. This old man owns all four units in his condo one of which he lives in and the other three he rents out. Before I arrived my BF ran into the old man who informed him that one of the units would be vacant effective May 2007. Wasn't that good news for us, of course it was. It meant we could live across the street from his mother (sniff, sniff..lol), live in a very big two bedroom apartment with two balconies, live 10mins from the centre and pay a lot less for rent. Each day I would look at our future apartment and was happy to know that in months it would be ours. I was also happy that our rent would be affordable and was happier to know that his mother's balcony/windows faced the opposite way, so there would be no peeping mamma thing happening.
Our dream for this apartment has currently been shattered because the wealthy old man has decided to keep the apartment vacant for tax purposes. He told my BF that he preferred to keep it vacant as he didn't want to pay too much taxes at the end of the year. You must understand that my BF has offered to buy this property from the wealthy old man many times but he refused to sell it now he is complaining about paying taxes. My BF believes because of his old age he might change his mind again just at the right time. In the meantime my BF will continue purposefully run into him as one of those run ins might solve our apartment issue.
Although I left without a visa, apartment, job or a hairdresser, I still had the time of my life. More to come on my trip....
A little message for my new friend, Paola. I know you read my blog and just wanted to say "get well soon".
PEACE and hair grease....
Immigration office-2days
As the office was only open on Tues/Thurs from 11am-1pm we didn't have much time. When we arrived there were a lot of people ahead of us as we got there at 1030amish. We took a number and didn't realize that many of the people came at 8am to collect their number. So we were basically looking at waiting the entire two hours and our chances of having to come back the next day were very high. Thank God my BF was with me because the lady in the office only spoke Italian. It also appeared that all of the immigrants also spoke Italian, which really surprised me. Anyway, at the end of it all we had no luck at the immigration office. We had a letter of job offer from a company that would provide me with work but were told that letter would not be accepted until the quotas were released. The staff had no idea when that would be. They advised us to apply for a student visa as that was the only way until the new immigration laws were passed. Here is a pics of me at the immigration office.
I realized on this trip that knowing the right people one can get things done. For the last 5 months I have been applying for a job with the American navy at their base in Vicenza. The position has been vacant since January, so you would think that they would at least provide me with an interview. We have a connection on the American base the hiring manager for the position that I have been applying for the last 5 months (what a coincidence). My BF was able to speak to her and she informed us that the only way to get a job on the base is if your Italian or American citizen. So there goes my chances of that job which was directly related to my present work in Toronto. In this case knowing the right person did not work for us. So moving right along. I then told my boyfriend that applying for a student visa would probably be the best bet. He searched on the internet for a reasonable priced non-private language school and found one not to far from his house. We then went to the school to apply and requested the letter of enrollment. The school told us that they had no problems with their students obtaining student visa to study, so we are very hopefully.
Apartment-1/2 day
Another one of those, if you know the right person things COULD work out. Once again we thought we did. Across the street from my BF's house lives this old man, a very wealthy old man. This old man owns all four units in his condo one of which he lives in and the other three he rents out. Before I arrived my BF ran into the old man who informed him that one of the units would be vacant effective May 2007. Wasn't that good news for us, of course it was. It meant we could live across the street from his mother (sniff, sniff..lol), live in a very big two bedroom apartment with two balconies, live 10mins from the centre and pay a lot less for rent. Each day I would look at our future apartment and was happy to know that in months it would be ours. I was also happy that our rent would be affordable and was happier to know that his mother's balcony/windows faced the opposite way, so there would be no peeping mamma thing happening.
Our dream for this apartment has currently been shattered because the wealthy old man has decided to keep the apartment vacant for tax purposes. He told my BF that he preferred to keep it vacant as he didn't want to pay too much taxes at the end of the year. You must understand that my BF has offered to buy this property from the wealthy old man many times but he refused to sell it now he is complaining about paying taxes. My BF believes because of his old age he might change his mind again just at the right time. In the meantime my BF will continue purposefully run into him as one of those run ins might solve our apartment issue.
Although I left without a visa, apartment, job or a hairdresser, I still had the time of my life. More to come on my trip....
A little message for my new friend, Paola. I know you read my blog and just wanted to say "get well soon".
PEACE and hair grease....
Saturday, March 10, 2007
wait....wait....wait!
My journey to Italy has included A LOT of waiting. My BF and I have been told once again that we must wait. We were told this week that we would have to wait until Wednesday. Our Italian connection really functions on a different time. Once the wait is over, we will have an idea of my status upon arriving to Italy. I will keep you all posted.
Cheers,
Cheers,
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