Our Sponsorship letters came today! Now, we apply for Visas, and spend a big pile of money. Online application, then we get an appointment for "biometrics,: (fingerprinting). We will use a visa courier/expiditer service so that the application can be reviewed before going to the British Consulate in Chicago. It will take about 2 days to process once we get the info to the courier. Then, we make flight arrangemens! Our work start date is November 9. We anticipate flying out on November 2!
HERE WE GO!!!
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Friday, September 18, 2009
Hurry up and Wait.....
Well, we are still waiting for Sponsorship numbers. England has recently revamped their immigration laws and application/approval processes. This is apprently creating quite a mess for employers and educational institutions who recruit from overseas. Our employer started the process to get us Sponsorship numbers near the end of August. They still haven't received them. We can't do anything until this happens.
On a good note, we have been approved to be Registered Social Workers in England! This is their equivalent of professional licensure. One more step completed!
We still work on this house. We are probably a weekend away from putting it on the market. (It's kind of a good thing that England is being so pokey about Sponsorship, huh?)
I have to say, I am really sick of the house. Some have said that we will get this house updated and not want to leave. Well, my current feeling is that I am sick of it! That may change when we have a date to leave.....
One of our current dilemmas has to do with the kids and school. We will not be able to enroll them in school until we have a permanent address. We don't have time/money to go find a place before we move (and given the time the immigration process is taking, it could be a money pit to find a place too early!). So, depending on how long it takes us to find a place, the kids would be out of school for that period of time. And, what are we supposed to do with them while we are at work? Certainly not leave them alone in a hotel or B & B!!! We may have the option to negotiate something with their grandparents, which seems to be the best option at this point. We can figure out more when we know when we are leaving.
Speaking of the kids-- they seem to be adjusting/accepting the change. Gray is still very firm that he does not want to go. Zane is getting excited to go, but says it's mostly because he doesn't like his school. That worries me a bit, because school is very different in England, and I don't know if he'll like it any better! They do both talk about things they would like to see or do when we get there, so that's a good sign.
Well, I'm still employed here in America, and I should head on back to that job.
On a good note, we have been approved to be Registered Social Workers in England! This is their equivalent of professional licensure. One more step completed!
We still work on this house. We are probably a weekend away from putting it on the market. (It's kind of a good thing that England is being so pokey about Sponsorship, huh?)
I have to say, I am really sick of the house. Some have said that we will get this house updated and not want to leave. Well, my current feeling is that I am sick of it! That may change when we have a date to leave.....
One of our current dilemmas has to do with the kids and school. We will not be able to enroll them in school until we have a permanent address. We don't have time/money to go find a place before we move (and given the time the immigration process is taking, it could be a money pit to find a place too early!). So, depending on how long it takes us to find a place, the kids would be out of school for that period of time. And, what are we supposed to do with them while we are at work? Certainly not leave them alone in a hotel or B & B!!! We may have the option to negotiate something with their grandparents, which seems to be the best option at this point. We can figure out more when we know when we are leaving.
Speaking of the kids-- they seem to be adjusting/accepting the change. Gray is still very firm that he does not want to go. Zane is getting excited to go, but says it's mostly because he doesn't like his school. That worries me a bit, because school is very different in England, and I don't know if he'll like it any better! They do both talk about things they would like to see or do when we get there, so that's a good sign.
Well, I'm still employed here in America, and I should head on back to that job.
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