If you follow me on Twitter (and if not, why not?) you know there has been a respectable amount of stress in my life. One of these pressure points is a little thing called D-E-P-O-R-T-A-T-I-O-N. You see, I am not American but choose to live in this great country and will probably always live here. However at this juncture, I am not willing to forsake My Permanant Residency Card expires in a few months. It was issued almost 10 years ago after some not-so noble practices. Unfortunately, my beloved Lord of the Gourds did not come into my life until a few years after I needed him.
While at BYU, my fellow Canuck Mike and I used to swap dating stories. Sure, he/she was hot. Sure, he/she was kind. But most importantly: did he/she have GPC? (Code for Green Card Potential.)
Hey, at least we weren't marrying for money.
Both Mike and I ended up marrying Americans. As a sidenote, one of my favorite Mike stories was after he graduated with his MBA. He had a promising job lead so shot the company off a resume. Imagine his delight when he realized he did not send it from his professional account, but from his personal one. The one entitled "hoserhell."
He didn't get the job. Shocker.
Upon graduation, I had no GCP prospects so had to go my own route and apply for Permanent Residency through the government. If I did not have any American connections, they told me it would have taken me 12 years. Fortunately, my grandmother was born in the U.S. so I could go through my mother.
The year that followed was ripped right out of a nightmare. I poured mucho $ into the application process, only to have the government repeatedly change the laws, which required me to start over and over again. I had to fly up to Calgary to go to an "American-approved doctor" (because evidently they don't have those in the U.S.) and then out to Montreal for an interview. I was yanked into the Taliban room at Customs more times than I can count. In the end, my future residency hinged entirely upon my mother's ability to pass a driver's license test, which she flunked three times in one day.
Didn't know you could take it three times in one day? Don't tell the three different locations she visited.
It was all a wee bit stressful.
Everything came through in the end but I have been more than a bit apprehensive about what I will have to endure for the renewal. Last month, I sent a big ol' check to Homeland Security, which felt more like a bribe than a payment but within weeks, they set an appointment.
That appointment was last week.
I barely slept the night before. Would they ship me off to Montreal again? Detain me in the Taliban room? Make my mother retake that driver's license test and realize she should have been banned from the road 10 years ago when she first took it?
Nothing transpired. They took some fingerprints. I filled out some paperwork. The only conflict was debating if I should check "pink" or "maroon" on the eye color choices just for kicks. But better to play it safe than be kicked out. That was it.
And so my friends, I remain a Canadian yesterday, today and always.
At least until I have to go through the entire process again in 10 years.
Cast your vote here: should I have remained Canadian or instead come over to The Dark Side?
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26 Comments:
Yay! Yes, stay Canadian. No red or pink eyes on any customs forms for me. I was caught fibbing about smokes years ago and I am convinced once my passport is scanned liar, liar flashes across the screen.
Customs scar me!
Stay true to you...but pink eyes could be kinda fun!!!:) Stay Crazy!
As it was already said, stay true to yourself....
Fabiola
Canadians rock. And you will always be Canadian, whether you have a green card or you get your American citizenship. Canada doesn't kick you out!
The whole greencard thing with all the rules makes it so hard to do what needs to be done.
Man oh man, I didnt know you had to do this every 10 years. What a drag...and the cost..I get it, sort of...but once your a contributing member of society, mother and wife to boot - I would think they could cut you some slack...
True to you! And I think any mom can truthfully answer pink or red on eyes- at least I know I haven't slept decently in years- once I had babies grown up enough, the teenager years started and I will be in that phase for quite some years to come :( Stinks that you have to renew every 10 years since you are married and very obviously with children. (well- maybe your Lord of the Gourds would make them question his sanity? I jest- I jest )
Crazy Bloggin American doesn't have the same ring to it...
My eyes are frequently called "red" because they're bloodshot a lot. But if I were to be fully honest, it's more of a pink color. Truly being red might be need for an emergency room visit! So I'll go with pink.
I think I would have retained the Canadian citizenship. It's something that sets you apart from the other Colorado-folk!
(Whoa... the Word Verification to comment is "ambered". Just thought it was kind of funny to see that on your site.)
I think it would be impossible to remove any of your Canadianism..... is that a word?
And take it from someone who has had to get that permanent resident card in Canada--IT IS JUST AS HARD!!!!! Two of our children have recently been denied cards because they were out of Canada too long--one going to school at BYU and the other on a mission.
We do have one child with dual citizenship--hopefully when he goes to BYU he'll be allowed back into the country.
I made the leap 12 years ago. But as we haitians say "you can take the haitian outta Haiti, but never the reverse!" (in some cases that's a bad thing...*sign*)
I agree with those that say Crazy bloggin American just doesn't fit you. lol
Can you have dual citizenship? What would that take?
In the end, it's whatever makes you happiest!
Okay, cue the Beach Boys: "Be true to your school, (I mean country.)" (I think they sang a song like that.) It sounds like a crazy process, but if that's what it takes to give you peace, then do it!
I had no idea of all the hoops they'd make you go through. And what's with your mother taking a driving test so you can stay in the States? Or should I even ask?
I had a teacher who maintained dual Canadian/U.S. citizenship. I think you've gotta go with your instincts, what your gut is telling you to do.
It is very good to know that all I am is GCP! Thanks for the fun stories. You will appreciate knowing that my husband filed for citizenship b/c they were going to be raising the cost. So he filed on the last day possible. Nothing has come thru yet (It was about 2 years ago) and he really hasn't followed up on it. I think he is having second thoughts.
I feel for you. Follow your heart. Can you get dual citizenship and not drop your Canadian one?
It's interesting to me that it is such a process. As for whether or not you should give up your citizenship...do you mind living in a country that you can't vote in?
I shall never give into the Dark Side. In fact, I'm thinking of getting personalized plates that simply state 'Hoser'. What do you think?
can you have dual citizenship? i would think that would be the ideal situation. but if not, then i say stay canadian if you can remain a resident here.
glad everything went well.
I would become american just to avoid this hasstle and all that money every ten years. Easy for me to say since I was born here and I don't have to make choices like that!
What is up with all of the grief they gave you? Having to fly to Calgary to have an, "American-approved doctor" treat you. Bizarre.
I guess you could become an American citizen so you don't have to go through all of this again but, I think it would sting a little because you are Canadian in your heart and soul...so, I guess stay Canadian and have fantastic blog fodder in 10 years. What does your heart tell you?
Goodness, what a ridiculous process really. It is when you hear stories as such that you can't help but shake your head and wonder at the bureaucratic process. What a waste of time. As for the "Dark Side", I think that you are really lucky to be able to live in the US yet have the ability to come home if needed.
I have a friend who was born in South Africa and then moved to Canada and has Canadian citizenship. He married an American friend of mine and had to go through absolute hell to get his green card. It had to do with a mistake on the document he filled out when he entered Canada years ago--I can't remember the name of the document, but the government made a mistake entering it into the computer. He had to find the original document, go back to South Korea (where they met), and then reenter the United States.
I am somewhat familiar with this, as my husband is from South Africa. He got his green card through me. (So I guess I was pretty good "GCP"! lol!)
Anyway. We travelled to England before his green card came through but he had travel authorization papers, but when we came back into the U.S., we were BOTH yanked into "the Taliban room" at the airport. And I was 5 months pregnant at the time. It was ever so joyful.
Keep your wonderful Canuck Status!!!!!
Please don't take it the wrong way when I say you should stay a Canuck. It isn't that I wouldn't love to claim you as one of "ours" but the canuckiness adds to your wackiness, and that's what I looooove about you. =)
And really, this is a compliment. Why is it that most of my compliments sound so wrong?
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