Well, as "well" as it can be considering that we're facing yet another Christmas on two separate continents, complete with missing each other through family time and that general, romantic holiday spirit. Not complaining... this should be the last one!
Despite various potential obstacles being thrown our way, David and the kids were able to get their medicals done successfully last Thursday. The clinic staff isn't allowed to give them the results, but David was told that everything looks good. We weren't particularily worried, but it's good to have some verbal assurance. Blood and x-ray results are supposed to be back to the clinic for tomorrow, and the doctor said the whole package should be sent to the CIC medical processing centre in France on Wednesday. From there, everything will be analysed and entered into the CIC database, and the reports sent to the Accra visa office. We're not really sure how long that will take, since it's unclear how much of a delay the holidays will cause, but this is the last step (barring something unexpected coming up) and it seems reasonable to expect to hear something from Accra by the end of January - hopefully a request for David to come get his visa and traveling papers.
David was at the visa office today to drop off the updated documents that were requested with his medicals. We were fortunate not to hit any delays with those documents either - the Ghana Police Department first gave David December 31 as the earliest they could get his background check done. A few extra dollars in the hand of a friend bumped it up a couple weeks, hehe. In all, it took six days from the time David received the correspondence from the visa office to get everything done and together. I'm just hoping Immigration responds in kind.
For anybody wondering about baby news: Everything seems to be well. I had my ultrasound a couple weeks ago - Baby has all its parts and is moving around. We're waiting until he/she comes out to find out whether this is a son or a daughter. I'm doing well; tired, but feeling good for the most part. And isn't being 'tired' a permanent state for the next 20 years anways? I have another doctor's appointment in early January; I'll get to hear what the doctor thinks of the ultrasound results then. Baby has been doing somersaults and tap-dancing, getting more and more active for longer periods. I've also been able to feel the occasional kick on the outside. We're just hoping David gets here before he misses too much more.
This will probably be the last update for 2009; I don't forsee anything happening Immigration- or Baby-wise in the next couple weeks. So Merry Christmas and a very blessed New Year to all. May 2010 prove to be as bright as it's looking right now!
Monday, 21 December 2009
Tuesday, 15 December 2009
Step-by-Step
We're finally moving forward with this thing! And finally having something to do other than sit and wait.
David, at long last, received his medical redo forms today. With those in hand, and the other preliminary inquiring he's done, we're hoping to have everything that the visa office requested submitted to them by Monday, December 21. For a few days, I hadn't thought we would get anything done before Christmas, but it's looking like all our documents should be ready and waiting when the Immigration staff get back from their holidays. Hopefully there won't be too much of a delay and David will be able to get his visa by the end of January.
Not too much of an update, but it's something. I'm excited, anyways!
David, at long last, received his medical redo forms today. With those in hand, and the other preliminary inquiring he's done, we're hoping to have everything that the visa office requested submitted to them by Monday, December 21. For a few days, I hadn't thought we would get anything done before Christmas, but it's looking like all our documents should be ready and waiting when the Immigration staff get back from their holidays. Hopefully there won't be too much of a delay and David will be able to get his visa by the end of January.
Not too much of an update, but it's something. I'm excited, anyways!
Wednesday, 9 December 2009
More good news!
After not hearing anything from CIC regarding our file's bring-forward date, which was November 29, I contacted Al from the MP's office to do another inquiry. I appreciate him so much; like I've said many times, he is the only government-connected person (not sure how else to phrase that, hehe) so willing and eager to help, the only one who seems actually concerned about our file, that I've met in this entire ordeal. I'm afraid I would still be despairing of ever hearing anything if I had not been connected with him.
Anyways, he got back to me yesterday with the result of his conversation with the Minister's office. Our file was actually looked at before the bring-forward date, on the 23rd. Everything in the file was approved on that date, and a request and forms sent to David for him to have his expired medicals and police record redone. David has been checking the post office for the forms as he's unable to do the medicals without those specific forms, but so far we have not received them. I think he may go directly to the High Commission later this week to get copies so that we can have the medicals in the system before Christmas. After he has his exam done, the doctor who does it will send the results to a central data-gathering office that will then enter the results into CIC's system and send them to the Accra office. David will have to drop off the receipt from the medical and his new police record at the Canadian visa office. (Tangent: Ironically, since he's dealing with Ghanaian officials to get his police record, that is the easiest, fastest, and cheapest thing to do in this whole process. What's this about African inefficiency?!) After the medical is done and documents dropped off at the visa office, we're back to waiting. Not enjoyable, but something we're pretty good at. There will be a delay because of the Christmas holidays (I think the High Commission was closed for more than two weeks last year over the holidays), but hopefully within a month and a half, David will be able to go get his visa!
Unless something else comes up to delay things, it looks like we're almost done!
Anyways, he got back to me yesterday with the result of his conversation with the Minister's office. Our file was actually looked at before the bring-forward date, on the 23rd. Everything in the file was approved on that date, and a request and forms sent to David for him to have his expired medicals and police record redone. David has been checking the post office for the forms as he's unable to do the medicals without those specific forms, but so far we have not received them. I think he may go directly to the High Commission later this week to get copies so that we can have the medicals in the system before Christmas. After he has his exam done, the doctor who does it will send the results to a central data-gathering office that will then enter the results into CIC's system and send them to the Accra office. David will have to drop off the receipt from the medical and his new police record at the Canadian visa office. (Tangent: Ironically, since he's dealing with Ghanaian officials to get his police record, that is the easiest, fastest, and cheapest thing to do in this whole process. What's this about African inefficiency?!) After the medical is done and documents dropped off at the visa office, we're back to waiting. Not enjoyable, but something we're pretty good at. There will be a delay because of the Christmas holidays (I think the High Commission was closed for more than two weeks last year over the holidays), but hopefully within a month and a half, David will be able to go get his visa!
Unless something else comes up to delay things, it looks like we're almost done!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)