Some of you back home in Canada and the US may be wondering when we plan to return to North America. Our original plan after getting married in 2003, was to be here just a year while doing the visa paperwork for the US. However, some aspects took such a long time (fingerprints from the RCMP - 5 months!) that we knew we'd end up staying a little longer. So we extended our contracts an additional 7 months until January.
Sometime during those next 7 months life took another turn and we decided if we were going to start a family, now was the best time. As far as the best place... things were too complicated with regards to visas and health insurance in the US and Canada so this became the best place too.
We've now been here 2 years and we still aren't positive when we're leaving. Right now the issue hinges on whether we can get an extension on our visa application. If so, we may be return around July of 2006. If not, we may have to start everything over again...
The tables are now turned. Whereas previously we were waiting for them to examine our paperwork, they are now waiting for us to submit the next step of the paperwork. But the timing is tricky. Our medical check has to be delayed until after the birth of the baby because it requires a chest x-ray. And by that time our RCMP fingerprint check will be due to expire - which could mean another 5 months of waiting to get that again. 5 months is no problem for us since Colin is contracted until July of 2006, but if there are no extensions, then our visa application will be cancelled.
Oh, the complexities of life!
