Getting the flock out of here - a diary of a crazy chicken man

[rolito tabujara]

We just received the greatest news of our lives:

The petitions for adoption for both our kids are finalized.

We are now officially parents.

Its still a 6-9 month journey to get them to the USA but its really happening

Congrats Dad & Mom! To God be the glory!

 

[piglett]

Thank you all for the well wishes.

We are so excited to get things going. Mrs Oz Will be here in twenty hours. After just eight days she will be back in three Philippines filling endless paperwork

OZ take a look at http://www.visajourney.com/

that site helped me in so many ways when i was getting Marily's visa




good luck

 

[Tomtommom]

Ah USCIS fun times! In good news, you've got so much going for you, it should just take time and money.

They took plenty of both from me

Eventually I need to cough up the $600 it'll cost me to become a citizen, rather than cough up $600 to extend my permanent resident card. I've got til 2019 or something.

 

[Lacy Blues]

$600 ! Are you serious? I don't think it cost me anything. I was naturalized from Canada but still. That's a heck of a lot of money!

 

[ozexpat]

Honestly six hundred per child is a drop on the bucket compared to the five years of lost wages from my wife as a nurse practitioner, a year and a half from me as a hospital administrator, thirty round trip airfares, legal fees and maintaining two households.

Near a million dollars well spent if you ask me.

 

[piglett]

Honestly six hundred per child is a drop on the bucket compared to the five years of lost wages from my wife as a nurse practitioner, a year and a half from me as a hospital administrator, thirty round trip airfares, legal fees and maintaining two households.

Near a million dollars well spent if you ask me.

i went through 15k by time the whole process was done (so i guess i got off cheep)

maintain 2 households $$$

plenty of fees $$

college for my wife's youngest brother $$$$$

hospital bills for my farther inlaw $

but the good news is my wife is now starting a full time job here in town next week

& she has her 10 year greencard

no more fees or silly games for us

onward & upward

 

[Tomtommom]

Honestly six hundred per child is a drop on the bucket compared to the five years of lost wages from my wife as a nurse practitioner, a year and a half from me as a hospital administrator, thirty round trip airfares, legal fees and maintaining two households.

Near a million dollars well spent if you ask me.

Good Lord! Immigration really is a lot more affordable (although harder) as a young adult or child. It is worth it though, and if you have it, use it.. it's not like you can take it with you in the end.

Plane tickets were a lot more affordable 10 years ago.. we were young, stupid and practically broke. Lucky enough to have some family members willing to be our sponsor (they never paid a dime, they just had to vouch for me not becoming a burden on society). My ex-husband's grandfather was a fairly highly ranked airforce veteran, which helped our case at the embacy in Amsterdam (good thing, my husband looked like a dang hippy with his long hair

) Add to that the fact I came from a country that doesn't request for visas as much as other countries and well, I got darn lucky.

I would say all in all $10k did it, in the end. Immigration through marriage remains the easiest route, as cliche as it is. I would say adoption is a close second, although ofcourse the money part is rough, the actual CHANCE of getting denied is very low as an adopted child.

I'm sure there's a wonderful life ahead of them, after the burning hoops.

i went through 15k by time the whole process was done (so i guess i got off cheep)

maintain 2 households $$$

plenty of fees $$

college for my wife's youngest brother $$$$$

hospital bills for my farther inlaw $

but the good news is my wife is now starting a full time job here in town next week

& she has her 10 year greencard

no more fees or silly games for us

onward & upward

It is a long road.. but so worth it.

Life for me didn't start until I moved to the US, and I was 22. So many oportunities to grab out here.. Congrats to your wife! Wish her luck

 

[ozexpat]

The immigration fees for Australia are in excess of seven thousand dollars for my family

 

[Bulldogma]

Just jumping in to Congratulate you on the adoption finalization, Oz!
I haven't been around much - crazy busy moving to a new micro-farm (2.7 acres). I don't have a Bernie, so I'm finishing the newest coop mostly by myself.
But - I'm so excited for you and Mrs. Oz!!!

 

[ozexpat]

Great to see you are still alive and kicking

Can't wait to see pics of the new Coop