Becoming a Resident - the Visa Chronicles

One of the joys of becoming a resident of another country is obtaining a resident visa. US citizens are allowed to visit the UAE without a visit visa and stay for 30 days. If you don't obtain a resident or temporary resident visa then you must leave the country and come back.

My visa saga began back in March when Tyson left for the UAE. I began the daunting task of securing all the proper attestations to get my paperwork in order before arriving in the UAE. The two most important documents were my birth certificate and marriage license because I have to be sponsored by my hubby to become a resident of the country. Step 1 was my birth certificate - this involved sending an original copy of my birth certificate to the Secretary of State's office in North Carolina, having it rejected and sent back to me in my overnight pre-paid envelope (out $30 for no reason) because it had to be issued within the last 5 years (slightly annoying since the woman I spoke with neglected to inform me of this) and then another $80 to secure a recent copy from the NC vital records department in a hurry and then another $60 in overnight shipping to the NC Secretary of State.

Step 2 was the marriage license which involved 2 trips to downtown Atlanta to the GA Secretary of State because apparently when I asked for a certified copy of my marriage certificate from the Dekalb County Courthouse a clerk signed it instead of the judge and that voids the document as being legal and binding (I knew an original signature was required but too bad I didn't know what the actual judges signature looked like unlike the secretary of states office). Again imagine my dismay when the Secretary of State asked me to inform the Dekalb County Courthouse that what they were doing was illegal. I chose not to get involved (is that really something a citizen should do?) and instead went back to the courthouse to get a signed copy by the judge (don't even get me started about my exchange with the clerk who tried to charge me $8 for another copy and insisted it was my fault since I didn't say it was for attestation -- somehow I assumed certified mean certified -- how silly of me!).

Step 3 involved my degrees so that if I am lucky enough to find employment I can start getting paid and pass through the background check with a breeze. My undergraduate degree is from UNC Chapel Hill and thank goodness their registrars office was extremely efficient, courteous and willing to notarize my degree attestation before sending it back to me, saving me a trip to NC. My graduate degree was not so easy. I had contact the registrars office three weeks before graduation and they had informed me that they could not provide me with a degree certification until the day after graduation (six days before I was going to leave for the UAE). I understood and waited until Tuesday to get my certified copy. On Tuesday I was informed by the registrars office that my degree could not be confirmed (even though I had diploma in hand) until the business school had submitted all grades (not just mine) and that she could not make any exceptions. I pleaded with her and explained I was leaving and assured her that there was always an exception and understood that she could not break the rules, but there had to be someone with the authority to grant my degree certification. After 4 calls to GBS, a conversation with the actual registrar, and several emails my certification was finally available the same day I was flying to DC to get all my documents completed on the federal level. I rushed to downtown Atlanta and successfully obtained the seal from the GA Secretary of State.

Step 4 involved flying to DC - taking all four documents to the Department of State (thank you Hillary Clinton for an efficient office) and then to the UAE Embassy in DC. Luckily I had already spoken to the embassy so I knew I could not get my paperwork done the same day and instead had to pay extra to get it expedited and come armed with a prepaid overnight envelope. That didn't go so well since my stuff didn't get signed until Monday (the consulate was apparently called into a very important meeting and couldn't sign my papers) and I had to delay my departure until Tuesday. The office was kind enough to call me personally to explain the delay and even put up with me calling on Monday to ensure my documents were in the mail (as the man explained they get hundreds of documents a day and don't usually make calls to individuals - luckily I left a good impression).

The final step involves the UAE government. In order to become a resident you must go through a medical check-up which involves a chest x-ray and HIV test. I was told that I should attempt to complete this first so within days of arriving I took Tyson to work and set out to get my medical done. When I first walked into the Department of Health all I could see was a sea of men and I was taken aback. I asked someone at a desk about obtaining my medical clearance and they informed me that I needed to go to the women's section. Apparently a lot of government offices and healthcare facilities have seperate waiting areas for men and women. I walked upstairs and was informed by the man I was to get my number from that I had to have a photocopy of my passport and visa - I told him I only had the passport stamp and I was there to get my visa and so he said to copy the stamp. I returned after paying someone to copy what he asked and then he informed me that I needed to obtain my temporary visa before I could get my medical and I needed to go to the Immigration Office. After some sketchy directions I was able to find the office and was then informed after 20 minutes of trying to figure out where I needed to be and dodgy instructions I had to get a letter from my husbands employer and he had to come in person to apply for my visa. So much for being Ms. Independent!

We obtained the letter, went back, and after going from one office to another, getting things translated, paying for copies of things, and paying a lot of money we finally were able to obtain my temporary visa. I almost laughed outloud when I saw my job title staring back at me -- HOUSEWIFE!!! Not to discredit one of the toughest jobs in the world, but anyone who knows me realizes how funny that is. I don't cook, I have no children, so I can clean pretty well, but I just got my MBA and the last thing I aspired to have as my career right now was housewife! Tyson assured me it was only until I found a job and I think a small part of him really enjoyed me being called a housewife :)

We left for Germany the next day and so I wasn't able to attempt the medical again until we returned. This time I was prepared and knew that I needed one copy of my passport and two copies of my temporary visa. I received my number and went into the room with the automatic door sheilding the women from the men.

For the first time in my life I came close to knowing what it felt like to be a minority. As I looked around the room I was the only woman not wearing a head covering and a white westerner. Many people would turn to stare, but I never felt threatened. They looked more curious than anything, much like what happens when we see someone with their head covered in a scarf in the US. I was just different than everyone else. Luckily, I came prepared with a book and after an hour or so my number was finally called. The woman who checked me in never said anything at first and just peered at me through the small slit only exposing her eyes and began typing information into the computer. She finally instructed me to look at the camera, took my picture, asked for 250 dirhams and pointed to somewhere in the back of the room and I assumed it meant to go somewhere else next. I looked for some semblance of where people might be going first and I saw a woman at a machine. She said my name and instructed me to look into a glass mirror in a machine with one eye and I realized it was my retina scan. She then instructed me to go to rooms 1,2,3, and 5. I wonder what room 4 was and why I didn't have to go there?

The first box for room 1 said medical evaluation - when I walked in the doctor smiled and took my papers. I heard her say "oh your pregnant" and I know a look of horror shot across my face as I stammered "excuse me?" She repeated herself and what she actually had said was "are you pregnant". I replied "oh, no sorry I'm not" She looked perplexed and asked why I seemed so against pregnancy, it was such a blessing and a beautiful thing. I agreed and thought to explain that I just wasn't ready for it quite yet and I thought she was telling me I was pregnant, but instead I just smiled and moved on to room 2. Room 2 was uneventful and I have no idea what they evaluated since the woman never asked me anything and only looked at me a few times before moving me on to room 3. Room 3 was where they withdrew blood for the HIV test. I informed the nurse that the veigns in my arm are non-existent and she would have to go in through my hand. She wanted to look and try anyway and I told her she only got one poke to get it right. She took one look at my arms and agreed with the hand. It hurts more, but much less than the pain of being poked too many times. She was so kind and asked me how long I had been in Al Ain and what I thought about it. Great tactic to not think about the needle and the blood!

The final room was the chest x-ray. Four of us were called back at the same time and the tech informed me I would have to remove my bra and so I started to just take it off until one of the women looked at me horrified as she was removing her covering and pointed to a dressing room. I put on the little blue gown and went for the chest x-ray. The tech commented on how tall I was when she had to pull the machine up from my belly button where it had been for the previous xray for the shorter women! I am sure I look like an amazon to them, but then again I look like that to alot of americans too.

I was told to come back the next day for my results. The next day, I went to an information desk and a man led me to where the results were being given which was in the men's section. Although there was a line I was taken right to the front and given my paperwork. Luckily I was declared FIT and now I could go apply for my actual visa...that is once I get my insurance certification from Tyson's company! It is always something...hopefully it will come tomorrow!