Your Visa {Part 2}

In case you missed it, Your Visa {Part One}

If you're wondering what Visa I have, I am living in Scotland on a Residence Visa. It basically states that because my husband is Portuguese {a member of the European Union} I am eligible to reside where he does. It is good for 5 yrs. I will be able to renew it easily enough for a small fee. Or I can become a dual citizen of Portugal and the USA and have my very own Portuguese passport. 

They quoted me 6 weeks to get my actual Visa. It took 18 months. Yikes! I did receive a letter 2 weeks after I filed that basically said I was good to go and work etc but my actual Visa was not ready yet. That took quite a bit longer. So, be prepared for the red tape.

For those of you whom are not marrying foreigners and would like to live abroad, Christy {The Departure Diaries} and I have a few options for you:

My husband lived in the USA for 6 months on a Student Visa. He attended a language school in Utah. I previously thought Student Visa's were for those in a degree program abroad. It's not! If you want to learn a new language, why not apply for a Student Visa? You're sure to immerse yourself in the language and get more out of it than you would a class at your local college. 

Here are some of the hoops you'll need to jump in order to obtain a Student Visa:

-Apply for the school of your choice. You need to be accepted into your program/class before you can apply for a Student Visa. 

-Once you're accepted, they will send you the documentation to apply for your Student Visa. {approximately 6 months before you travel}

-Get a Sponsor. A sponsor is someone who takes full responsibility for the candidate {ie: you}. You can apply without a sponsor but you will need to show that you have enough funds in your bank account to sustain you. This amount is usually far greater than your stay will actually cost. You won't need to live with your sponsor, they are just your "guardian" in a sense. 

-Save, save save!! Save as much money as you can. While you are studying you'll also be travelling around the country. You'll need to make sure you have enough funds. My husband came to the USA in 2001 with $5,000. I'd say that's a steal! You'd need a lot more than that now. But, that was sufficient for him at the time. You probably won't be allowed to work with a student visa. If my husband would have been in a degree program he could have worked his 2nd yr for a few hrs per week. But, if you are planning on just a 6 month stint to learn the language or take a fun class you won't be allowed. Make sure you have the funds to sustain you. 

My husband said it was fairly easy to obtain but the sponsor was the hardest part. He is fluent in English now and his accent is diminishing with each year. He had a great time and learned a lot!!

LD did say that he knew people arriving on a Student Visa, and planned on staying in the USA. Do not do this. If you enter the country on a limited time Visa, make sure you abide by all the rules. If he had overstayed his Visa then, we would have trouble getting him a Visa today now that we're married. You don't want to miss any future opportunities to travel because you broke the law. 

Bagpipes and Drums

One thing we really love about Scotland is the music. On weekends you can always hear bagpipes in the air. It is straight out of a fantasy. You'll hop off the train and hear the bagpipes calling. They do it for the tourist, but I love it.

Here are a few video's LD took over the weekend. Enjoy the sounds of Scotland!

{Big Peat--one of our favorite bands}

{Diamond Jubilee Parade in Perth, Scotland}

Your Visa {Part 1}

I personally feel that your Visa {permission to stay} in the country of your choice is the most important piece of documentation that you will need. Period. Don't try to out smart the authorities. You could land yourself in a heap of trouble sooner or later. You can live abroad, but there is a process. Do it legally.  It will be worth it.

When LD and I got engaged we had to choose where we wanted to live. My husband was born and raised in Venezuela to Portuguese parents. He was living in Scotland. We knew we needed to get our future spouse permission for where we wanted to live. Scotland or America? We decided I'd come to Scotland. I thought it would be a great adventure, and it is!

We thought about these Visa's:

-Fiancée Visa {takes a few months to get and you need to be married within 90 days of receiving}.

-Married Visa {I'd be a spouse of an EU member, but I wouldn't be living in Portugal, so this one would be complicated to obtain at the present time}

-Residence Visa {I could reside with my husband in his country of choice}

I think these are the easiest ways {probably} to live abroad. Just marry yourself a foreigner and you're good to go! There was a lot to think about though. If LD was to move to the USA we'd have gone through rigorous questioning and a lot of expense. We chose Europe because the process was cheaper and faster. We had more options. We could get married when we wanted and I'd be able to move straight away. This was our main reason for choosing Scotland. We were married in Ohio Feb 2008 and I moved to Scotland 3 days later! It has been quite the adventure.

Perth Kilt Run

We celebrated Queen Elizabeth's 60 years on the throne this weekend! There were celebrations all over Great Britain. LD especially wanted to go to Perth for the Kilt Run. So we went!

{Sebastian's 1st kilt!}

It was a cool and overcast day but we didn't let that deter us. We packed up the car and drove the 1:30hr drive to Perth. The drive alone was gorgeous. So very green and inviting. I'll never tire of the Scottish country-side. It is something to behold. I tried to take pictures from the car, but well...I'm awful at it! It has actually become a joke between LD and me. Anyway, the drive was full of lush green fields, baby sheep, and quaint cottages.

We arrived just in time to catch the parade! In America, parade's consist of many different floats and acts. In Scotland they consist of piping bands! They are the best part anyway, right?!

After the parade we walked around town. This curious village has plenty of special shops. All looked inviting and made me want to sit and stay awhile. I love that the main street's in Scotland are all unique.  The main shopping happens in the town centre.

 

This Diamond Jubilee anniversary bash was all happening in a giant field. It was packed full!! There was entertainment, food, and sign-ups for the kilt run were in full swing. They were going for the Guinness  Book of World Records for the most kilts running at once. Ha!! There were thousand's of participants!

We had a great time! The food was great, but I didn't get a picture. Scratch that. I couldn't get a picture. Sebastian was running all over the field and I was shoving food in my mouth as I tried to keep up. He just wanted to run all over everybody's picnic's! But we ate Scottish beef hamburgers on home made rolls and fresh ice cream. Yum!

The town of Perth is lovely and I can't wait to go back and enjoy more of it!

How was your weekend?

Expat Tips

One of my best friends in the world is moving to Rome next spring. I'm so excited for her to be an expat! She will see a different side to travel than ever before. We met while working on cruise ships the summer of 2001. Christy, of The Departure Diaries, has been to 46 different countries and is by far the most seasoned traveler I know. Here is a little bit more about Christy:

"Hi. I'm Christy. I joined the crew of a Cruise Ship on my 21st birthday and that simple decision changed my life. Ever since, I’ve been hooked on boats, the ocean, photography and travel. These days I work on land as a Corporate Video Editor in order to pay for my travel addiction. My goal isn’t to visit every place on earth; I just don’t ever want to stop exploring.

Country Count: 46. Continents: 5.

Oh, and I’m moving to Rome in T-Minus 11 months. (April 2013.)"

Christy is planning her trip now and has a long list of to-do's waiting. I'm helping her along the way. I made a lot of mistakes when I came abroad and I'm hoping to save Christy the hassle. Each Wednesday Christy and I will be going over different aspects of moving--and living--abroad and the preparation it takes to make such a move. How is it done anyway? You are welcome to join us!

Stay tuned for more on my experiences and Christy's preparations with this new feature, The Departure Lounge! If you have any questions or topics you'd like us to cover please leave them in the comments.

10 Things to Love and Dislike Living in Scotland

I've been living in Scotland for over 4 yrs now. Time has flown by. With everything, there is good and bad and living in Scotland is no different. There is so much to love about living abroad but also much to get used to. I feel I can make a list of the pros and cons of living in Scotland.

EDIT: This post is from my point of view--an American in Scotland. It is meant just for fun. I hope you'll see it that way!

10 things I love about living in Scotland:

1. The Scots average 4-6 weeks of paid vacation per year. They work to live not live to work. Everybody needs a good rest to perform at their best. The British are doing it right guys!
2. Public transportation is amazing. I live a few blocks from our train station and I can easily pop into the city. I love this. Our bus system is also terrific. Everything is available to get to via public transportation. Coming from a country that doesn't have it readily available unless you live in a big city this is a big win for me.
3. National Health Care. There, I said it. We've been blessed to have our medical needs met at minimal cost. We love our Dr and have only good things to say about the NHS {so far...}.
4. Historical buildings cover this country. They don't tear anything down. It is preserved. The Scots have a powerful sense of self. They know where they came from and it is important to not forget. Not to mention that makes for pretty scenery! I love old buildings.
5. I love sausage rolls! The sausage is wrapped in a buttery flakey pastry that melts in your mouth. America, you need to get on board with this.
6. Travel is cheap. It better be since we have all those vacation days to use! Because we are so close to mainland Europe there are always a plethora of flights available on the cheap. We flew to Paris for 4p (7 cents). No hidden taxes or charges. We also flew to Spain for £20 ($32). Love that!
7. We have castles!! Real castles! 
8. It is beautiful here. It is so green and almost fairytale-ish at times. 
9. The weather. We stay pretty mild. Not too cold and not too hot.
10. Deep Fried Haggis. Give me all of it! YUM!

10 things I dislike about living in Scotland:

1. The weather. While the amount of rain really isn't the problem, the lack of sunshine is. When you aren't used to one day of sunshine per month your body goes through a physical shock. A lot of expats experience seasonal affective disorder. It's taken a long time to get used to.
2. Lack of family and friends close by. This is an obvious one but still. When you move abroad you are the one that needs to keep relationships going. You'd be surprised how much too.
3. Convenience is a thing of the past. Stores close early, tumble dryer's take forever, and not having a car makes quick trips a things of the past. 
4. The weather. I'm adding this one again for emphasis. I don't care if you love the cold, rain and fog. It will be an adjustment. It is different than anything you've experienced before.
5. Cultural differences are hard to get used to. You find yourself always having to change to accommodate your new country and the people in it. You must or you couldn't function in another country. It is hard to change the way you've always done things and see things a different way. This is also an adjustment period.
6. Real estate is expensive. Not to mention the size of property you get is...let's just say miniature.
7. The NHS. This one is on both lists. There is always a waiting list. For everything.
8. Everything is smaller here. The flats, cars, washing machine, and even our refrigerator!
9. Petrol (gas) is $10 a gallon. This is why public transport is a must. 
10. Lack of Mexican food. I guess they're too far from 'the border' to know what it is. This is a travesty. 

{You can see more Things to Love and Dislike posts here}