Third Time's the Charm

[przed]

Things have been a bit hectic lately, and one of the things keeping me running this week has been the process of getting our visas for our China trip. The form itself is complicated with obscure instructions and the PDF form wouldn't always save properly. I think ended up filling out and printing off the bleeding thing about ten times. And then I tried to drop the application off.

Wednesday. Get up at 5 to get to the consulate early. Get to the consulate just after 7. Good news: there's no line up. Bad news: it's closed for Chinese New Year.

Thursday. Get up at 5:15. Get to the consulate for 7:30. Good news: am first in line. Cool side benefit: talk to the woman who's second in line, who gives me a recommendation for a charming shopping district and restaurant in Chengdu. Bad news: of all the documents I've brought, I didn't bring Ros' adoption papers. Which of course is what they want to see.

Today: Get up at 5:30. Bring every piece of paper on Ros we have, along with 3 photocopies of everything. Get to the consulate for 7:45. Good news: am second in line. Better news: I've got all the right paperwork. Best news: I can pick up the visas next week!

Here's hoping there's no unexpected surprises when I go to pick the visas up.

Comments

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

That was easy. *dies laughing*

[przed.livejournal.com]

You are a cruel, cruel woman.

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

Don't we just love government in all its glory? We need more of it. Just to make it even more enjoyable.

Hey, are you coming to Media this year?

[przed.livejournal.com]

I don't have an issue with government per se. Chinese bureaucracy, however, is a whole other ball of wax.

In theory, I'm coming to Media. Unless a certain Mark Owen is touring then, in which case I'm off to England.

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

I hope you do come! I've missed seeing you. I sent in some suggestions for Pros panels but I can never think of something interesting.

[przed.livejournal.com]

I've missed you too! Sally and I brainstormed some panel suggestions and sent them in too, so there'll be panels. And we're planning on doing the Pros party this year. I think it's likely I'll make it. ::knock on wood::

[draycevixen.livejournal.com]

Sounds about right. *shudders when thinking about green card stuff*

I too hope everything goes smoothly when you pick the visas up. ♥

[przed.livejournal.com]

It was somewhere between getting my U.S. student visa and applying for grad school on the annoying paperwork scale. But that should be the worst of it. ::fingers crossed::

[callistosh65.livejournal.com]

Getting visas is always a red-tape nightmare, but I'm pleased you've come through relatively unscathed. You've done the hard part, so it should all be fine now - when will the trip be?

[przed.livejournal.com]

The worst effect has been massive sleep debt: all that getting up early and staying up late putting together paperwork.

We leave three weeks today! AiiiEEEEEEE!!!!

[moth2fic.livejournal.com]

That must have made your week very stressful!! But at least everything is going your way at last. I hope the pick-up goes smoothly!

[przed.livejournal.com]

It was far more stressful than I was expecting. But hopefully that's the worst of it over. Now there's just the pick up. Oh, and the last serious push to swot up on our Mandarin.

[halotolerant.livejournal.com]

*giggles* Well you'll just have to go again next year now you've had so much practise! *g*

[przed.livejournal.com]

I'm seriously thinking of putting up a "how to apply for your Chinese visa when you have an adopted Chinese kid" page up on the web. ;-) Someone else might as well benefit from my experience.

[st-crispins.livejournal.com]

talk about frustration. You are determined.

[przed.livejournal.com]

Well, the trip is paid for, so determination is the only option. :-/ And hey, it was less work than applying to grad school. ;-)

[saintvic.livejournal.com]

Damn that sounds so very frustrating but am v glad you got everything in :D

*fingers crossed for visa picking up as well*

[przed.livejournal.com]

I just knew something was going to go wrong, so it was almost a relief when it did. Not that I would have been happy to have got away with only one trip. ;-)

[sooguy.livejournal.com]

Wow, that sounds like an ordeal. I remember when my sister Denise was trying to get her paperwork sorted to move to the US. She had to come down to T.O. Twice in the span of one week for paperwork snafus. I guess living in T.O. makes repeat visits a little less annoying.

Hope the rest of the rip goes relative snag free.

[przed.livejournal.com]

I was a pain in the ass, but I'm hoping the worst of it's over. Now there's just figuring out what to pack for a bunch of radically different areas in China. And trying to get out travel Mandarin sorted.