View Single Post
Old 03-29-2011, 11:19 PM
Tonberry Tonberry is offline
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,386

Some more good news on my end.

First, I received the package fom Raga, which was a relief. What I was most happy to get was the USB sensor for that game, a pair of black panties (I had been living on two pairs until now... although I have some money now so I guess I could buy more) and my bathing suit (I want to go swimming and it's hard to find my size).

Raga also forwarded a letter from the government of Canada saying they received something from him (I'm guessing either a letter or phone call) on the 1st of February to cancel his sponsoring me for permanent residency. Since they wouldn't accept me now that we're separated, it was saving us a lot of trouble later on, so that was a really good idea (I have to admit I didn't think of it).

I also contacted a friend in France who said she can let me stay at her place until I find a job and a place to move on my own. I also managed to get my security number back.

Small background on this. In France you get a card called "carte Vitale" which allowed you to get health services or a job, and has your social security number on it. A few years ago, they updated the cards to add a picture to them so the chance of them being used fraudulently would be even lower (they already had a name on it, but adding a picture as well is even better).

So I received a letter in the mail with a form to fill, and I was to send the form, my old card and a picture so they could give me a new card. I did so and they never sent a new card.
And I only knew my social security number because it was on that card. I'd just pull it out and read it when I was asked for it (it's 15 digits long in France so a bit harder to remember).

I need that card to find a job, but when I contacted social security, they were asking of my SSN to prove that I was who I was so they could give me the card. So I needed the card for the number, but I also needed the number for the card. It was a pain.

Yesterday though, I finally managed to remember my number and their website identified me successfully. However they didn't let me add a new address and my old French one is two years old now, so I've decided to send them snail mail to explain my situation and ask if they can send me the forms to be filled here in the US, since the processing time to get a new card is a month or more, and I'd like to have the card as soon as possible so I can work.

So things are looking better for me: I have a place to stay in France when I come back, I have the means to buy my ticket to go back, I'm now able to request a new card so I can work (and get health benefits too, whether I work or not, provided I'm registered as unemployed if I don't).

The only thing that really needs to be looked at still is the divorce. I'm thinking a Canadian divorce would be easier (as you don't have to show up in court), and as I recall we can fill for it already, have it all processed, and simply be divorced once the one year separation occurs, meaning we don't have to wait until then, and then apply. So I'll start looking into it, and also look how to register the divorce once it's complete so I'm legally divorced in France as well.

At this point, I expect to be divorced in about a year, possibly less, taking into account all the possible processing to have it recognised in both countries. Then I'll look into a visa to move to the US permanently, and in the meantime I'm hoping to be able to visit once more.

It might all be pretty technical and boring for everyone reading, but I've been trying to keep a blog now that everything is happening, so I can refer to it later. There is no way otherwise that I'll remember things since everything is so crazy right now.
Reply With Quote