Tuesday, September 27, 2011

my cockroach boyfriend is going to miss me

Dear universe,

please for a moment let me VENT to you how much I hate visas.

(oh, and to those readers who thought that this blog was all funny videos and deep thoughts--you were very wrong. This is just the beginning of many future rants to come. Yeaaaa buddy.)

So, I came to Nepal on July 13th, 2011. I was excited to spend 6 months & 2 weeks here working with Choice Humanitarian. At the airport I got a 90 day Tourist visa, and was planning on renewing it when the time came.

Flash forward to now. I have been here 2 & 1/2 months. My visa expires on October 10th. I am leaving to India in 2 days and will arrive back on the 8th.

I was planning on getting another 90 day visa at the airport when I returned back from India. Because of my experience with cutting it close getting my Indian visa, I decided to take a nice little trip down to the Immigration office today, just to make sure everything would run smoothly when I got back.

Ooooh boy.

Why do I seem to be SO NAIVE ABOUT VISAS?

This is what I discovered:

I can only spend 150 days TOTAL in Nepal for each calendar year (Jan-Dec)
After my 3 month visa expires, I have to go and get another 1 month visa
When THAT visa expires, I have to get ANOTHER 1 month visa.
And the time I am in India does not count towards those 150 days
Then....I'm done. No more visas for Naakali.

After my calculations, my time is up on December 16th.
...and that is after I subtract the days I'll be in India from my 150 days.

I have three options:

1) I go through a TON of paperwork, letters, agreements etc and try to get a non-tourist Visa. Even If I apply for this visa, there is a chance I won't get it.
Positives: I could get to stay in Nepal until Jan 22 (Christmas in Nepal!)
Negatives: More $$/not for sure/lots of work for me and Choice

2) I Leave Nepal on the 16th, go to (*Insert country here*) until January and come back to
Nepal until I leave (Jan. 22)
Positives: I get to go visit another country, and come back to Nepal
Negatives: LOTS more $$, I miss Christmas in Nepal. Oh, and more $$

3) Change my flight home from Jan 22. to Dec 16.
Positives: .....least amount of money?
Negatives: I have to leave Nepal which equals sadness & no Christmas in Nepal

What am I going to do?

please someone tell me.



1 comment:

Kristin said...

Option 3 but insert "instead I go to Virginia for Christmas to spend time with the Hinsons who I love and miss so much!" Big bummer about the visa shizzle! But if not you can always come here! Hope you figure something out so can finish up in Nepal! I miss you tons!