After paying more than a month's salary and waiting for hours in a crowded waiting area at immigration, I was officially granted indefinite leave to remain in the UK(aka permanent residency) in July! This may not seem like much to you, but in the life of an immigrant this is pretty exciting and brings me one step closer to citizenship.
Most people are completely unaware of how costly, complicated and stressful the immigration process can be. There are definitely moments where you feel like some sort of circus animal jumping through pointless hoop after pointless hoop.
Thankfully, I am now only a year and one more hoop away from dual citizenship (which if you pay the correct fee, comes with the added bonus of a British passport). This means I'll have two passports, one in blue and one in maroon, which should allow me to color coordinate my travel attire and accessories way easier. I wonder if I will get a letter from the Queen welcoming me into her kingdom?
It is easy to laugh and joke about the whole situation, but I am truly thankful for my permanent residency. Legal immigration is a costly process, both financially and emotionally. Only another immigrant can really understand the uncertainties and worries that come with moving abroad, knowing you have only been granted temporary rights to your new life. There is never a guarantee that the next stage of the immigration process will go smoothly. (Even while we were sitting waiting for our interview appointment, we saw others' meetings end in tears.)
In my case, everything went mercifully smooth and I was able to walk into work the next day and present proof of my new immigration status! Stage two complete.
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