Mrs Walles came in the door at lunch time today with a big grin on her face carrying an envelope that contained - drum roll please - my green card! I am now (and have been for over a week, it seems, though I didn't know it) officially a permanent resident of the United States. Phew!
Right now I'm most excited because it means I don't have to worry about immigration forms and the inevitable anxiety they produce in me for another two years, when it needs to be renewed. It's taken thirteen months to get to this point from when we first began the official immigration process. We haven't had any problems along the way, it all went smoothly and often faster than we anticipated, but it is just a long, involved and expensive process so it is good to have it over and done with.
More importantly, though, it means that Mrs Walles and I can get on with things without any niggling fears in the back of our minds about the permanence of my residence here. I've got the certificate to prove it now. It also means that I can leave the country again (or rather get back in if I leave), which is a relief. Not that I was getting cabin fever, or anything, but it's good to know you can leave if you want to.
I won't put up a picture of my new card, I'm sure that's against the rules, and I wouldn't want anyone to take my nice shiny new toy away after I worked so hard to get it. I will say that, although "green card" is just informal slang for it, it is in fact green. Green, and shiny, and mine! Yay!
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