We had some bad news recently and I have been putting off writing about it. We were recently told by the staff at the Immigration Department in Nepal that if we applied for a marriage visa they wouldn’t process it.
We have had a long ongoing battle with the paperwork for our marriage certificate. I am almost ready to give up but then Mero Budda would never be able to visit Australia with me. But I am leaving things out so let me start at the start…
We met a year ago in a bar, like many couples. He was drunk, I was amused. A few months later I had to return to Australia as my tourist visa was over. I promised to return and meant it. He promised to wait, and much to my surprise, actually meant it. We emailed, and talked on skype every single day I was gone. For Mero Budda this meant an expensive trip to the cyber each night after work.
It was a really hard time for us. Some nights the connection would drop out after a few minutes. Some nights we couldn’t have video, some nights we couldn’t have sound. Eventually we promised each other we would do everything we could to stay together so we wouldn’t have to do the long distance thing again.
Fast forward five months and we are married.
BUT STILL NO VISA.
We went to the temple. Our families danced and ate. I have been walking around with red stuff on for two weeks. Still no visa.
We went through the long CDO process, paid a lot of money and still no visa.
We went to court and got a legal document stating we are married and still no visa.
We went to immigration four times. The staff there said it would be no problem to get a visa, just wait till my tourist visa runs out and then fill in the form. When we arrived to get the form we were informed they would not process the visa unless we paid “some money”. We returned with “some money”. And still no visa.
Sadly my tourist visa is over and even though we are married and trying to make a life here we have to say good bye to Nepal for a few months. We found out about the visa last Wednesday and I have to leave the country by this Sunday.
I am heading to India with no plan, no real destination and no idea when I can come home. The best case is we might be able to return in July, worst case, January 2012. I have a house to pack up and a new family to wave good bye…
Hi Amanda, I recently came across your blog, and I love it :) I'm really sorry about the visa. That is so frustrating that they won't issue you one. Have you contacted the Australian embassy in Nepal? Maybe you could leave the country for a few weeks and return on a tourist visa. You could also try contacting some newspaper in Kathmandu to see if they would write an article about it. The immigration office really needs to be called out on this.
ReplyDeleteI'm moving to Nepal in a few months with my soon-to-be husband. I'm American, and he's Nepali. I'm concerned about his ability to return to the US when we're ready to come back in a few years, although I'm working to make sure its possible. Now I'm also concerned about getting a visa myself when I'm over there...
Hey. sorry to hear this. I don't understand why you can't stay there if you are married. Why wont the Nepal immigration let you stay? Why won't they "process your application" I have never heard such a crock of shit in my life. I really hope you are both OK... i thought they would be fair about these things...
ReplyDeleteI just emailed you- to your gmail account. I might be able to provide some help. Hope to hear from you
ReplyDeleteThis is so frustrating- it seems as if Immigration is deliberately undermining you. It doesn't seem right that they can kick you out of the country when you are married to a Nepali citizen.
ReplyDeleteI would be writing letters and making a fuss. Sometimes that works better than paying bribes.
@ Anonymous: I am glad you are enjoying the blog. It is always nice to hear. We can not come back to Nepal for two months and even then I can only return for 15 days. If you are going enroll in a college course student visas are always approved.
ReplyDelete@whitegirlinasari: Thanks for the email. They helped cheer me up. And yes it is a crock of shit. Nepal immigration have been no help.
@monsoonlove: Part of me agrees but the part of me who just wants a nice quiet life in Nepal doesn't want to be making enemies here. I am really not sure the best way.
Sorry to hear. Nepal needs an immigration reform just like the US I suppose. I was pretty sad when I read about Maggie Doyne's (http://blinknow.org/) visa problems as well.
ReplyDeleteI hope things get sorted out for you.