I got word that my visa was approved. That means that I'm legal again. Yea! And the visa clocks starts all over again. I'm now good until the end of 2008.
But the bad news is that they ruled that I have to post an immigration bond. The bond is equal to the amount of money it would cost to fly me back to my country of orgin, in my case Los Angeles.
New pimp isn't exactly sure how much that is, or when it is due. They are thinking that I need to post a $3000 AUD bond. Of course no one is going to pay me so much as a cent of interest on that money. Nor is there any guarantee of when and if I will get it back.
I've convinced them that I can fly one-way from Perth to LAX for $1400AUD (off peak rate). So as long as I can document that price, the immigration dept will accept that as my bond.
I don't have an extra $1400 laying around. So my pimp has agreed to let me pay this over 9 months. They are going to take a couple of hundred dollars out of each pay check and apply it towards the bond.
My take home pay is now a little less than I used to get. Plus, the extra bite for the bond is take out. Thinks could be worse. At least I have a job and contract. Sure beats being stuck at LAX with no money, no car, no home, no job, and no place to go.
Sunday, February 08, 2004
Friday, February 06, 2004
Bought a car today
I bought a car today. It is a used 1994 Ford Laser station wagon. It is really a Mazda 323 that Ford rebadged. Automatic, no AC, tiny 1.6 liter 4 banger motor.
I got a good deal on it. It is clean, only 130k kilometers on the clock. Paid $6000 AUD for it.
Now Elena and I have some wheels to have fun it. It should make like so much easier for us.
My favorite part... it is paid for. No car payments. Yea!
I got a good deal on it. It is clean, only 130k kilometers on the clock. Paid $6000 AUD for it.
Now Elena and I have some wheels to have fun it. It should make like so much easier for us.
My favorite part... it is paid for. No car payments. Yea!
Tuesday, February 03, 2004
Spine surgery
Today I went to the hospital for the surgery. My doctor is going to be injecting cortizone into my lower spine. He has to give me a lumbar injection into the spine.
I have to be out cold for this since I can not move during the procedure. He uses an x-ray to guide his needle inside the spine.
All went well. I was home by dinner time. I can't walk, but I'll be fine tomorrow.
I have to be out cold for this since I can not move during the procedure. He uses an x-ray to guide his needle inside the spine.
All went well. I was home by dinner time. I can't walk, but I'll be fine tomorrow.
Saturday, January 31, 2004
I'm an illegal alien!
My current visa expires today, January 31, 2004. My application for the new one is floating around somewhere within the Immigration Departments vast system. At least I have proof that they have my application.
So technically, I will be here illegally tomorrow. If I am caught, then they will ban me from returning for years. They could also criminally prosecute me.
My visa agency in Sydney assure me that the immigration department has assured them that they are not going to go after people like me who are (a) trying to redo their visas to comply with the new rules, and (b) have their application in the system. However, they will not give put this claim in writing.
That makes me nervous. The enforcement arm of their agency may not be aware of this verbal promise. All they know is that my visa has expired and they have no record of my leaving the country. They know were I live and were I work. It is easy picking for them.
So I've taken precautions. I spoke to my friend Louise who is a lawyer. I asked her if it is ok for me to call her if I get arrested. She said that is fine, so I've written her number on my arm. I gave her a list of people to contact for me should this happen, such as my boss, my pimp, and my housemates.
I knew that if I was picked up, they would take me to their holding jail out by the airport. I figured it would take them a couple of days to deport me, so I might have a chance to make one call. I don't expect that they will be nice enough to let me use a telephone. But I have my calling card memorized, so I can get a call out should I get my hands on a working telephone.
To complicate matter, the visa specialist in Sydney have my passport. So if I am picked up and shipped out, I won't even have a passport to travel with. How in the hell am I going to get back into the US... or anywhere?
There isn't much more I can except lay low. People tell me that I'm being a worry wart and the law isn't interested in people like me. They are more worried about illegal asians and arabs.
Still. If I'm on a computer, they have to hold me if they catch me.
So technically, I will be here illegally tomorrow. If I am caught, then they will ban me from returning for years. They could also criminally prosecute me.
My visa agency in Sydney assure me that the immigration department has assured them that they are not going to go after people like me who are (a) trying to redo their visas to comply with the new rules, and (b) have their application in the system. However, they will not give put this claim in writing.
That makes me nervous. The enforcement arm of their agency may not be aware of this verbal promise. All they know is that my visa has expired and they have no record of my leaving the country. They know were I live and were I work. It is easy picking for them.
So I've taken precautions. I spoke to my friend Louise who is a lawyer. I asked her if it is ok for me to call her if I get arrested. She said that is fine, so I've written her number on my arm. I gave her a list of people to contact for me should this happen, such as my boss, my pimp, and my housemates.
I knew that if I was picked up, they would take me to their holding jail out by the airport. I figured it would take them a couple of days to deport me, so I might have a chance to make one call. I don't expect that they will be nice enough to let me use a telephone. But I have my calling card memorized, so I can get a call out should I get my hands on a working telephone.
To complicate matter, the visa specialist in Sydney have my passport. So if I am picked up and shipped out, I won't even have a passport to travel with. How in the hell am I going to get back into the US... or anywhere?
There isn't much more I can except lay low. People tell me that I'm being a worry wart and the law isn't interested in people like me. They are more worried about illegal asians and arabs.
Still. If I'm on a computer, they have to hold me if they catch me.
Wednesday, January 28, 2004
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