What a difference a day makes. Well, a day – and a decision. Yesterday, I briefly outlined the problem we faced regarding our desire to extend Akemi’s visitor visa. In short, we’d made a mistake by applying online rather than going through a lawyer – a mistake that, I feared, could result in Akemi being forced to return to Japan on October 18th. Following a sleepless night, I was struck by a thought – a Hail Mary idea that could undo the potential damage and set things right. All I had to do, I figured, was cancel the online application and defer to our immigration lawyer. Simple, no? Yes, you guessed it. No. Try as I might, I couldn’t figure out how to cancel the application. Akemi’s profile page simply informed us that the application was pending. Following many fruitless attempts to find any how-to information on the subject, I elected to phone up Immigration Canada’s call center and ask. I got the automated system and, eventually, an answer. But not to the question I’d originally wanted answer. I never did find out how to cancel an online application. But I did find out that Akemi’s application for an extension of her visitor visa was approved! So, she’ll be with us for another six months (and, possibly, longer – but more on that in future blog entries).
Over the course of 24 hours, we went from this –
To THIS –
Tonight, we celebrated with good friends – and good schnitzel at the Country Style Hungarian…
Sarah, Alex’s (much) better half was also in attendance but I didn’t snap a pic of her so you’ll have to trust me on this one.
So, all in all, a MUCH better day.
Akemi’s Kato Cha impersonation.
Who?
Kato Chan!
Glad I could clear that up.
Tomorrow, much running around ahead of our big Montreal road trip. Also, I’ll finally (hopefully) resume my trip down memory lane as I reflect back on SG-1’s final season…
YAY! Congratulations, Akemi. All of the fans of your bento box art were sweating this decision with you.
Waaa Hooooo and wooooo hooooo
Celebrate indeed. It is a beautiful day in the neighborhood.
WHEW!!! Wow, talk about dodging a big one.
Wonderful news for Akemi, you, the poochies, and all of us who love you all.
By the way, the “rare photo” has you two with halos.
This is a keeper picture,
Alex has such wonderful expressions. Yay, Trevor and Holly. And, Carl of course. Waving to all your friends….great people to celebrate with.
ummm, should be know who Kato Chan is?
Could’nt be the lawyer cause he has a microphone in his hand.
Okay, Akemi’s sad face made me tearful. I am SOOOO glad she gets to stay longer so you can simply marry her or do something to put an end to this. OMG, and you got another HAPPY Carl. Bonanza pics!
Yaaaaaay!!! *hugs Akemi* Akemi gets to stay! 🙂 *hugs Joe* What a great guy to go all that trouble for her. That’s true love. 😉 I like Happy Rabbit! 🙂
Oooooh….schnitzel! Loooove schnitzel! Yummm! 🙂
I’m dying to Star Wars Saga on Blu-ray. Can’t wait! 🙂
Yay for Akemi! Congratulations. That’s a load off. In a couple of weeks I’m off to Ontario and Quebec to show my fiance that side of the world. Any suggestions for a 2-day stint in Montreal–besides the typical tourist stuff? I haven’t been there in over 10 years. We’ll also head to Quebec City and check out some Canadian history.
I’m really happy for both of you and of course, the puppies are probably thrilled to keep their friend–not to mention Bento breakfasts :).
Glad the “Akemi’s Visa” status is good for now. Glad to see the cute picture of you and her. How many times have I told you to hand the camera over to someone else (waiter) so you could be in the picture too? Huh? You never listen to me.
Wow, Trevor’s wife is very beautiful. How did he ever get….well, never mind. Let’s just hope the baby looks like….well, never mind. I love you Trevor! 😛
Cute! picture of the giddy Akemi!
Congratulations!
I take it Canada has gone fully “paperless” on visitor-visa extensions. I’ve no idea whether the US has gotten to that point. (Ex-USINS employee here)
Just out of curiosity, how many weeks from submission to approval?
It’s always worth searching when you turn up good news. Yay!
Yay! Akemi gets to stay, Akemi gets to stay, Akemi gets to staaaaaaay!
That’s wonderful news! I know how stressful immigration stuff is so I can understand the feeling of relief.
Here’s a little story on the problems I incurred through the whole immigration process, it’s good for a laugh…
I was told to get fingerprinted in the US and have an FBI check done. Everything is digital now so I had mine scanned. Well Australian immigration said that they couldn’t tell it was done by the FBI because the state sent me the results, they wanted the prints too.
By then, I was in Australia so I had to call the FBI to figure out how to get my prints with their letterhead. Do you know how hard it is to contact the FBI? It’s extremely difficult. The FBI site listed a number at the Embassy where they had agents. The Embassy claimed they had no knowledge of this. I asked the Aussie girl running the American Embassy here how to get in contact with the FBI. She said go to their site and pick a number. There are a lot of numbers there that don’t work. I swear. I finally got someone in Cincinnati who asked me if I knew what time it was there. Apparently it was 5:00am. hehe. Their number was listed as a 24hr number so I didn’t understand what the problem was. lol. Anyway, after being told repeatedly that the US doesn’t do actual fingerprints anymore, which is what immigration required, I got through to the right person.
The result? I had to hop on a train for 2 hrs into Melbourne to see an FBI fingerprint specialist (yeah I know I said the embassy didn’t know of agents here…funny that). She fingerprinted me in 15 seconds. Yes, she was that good. This tops my longest travel/shortest appointment list. So a 4hr train ride for a 15 second printing. It took me longer to get the black stuff off my hands.
So, my final permanent residency came up…and I had to do it all over again. This time, however, I had my detective uncle find me a fingerprint specialist when I was in Ohio, visiting. I merely nodded when they kept informing me that no one does prints anymore. It’s digital. Yeah, tell that to immigration. So, I get the letter from the FBI with my results…and to my horror, I discover my finger prints are NOT included. The FBI wrote me a letter saying that new policy has dictated that for personal safety finger print cards will not be returned. I was reminded of Australian immigration refusing it the first time because I didn’t have that card. So, I made a certified copy of that letter and sent it with the results. Thankfully it was all approved in less than 2 weeks,but man what a pain in the you know where.
Anyway, congrats Akemi!! I’m so happy for you both, and if you ever need to talk to anyone who understands what you’re going through, I’m here. I’ve been there and done that. It might not be pleasant, but I’m sure it will all work out somehow. One day you will be able to look back and have a laugh.
What great news, so glad to hear it! Have a good night,and kisses to Max and the rest of the pack. 🙂
Way cool about Akemi’s extension!
Yay SG-1 final season!
Wonderful! That is such good news.
I’m so very happy for you and akemi if she would have had to leave I would have been very very sad for you hope you enjoy the trip.
Yes!!! Happy tears here. 😀
This video combines eating with friends (albeit not fine dining!) and celebration. One of the male soloists even looks like Alex. God Bless Carl for coming to the rescue. Don’t you karoshi either. We love you Carl!
We love ya, Joe and Akemi.
Joe, that’s a lovely picture of you and Akemi…nice especially to see you looking a bit brighter and not so weary. And SO glad things are looking up for Akemi, too! My best to both of you.
Sorry I haven’t been too chatty lately. Working from home (which means I’m actually working because my home environment is 1000x better than my work environment, making me much more productive). So I’m very busy, plus trying to catch up on my novel and comic book reading (waaaay behind, just got caught up with the Elric comic and still haven’t read the latest Pendergast book – that’s how far behind I am with everything), and spending more time with Mr. Das who had been feeling a tad neglected after this crazy summer. He wants to watch movies, so movies we’re watching. Last night we watched Thor (pretty good!), and tonight Rango (pretty great!), and now I’m off to bed!
Take care!
das
Alex is so cute! I’m gonna miss him! 🙁 🙁
EPIC HAPPY DANCE!!!!
NOW MARRY HER!!!!
Congratulations Akemi, must be such a relief to have that sorted out
Congratulations Akemi!!!
@NBCLANBC Los Angeles
Two NBC4 news viewers report they spotted a “fireball” in the sky minutes ago. We are working on the story.
The first thing that came to mind is Atlantis has crash landed on Earth. 🙂
good news!
i like akemi’s gift giving ideas.
That is terrific news! No more worries about that mess.
Yipeee for good news. that is one thing off the stress list. Prety soon it is going to be smooooooooooooooooooooooooth sailing. and you will be so bored, you won’t know what to do. ok, sure you will. and you will love every second I am sure.
Joe, I live in Montreal and I so would like to meet you and shake your hand.
Just a fair way to thanks someone that made me dream of space and aliens so much.
Could we do some kind of Tweetup or this is something you never did before and wouldn’t like to meet with a group of fans ?
Thank you and take care.
So happy for Akemi !! She can enjoy Vancouver and the dogs a little more yyeahhh 😉
Awesome news, Joe! You both seem to live under a lucky star. Akemi, now that Joe is in a good mood, do you suppose you could convince him to accept a proposal for a television show from me? I have a great idea and he would be the perfect Simon Cowell for my show.
Everyone, if Joe says yes, I’ll let you know about the show. So, tell him to say yes, please. Please? 😉
Patricia
おめでとう！ Akemi
Thanks to God we will have more Akemi’ smiles and bentos photos.
Sometimes happens…. Bads things finish well
Congratulations to you both! And us! yay!
Fantastic news on the visa-extension! 🙂
Congrats to you both on the good news! 🙂
Congrats on the extension. 🙂
“Smokey and the Bandit and Cannonball Run (available on Blu-ray November 8th! Tell your friends.).”
I’d rather buy all the StarGate box-sets again. 🙂
Yay!!!!
Ponytail: Loved the post!
How is Max feeling?
So happy for both Akemi and you too of course. Great news.
I love Hungarian food. There used to be a great place downtown here called Old Krakow that was just fantastic. Sniff, now I’m getting all misty-eyed remembering…
Glad to hear the great news, Whew! Now on with the dinners and good friends and fun and packing, hah ha. Enjoy the day! Nice picture of Akemi and you Joe.
Thanks for sharing.
Akemi: YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Congratulations you guys!
Yay! Yay! Yay! Akemi gets to stay!!!!! Always glad to hear good news.
And pictures of food and Carl too. Sounds like a banner day for you!
Hope you have a great day!!!!
Congratulations on the extension! Hope your trip goes well!
Happy rabbit! YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
Hooray! Excellent news about Akemi. Great to see everyone look so happy in the photos. Well, except for Alex and Kata Chan.
@Joe: Whew! Congratulations on the great news! One hurdle down. And that schnitzel platter looks amazing.
@Akemi: パスポート extension おめでとうございます !
Wow Joe, that is such good news! It must be such a relief to have that off your minds.
Yay!!
Joe congratulations great new. Hope max is doing well
Congratulations!
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!!! Nice, now you can stay in Canada, I’m happy for the both of you!
CONGRATS!
😀
Congratulations Akemi!!! 🙂
Great news!
Have a nice trip. I would love to visit Montreal one day.
Great news Joe and Akemi! Made me smile for the both of you. Enjoy Montreal this weekend.
This just struck me as funny today. While I was swimming my laps at the local YMCA this morning, I was listening to the music from the water aerobics class in the next pool. The previous water aerobics instructor played very upbeat music (reggae, calypso) but this new teacher was playing the theme to Titanic. I miss the old teacher and I’m not in water aerobics.
Huzzah!
I’m so happy for you both, and I say again –
Huzzah!
Yay! Awesome news; who knew an online automated visa application system could actually work? Yet another reason to escape to Canada. Karoshi is my new favorite word; this week at work I nearly karoshied but I manage to survive. Tonight I’m praying I can watch the Misfits webisode on E4’s website; totally obsessed with that show.
Thank you thank you sooo much!
Akemi
Hooray for Akemi! We have joy on the burn!!!!!!!!
So then, suffice it to say, sometimes when you do “the right thing”, get told by an attorney (that wants to charge you money) that it wasn’t “the right thing” to do, sometimes it actually WAS “the right thing” after all. 🙂
Awesome news Dude!
Hey Joe, Been a while, haven’t been able to keep up with your entries lately but catching up. You asked, ” Do you have a friend, relative, or unfortunate worker who trumps Seamen? I want to know.” Yes. I won’t reveal his first name but his last name. In high school, I knew someone by the last name of Dickhout. And, yes, he was known for taking his… fill in the blanks.
\o/
Yes!!!
Elminster
A few days go by and I MISSED THIS?????????????????
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Akemi gets to stay! Everyone is now happy (including us which matters quite little in the scheme of things, but we’re happy nevertheless).
The stars are realigning for you, Joe.
Great pics of everyone. Looks like you all enjoyed the evening. So now that you are no longer with TTS, is Trevor still bound by the baby-naming clause?