Day 5.065: Immigrants

In August 2006, Exile #2 and I visited the US Embassy in London to apply for non-immigrant visas for ourselves and our daughters.  Twice since then we have been  back to renew them - the first of those times was just after we very nearly found ourselves forced to leave the country at short notice because of the end of my qualifying employment.

Now we are Lawful Permanent Residents (except E5N1 of course - he is a fully-fledged US Citizen) and holders of actual Green Cards (they became actually-green again after more than 40 years of only being notionally-green in 2010).

What this means: no need to visit the US Embassy again, we won't be thrown out of the country just because I lose my job, Exile #2 and I can work for any company in the US who will have us.

What this doesn't mean: that we'll necessarily stay here forever, that I am leaving my job, that we won't visit the UK any more.

It's a relief, but also a strange feeling for this at times all-consuming element of our life to be at an end.