Goodbye My Sweet Sweet Money Part 1.

Sigh.


International moving is not cheap.


Here is today's topics:
1. Rabies Tests
2. FBI Fingerprints
3. FedEx




1. Rabies TESTS!
Hooray we are now in the countdown for Reno and the Lions (Newcastle and Liverpool) to get in their crates for shipment. This test is the first test they go through and is the you have to have at least 3 months before shipment. Reno is still looking at September shipping, lions are December (see "Fur Balls" to see their delay reasons)
For those keeping track at home.... That adds another $200 EACH to their costs of import.

The current excel sheet looks like this. I still have to buy the Lions' crates. Someone tell Louis I love him and having my pets will make me happier than he knows.


2.FBI Fingerprints
So for the visa, I need police certificates. That means getting my fingerprints taken and sent to FBI for them to come back with "she used to get speeding tickets"
Louis and I both got this done at our local police department to send in in early June. *For permanent partner based residency Louis also has to have this done, not the 2 year one we are applying for.*
Paid our money ($80 to police department and $36 to FBI). Time frame per FBI was 6-8 weeks.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE THESE FOR YOUR VISA.
The next week I check the time line again... Now 8-10 weeks. OK time to worry. We look up how to get this faster as we want my application in the agency's hands next week (Early July).
For US Citizens, I can go through a FBI Channeler. This means going to a private company (Fast Fingerprints and National Background Check) and paying them to refingerprint me and run my paperwork.
I have now paid $20 for fingerprints, $50 processing, $75 same day service, and $50 for overnighting it with me. That's $200 because the FBI is looking at 4 months to get prints back out.


Moral of the story.... Just go to the channeler early.


3. Because of our buying airline tickets, we need our answer quickly. That means getting things to officials quickly. Goodbye money for a FEDEX overnight shipping label for my application.




So this past week has been very expensive. My awesome partner Louis is helping, this is just me whining to whine.


Next week we will talk about shipping a big box of stuff and the medical exam.

Sadly this is Georgia. My thoroughbred mare who is the one member of the family who can not join us. She is very sad over it but I am working on making sure she has a wonderful home after I move.