Visa update

Before explaining where we're at now, here's a quick re-list of what it takes to get our residency in Ecuador:

• Run all over the United States (in our case) to get our birth certificates, marriage license and FBI background reports and get them apostilled by the respective Secretaries of States.  (Done!)
• Get to Ecuador and meet with our visa facilitator.  (Done!)
• Obtain a certificate of deposit from a local bank to meet our financial commitment requirement.  (Done!)
• Have our documents translated and get the translations notarized.
• Submit our visa application.
• Once approved, use the residency visa to get a cedula (our "green card", essentially).

This past week we've added a couple more (Done!)'s to our list.

Last Friday, July 26th, the translations were completed and we went with the facilitator to the World Trade Center to get them notarized.  We dropped them off at 9:00a and were told that they would be ready in about five hours.

While we were waiting, our facilitator told us that we needed additional passport-type photos.  There was a small office behind the Gobierno Zonal de Guayaquil (the local government office) where Emily and I each got six pictures for $7.00.

We then had to get a "special" folder for our application.  It was just a manila folder with a two-hole punch fastener on the side (30 cents), but apparently it creates a good impression with the registrar.

Back to the notary after lunch.  The documents were done at 2:30p as promised.  Twenty pages: $40.

Yesterday, we went back to Gobierno Zonal to apply for the visa.  We got our number and waited.  This is the view waiting for our number to be called:

(I have no idea who the woman with glasses is.)  After about a half hour, our number was called and we went behind the "Ecuador" signs to talk with the registrar at #17.  She reviewed our documents, two-hole punched everything to fit in the new folder and gave us a receipt to return on the August 15th.  We had been preliminarily approved!  We went to the cashier and paid our $60 for the application fee.

(Our facilitator told us that the registrar we met with was the toughest one there.  Most registrars are recent college grads and those applications have to be reviewed by the countries attorneys.  Our registrar looked like the veteran, battle-axe type, and the applications that she accepts are pretty much rubber-stamped by the attorneys.)

The application also stops the expiration clock on our documents.  Regardless of how long it takes to get the visa, our documents have been submitted as of July 30th and are within the time frame required.

Now we wait...