Archive for September, 2007

Sunday, September 2nd, 2007

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Central Garden at the Getty Center in Los Angeles

 
There seems to be a lot of confusion among family members and the general public about what my newfound permanent residency means. Many think I am now a citizen of Australia. I am not. (And I’m surprised by how many people — Aussies and otherwise — still think marrying an Australian gets you automatic citizenship. It doesn’t!)

Permanent residency entitles me to the following, which I had previously gone without:

  • Medicare (public health care)
  • my name on the national Organ Donor Register
  • eligibility to apply for a loan
  • eligibility to apply for a credit card
  • the ability to get a different job and not have to apply for a new visa
  • the ability to take additional jobs, including freelance work
  • the ability to be unemployed for more than 30 days with no threat of deportation
  • no more lawyer fees (still paying it off for the next three months, though)
  • peace of mind

    • Some of these things were possible while I was on a spouse visa, but the more recent work-related visa was much more restrictive.

    The main advantage, though, is peace of mind. (And not feeling enslaved to my employer.)

    In short, I am now a properly recognised human being. The hitch is that if I leave Australia for a few years, however, I could need to go through the process again. “Permanent” residency is not altogether permanent.

    I can apply for citizenship in nearly 9 months. Citizenship would entitle me to the following:

  • the right to vote
  • an Australian passport
  • no more immigration dramas
  • the right to pass on Australian citizenship to any future children
  • a reason to make my parents visit me that doesn’t involve getting married again
  • exclusive membership in the dual citizenship club (just kidding, but I like to imagine there is such a club, with a secret handshake and everything)

    • It seems like an obvious choice, but it’s not one I take lightly. Not that long ago I would have had to give up my U.S. citizenship in the process, but thankfully the rules have changed.

    I’ve also had a thought in the back of my mind that I might want to change my mind later — like maybe 30 years from now I’ll be living in Spain and wishing I didn’t give up my chance to be a citizen somewhere else. Crazy, I know, but my life has already taken so many twists and turns that I can’t imagine where I’ll be in the future. Anyway, this was put to rest when I met a triple citizen (Australia, UK and the U.S.) two months ago. I didn’t even know such a thing was legal! Triple citizenship immediately joined that other lofty goal of mine: the ridiculous puffy, velvet, pillow hat that PhD recipients get to wear on graduation day. Something to aspire to, but not necessarily work toward.

    All of this has even more importance because my sister’s lovely boyfriend just lost his job. You see, he was on a similar visa to mine, only in the U.S. And he doesn’t yet have his Green Card. It could have so easily been me in that situation, it hurts to think about it. So please send some warm fuzzy thoughts their way, in the hopes that something will come through in the next few weeks, and that it won’t be too stressful in the meantime.

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