Residency Update

On Tuesday afternoon i headed off to the Zulekha Hospital for my Medical - the last step toward getting my Residency here in the UAE. I arrived at the Hospital at about 1:30PM. I headed up to the first stage area to have the blood taken. That process had a wait of about 2 hours. By the time i walked out of the blood test place it was about 3:3oPM. I then marched on down to to the x-ray clinic to have my chest scanned for TB.

Following the green line painted on the ground to get to that building in the grounds, i soon noticed that there was another line. Of people.

I counted 120 men. Yes, 120 men in front of me before it was to be my turn. I didn't have a choice but to stay as I need my passport processed and stamped before heading on my first trip on Sunday to the US.... hmmm....

Knowing that there was only one x-ray machine in operation AND knowing how long it takes to have an x-ray, i figured that I would be more likely celebrating my 40th birthday before it were to be my turn.

In the line I chatted with a phillipino guy (about 23yo) about his past 9 months in Dubai. Although visit visas are issued on arrival and are only valid for 60 days, he got around that by doing the one hour drive border run over to Oman. He grabs a coffee, then re-enters the UAE with a new visit visa. Bingo, another 60 days. However, he finally secured a job he was happy with and decided to stick with them to sponsor him. He is staying in an area called Bur Dubai - quite a nice area near Dubai Creek. THe shitter is that he is in a 4 bedroom unit sharing with 23 other men. Yep, a common occurance around here. And, when you consider that that unit would be going for about $1600/wk, it's no wonder!

....

Soon after counting the men in the line and doing the time maths and deciding that i should at least be out before my 30th, let alone 40th, a nurse came out counting heads. She counted to 60 (all of them Indian construction workers), and then said everyone else has to go home as they won't process us tonight - and to return tomorrow. I was a little dissapointed with this (aka shitty) but accepted this. I called our company PRO (Permanent Residency Officer) to explain the situation. He ended up meeting me the following morning at the xray clinic, escorted me to the front of the line and, bingo, 35 mins in and out.

Where it normally takes two days to get the results of both tests and then another two days to get the passport, he used his Emirati status and Arab language to push the results through in 2 hrs and passport returned today. Wow. So......today......

I RECEIVED MY PASSPORT BACK AND I AM NOW AN OFFICIAL PERMANENT RESIDENT OF THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Woo hoo!!

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