Can you Believe this SKIT?

[Sabeine]

The part that said "TEXT" was supposed to say "no" in bold print. It showed as "text" when I clicked on the bold icon, but I thought it would correct itself when it was posted. LOL

[Sabeine]

I corrected it now, I think. No more "text". ;D

[LadyDuff]

Carolyn! best of luck on this and I hope that you get to come back without any troubles!!

[Carolyn]

Sabeine, TimK on Amerikanska just went through the process a little while ago. Apparently, they do hold onto your process, but it's not for an endless period of time. And he went for the dual, not giving up his American citizenship I believe.

I have NO idea how this all works, just that it costs 1,500 SEK and you get the forms at Migrationsverket.

[Sabeine]

Thanks the response. Can you ask Tim how he did it? I am just worried that if I go to the States for a visit, if I have Swedish citizenship. U.S. immigration might treat me differently.

Is Tim married? If so, the application process might be slower than if one is a sambo.

Either way I would love some answers.

[Carolyn]

No, Tim is not a sambo. He apparently came to Sweden about 8 years ago and was in a relationship, but that went bust, so he had to wait the full 5 years in order to apply.

I do know that he has the dual, and apparently how it works is, when you leave Sweden, you present your Swedish passport and you are "checked out" of the country. When you arrive in the United States, you present your American passport and you are "checked in." And then you reverse the process when you leave, American passport out, Swedish passport in.

Seems like a pain in the butt to me, however ...

I don't know that I'm going to keep my American citizenship. I can draw Social Security in Sweden whether I'm an American citizen or not. Now that my mom and dad are dead, there's really nothing holding me here. I'm not close to 3 of my four siblings. I never had many extremely close friendships here, and the ones I have, they travel to Europe on a regular basis and I AM welcome in their homes, but we didn't live close to each other, kept in touch by internet so no real change to now really.

There is much I admire about America, but it's mostly the natural wonders here and some of the "little" people, real folks as we said when I lived in the South. But as for levels of sophistication, lifestyle, philosophy, I have always fit in better in Europe anyway.

In the 18 months I lived in Sweden, I had problems with language and adjusting to married life, yes, but I never once longed for the States. On the other hand, in the time I've been back in the States, I've cried from homesickness for Sweden. Go figure.

[Sabeine]

So would one have to travel with both passports?

[Carolyn]

That's my understanding from what Tim was explaining.

[Brandy]

You're right, May 23rd, 2003. I think you'll get a letter reminding you.

My friend has dual citizenship. She says it's no problem, but soon they will have a new law requiring you to carry both passports when travelling.

I did hear though that if you were ever in need of legal representation while in a foreign country, that you would have a difficult time getting your country to help you. Both would argue that you are a citizen of the other country. It's something to think about. You never know what you could be accused of somewhere else.

[Brandy]

Sorry, somehow I missed page two before I responded! Carrying both while going to your home country would only make sense, you get to go through the quick lines in both countries! However, from what my friend said, if she goes to Russia for example, she would need to show both passports. That seems like a pain in the butt to me!

[LadyDuff]

I think having an American or English speking country´s passport in general is easier! At least when it comes to names!

Im a Spanish citizen and I am travelling to Spain this winter, just to make sure I was going to be ok I called the Embassy and talked to them about the last name thing, since here in Sweden I have my husband´s last name and in Spain I still have my maiden name.

The law in Spain is that even when a woman is married she does not change her last name to here husband´s. She keeps her own. So, it doesnt matter if Im married or not, since I still have my maiden name all the time. I wanted to change that, but the Embassy told me that I had to hand in papers about me, personbevis and so on and do the same for Shawn, but we have to get his stuff from Canada...

So, at the moment, I have been told that I should order the tickets and then have mine in my maiden name, which is also in my Spanish passport.
I wanted to bring the marriage certificate along with me, just in case, but they told me not to because, as they said at the Embassy, Spaniards dont speak Swedish and wouldnt care ( he was a bit stupid, the guy I talked to, had some attitude).

I wonder what will happen when I come back, I mean, in my passport I have my maiden name, on the ID Card I have my husband´s name....I hope that they wont stop me or anything...do you think I should bring the marriage certificate anyways??

We were discussing getting my Canadian citizenship before we move to Canada, and we are going to start that process in three years. My husband decided that he is going dual Swedish/ Canadian....

[Natasha]

Sabeine,

Your permit is technically permanent, but you have to get a new sticker every 3 years. Migrationsverket will send a letter when it is time, and you go in with you passport and letter, and they put a new sticker in, nothing else to it. I just got my PUT a month ago, and this is how it was explained to me by the woman who issued the PUT.

I also missed page two before posting, so you already have this information.

[Pam]

Carolyn,
We all know how well-informed most of the folks at Migrationsverket are. Maybe the person who says you have 'abandoned' your residency just didn't know what they were talking about. I hope that's the case.
I received my PUT this past summer. In three years I'll go to a smaller office that's closer to me just to get the stamp re-newed. I don't think there will even be an interview then.

[Carolyn]

I found the phrase "abandoned" pretty amusing, considering that we still have an apartment there, which contains 600 kilos of my favorite books, ALL my clothes except the few I brought over here, every CD I own, AND the bills for the phone and internet and cellphone are in MY name! I'm still on the bank account too.

All I have here are 2 suitcases and the clothes and a few bits and pieces I've bought over the last year, and the worst part is, no matter what, we have to be out of this house by the end of February, because my friend who has the lease is giving it up and moving into a small cottage by herself, which will leave us/me with no car either, in a town where the bus service is spotty at best and NO telephone or internet service either.

[Brandy]

Carolyn, I'm sure it's all going to work out. It's just that they know you're stressed and they are yanking your chains and trying their hardest to add to your stress. Doesn't it sure feel that way sometimes.

I'm sure you'll be OK if you come back and reapply from within. As you say, you still have everything here! I can't see why your situation would be different from mine or your friends. or did the rules change in the last 2 years? I don't know, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you. They did tell you several times that that is all you need to do, so go with it!