Ancora in attesa (still waiting)...

Trevi fountain

Bureaucracy is bad, we all know that.  But Italian bureaucracy is really, really bad.  Michael was planning to go to Chicago on Thursday to pick up our passports.  But he decided to first call and make sure that they had not put the passports in the mail rendering the trip useless.  He was told - "oh no you cannot come get your passports or the whole process will stop - you must send an email explaining that you both need your passports and want to continue the process".   I sent that email and was told "we are working on it and we cannot return your passports until the process is completed". 

Spanish Steps

 So... Michael wanted to wait and see if they would mail the passports in time for the flight.  Needless to say they did not.  Not only did they not mail them they also ignored requests for some sort of time frame (vague as it might be) in order for us to re-book the flight.  For the second time we changed the date on the flight (at a cost of 800.00!!!!).  It was a total guess as to how much more time to allow since we received no guidance whatsoever. 

View from the top of the Spanish Steps

  

This is it, the last flight change.  We cannot continue with this as it is not affordable and there is no end in sight.  Our new flight will depart on April 2nd and this time we will most definitely be on board.  I do not have any faith that the process will be completed by then.  In the end, we will likely have thrown a lot of money away.  So sad...

Street in Rome

While we are saddened and dismayed we are still trying to keep our issues in perspective.  After all we are not carrying our belongings in a backpack and fleeing from war.  We are still able to return to Italy - just maybe not in the way we chose.  Whatever happens we will manage - there is always a Plan B 😏. 


 

Waiting, Waiting...

Sant'Agnese in Agone - 17th century Church

Michael and I applied for a long term Visa ( a one year residency Visa) for Italy.  You must apply for residency in your own country via the Italian Consulate that covers your region of the US.  For us that is Chicago.  When you apply you have to provide along with the application: a paid contract or lease for where you will live, proof of financial means, proof of health insurance, a paid ticket for your flight to Italy and your passports.  The Consulate requires your actual passport because they stamp the passport with an entry Visa.  In addition, to all of that there is a non-refundable application fee.  Needless to say it all adds up to a significant sum of money for something that is uncertain.  

Altare dell Patria (Altar of the Fatherland)

 It is not an easy process.  Per Italian law the Consulate has 90 days to process your application.  What they do not tell you is that if there are any questions then that 90 time limit is out the window.  So... you must provide proof that you purchased your flight to Italy but then you may not be able to catch your flight.   And you must rent a place to live (pre-paid for the entire year) but you may have paid rent for a place that you cannot move into because you are still in the states waiting on the Consulate to make a decision. You could lose a month or more of "rent money". 

 

House of the Vestal Virgins

Or you could lose all your rent money and flight money and application money and health insurance money because the decision could be NO.  Our 90 days is up on March 6th... however we received a certified letter and had to provide more documentation in answer to questions.  So... that timeline is now off.  UGH!!  

 

Old Rome

So we wait ... Noi aspettiamo.  And wait...

Old Rome

We have already put back our flight once, we now fly out on March 15th.  We plan to be on that flight whether the decision is Si or No.  Of course, we still have not worked out how to get our passports back but I will figure that out this week.  Our fingers and toes are crossed.  Send all your good thoughts our way!!

We need all the help we can get!  So I will end this rant with a photo of poor Caesar being pooped on by a pigeon.  It rather diminishes Caesar in a way that I am sure was not thought of when erecting the statue.  There are several statutes of Caesar in that area and unfortunately the pigeons find them all to be the perfect perch 😂.