I innocently opened my e-mails yesterday and there sat a message forwarded from my immigration lawyer Amira.  It was from the city of Gent.

Here’s my first glance.  I’m learning Dutch but these words are beyond me:

Beste

We hebben de goedkeuring ontvangen van de Dienst Vreemdelingenzaken om je verblijfskaart aan te vragen .

But then the translation …

Dear

We have received approval from the Immigration Office (Dienst Vreemdelingenzaken) to order your residence card.

Oh my God!

I get to live here some more

This is a happy puppy tapping away.  It took eleven months to get a visa to move from Canada to Belgium.  I arrived to live here on January 28, 2023. 

For each of the next five years, I have to apply for a renewal.  In December I pulled together information about finances, health, criminal status, five letters of reference, and some other stuff I can’t remember.  Amira kept coaching me about what was needed.

My residence card expired on February 20 but Amira arranged for an extension while the government mulled over my application.

Waiting … waiting … and now a done deal!

I’m so happy.  Gent is home.

***

Ik ben een Gentenaar

(I am a resident of Gent)

May it ever be so