Quote:
Originally posted by Sharifu
89 days. :p Heh... We were actually planning to have me stay longer in Finland, stay until July when Petteri would start military service. (The whole point was to be together as much as we can before he goes into the service, since that will be really hard for us) We knew that I could only stay in Finland for 90 days, but Petteri thought if I got a tourist visa, I could stay longer. (Over 90 days but under a year) So we look on Finland's Embassy website and get all the information, and you are supposed to buy your plane ticket before you apply for your visa which I did... So as I am filling out the forum I have some questions about it, so I call the Embassy of Finland. The lady on the phone tells me I don't need a visa to go to Finland since I am an American, but I can't stay more then 90 days... (And I was planning to stay like 5 months) She told me the only way I can stay in Finland longer then 90 days is if I got a resident permit, which I can only get if I study or work in Finland. I asked her, "It's not possible at all unless I work there or study there?" And she said "No..." She asked me why I was planned to stay in Finland that long, and I told her to visit my boyfriend and his family. She told me if I married him while I was there it would be no problem if I stayed there that long. XD (And of course we are not ready to get married now, the time is not right, and we don't have the money, plus we want it to be something special, not because we have to do it now for some other reason) People have asked me, well why don't you just get a job in Finland so you can get a resident permit? Well for one, I didn't have time really to apply for the permit. I found this our in the beginning of January and my ticket's departure date was February 21. Plus I don't really like the idea of working in Finland because of the language barrier. But even then it was impossible to do that, there wasn't enough time for to apply for the permit.
So ok, we were originally planning for me to stay 5 months, because that would of been cheaper for Petteri. Even with him paying for half of everything for me (or more), because if it wasn't for me staying that long, I would stay in Finland for 90 days, but then we would be separated for about a month and a half before he would start military service. (And then we will be separated then for 6 months or more, and not being able to talk much) :( So he would of flown here again after I go home to stay for a month, which would cost a lot more then the cost a tourist visa. But in the end, that's how it happened... Petteri was wrong about the visa, which I should of just looking into myself, but I just trusted that he looked into this enough that he knew how everything worked. So then I had to change my plane ticket, since I could not stay there longer then 90 days now. We were thinking of changing my departure date for April so I would be able to save up more money, and Petteri wouldn't have to work so much while I am there because he would of been able to save up too. But I wasn't allowed to change my departure date, but at least I could change my date coming home. (Which ended up costing $350 to change my ticket) But oh well. I wont have much money going there, but at least we will be able to spend more time together, and he and his family have offered to help me with money of course.
I guess I really didn't have to post all of that, but I felt like saying it. :p
Oh wow, that's quite a saga that you had to go through. I guess it's probably not the best situation then but at least you're getting a long time to be with each other. I can't imagine how hard it's going to be for you was Petteri starts his military service, but at least until then, you have a lot of time to spend together.