I was approved!

A woman from the Brazilian consulate in Miami called me this afternoon, to my surprise, to notify me that my permanent visa has been approved and is back from Brasilia, ready for pick up. I know that I had just made a comment about how it'd only been a month since I applied and I was prepared to wait, but my visa is here - and it only took 37 days from when I dropped it off until it was ready for pick up. Record time, I'd say.

Even after all that mess I had to go through to even apply for the permanent visa, it all worked out quickly in the end. I can't say painlessly, but it was fast. It almost seems pointless that they would send my paperwork from Miami to Brasilia for it to come back so quickly. Why not just do it here? Had we been married for a year longer, it would have been approved here anyway.

Not only do I now feel a sense of relief (vs. having to worry that my visa won't be here before it's time to leave), I think that the school can now purchase our plane tickets. That's exciting! I was sure to send them an e-mail immediately so we can take the next step towards us moving to Brasilia.

All of this is perfect timing because E just passed his citizenship test and will have his naturalization oath ceremony tomorrow. Two of the obstacles in our ways to move to Brazil without a "legal headache" have been surpassed. Obviously E didn't need U.S. citizenship to move home, but it makes me feel better knowing that my husband has the same citizenship as me. I'm sure it's a relief to my mother, too, who expresssed concern years ago that she didn't want my husband to not be able to enter into the U.S. She has heard too many horror stories, so I knew that with U.S. citizenship, her mind should be at ease, as is ours. Plus, now we don't have to worry about him having to travel back and forth to the U.S. repeatedly just to maintain his residency AND citizenship is less expensive in the long run. 

We can now move to Brasilia knowing that I already have permission to live and work there while E will be able to easily travel back and forth between countries without a hassle. I guess he's got one up on me because I do not have Brazilian citizenship.

I know that my transition into Brazilian society will be smoother because I will enter the country as a resident (vs. a tourist). It should be easier for me to settle down, update/renew my CPF, open a bank account, and do anything else that any resident in any country will need to do. One of the best parts about having a permanent visa is that I won't need any more tourist visas. That'll save me money (especially since the school paid for my residency).

I also think, though maybe only on a superficial kind of way, that I will feel more like a Brazilian (-American) much like E must have once he obtained his residency in the U.S. It feels good to be "legal".

I just have to go to Miami (with my passport) to pick up my visa; but as I was told, there's no real rush. With that being said, E is able to get my visa for me (since he makes more trips to Miami than me) as long as he has my passport and the receipt. Just a tip for anyone going through the same process.