looks like family cant go now

[dis4me]

Good Luck getting everything straightened out.Here's some more pxie dust for you and your family to have a great cruise.

 

[wildcatwmn]

Offaly,
You have the right idea. The Irish Consulate can issue you a passport right away as long as you have an Irish BC. You can sort the US and red tape out when you return, at your leisure.

When I was in the UK, I had my passport, cash, traveller's checks, American Express card and the rest of my wallet to include any picture ID I had stolen. I was left with no ID and no money. I went to the US Consolate and had my passport re-issued that day. I had to have another American student that I knew for two months say she knew me for at least three years, and swear both our lives away, but I walked out with a passport. I couldn't even go re-claim the few traveller's checks I was owed until this happened because I had no ID...talk about feeling without identity.

 

[CRSNDSNY]

Originally posted by offalyrover
I DIDNT WANT TO BORE ALL YOU PEOPLE , BUT I WANTED TO REPLY TO THOSE WHO SENT ME MESSAGES AND JUST GIVE THEM AN UPDATE . THANKS

Thank you for keeping us updated. I am going to send you pixie dust and many prayers over the next week in hopes that this comes through for you.

The whole thing is appalling to me. I just can't believe you are going through this.

 

[mariamard]

im disgusted! you can serve your (or should i say-this)country and pay taxes , but you are not a citizen??how on earth does this happen? i'm sure that ireland officials can come thru for you. i just feel awful that a former soldier can serve in a WAR ZONE but cant go on a cruise..........good luck, offalyrover!
lots of pixie dust!!!let us know what happens.

 

[skoi]

Maybe you can get your citizenship expedited on your return due to your military service? Thanks for the update.

Anchors aweigh--

Julie

 

[westjones]

Wow, I just read this thread and I am really pulling for you! I hope this all works out. I am so sorry this is such a mess for you right now. Please let us know what happens.

DJ

 

[DoomBuggieDriver]

Just saw this thread too, and hope everything is going along as planned. What a mess. I am hopeful you'll be all set after going to the consulate in NYC, but the whole thing must be so stressful.... Just think how nice it will be to finally step foot on the Magic ! By the way, shouldn't we be referring to the Magic as a ship, not a boat?

 

[offalyrover]

WELL FOLKS , I JUST GOT OUT OF MY CONGRESSMANS OFFICE AND I REGRET TO SAY THAT THAT THINGS DIDNT QUITE WORK OUT LIKE I PLANNED . AFTER SITTING DOWN THERE AND EXPLAINING MY SITUATION , I WAS INFORMED THAT I SHOULD NOT LEAVE THE COUNTRY UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES UNTIL I CAN GET THE SITUATION RESOLVED . THE CONGRESSMANS AIDE EXPRESSED TO ME RESOLUTELY THAT IF I LEAVE THE COUNTRY WITHOUT THE PROPER DOCUMENTS THAT I RUN THE RISK OF NOT GETTING BACK IN . SHE IS CURRENTLY DEALING WITH MANY CONSTITUANTS FROM MY DISTRICT THAT ARE STUCK IN ISRAEL AND UNABLE TO RETURN BECAUSE THEY DIDNT HAVE THE CORRECT CITIZENSHIP PROOF TO COME BACK ( I LIVE IN AN AREA WITH A LARGE HASSIDIC COMMUNITY) . THERE ARE ALSO MANY PEOPLE IN OUR AREA THAT ARE 65+ YEARS OLD THAT ARE FINDING OUT THAT THEY ALSO ARENT CITIZENS . IT SEEMS THAT IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICAID YOU NEED TO BE A CITIZEN , AND WHEN THEY WENT TO SIGN UP FOR BENIFITS WERE DENIED .
NOW , I HATE TO SAY IT BUT IT GETS WORSE . I MUST NOW GO ABOUT ATTAINING US CITIZENSHIP FROM SCRATCH . MILITARY SERVICE , LIVING HERE MY ENTIRE LIFE MAKES NO DIFFERENCE . CONGRESSMAN CANT PULL NO STRINGS , I HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE BEAURICRATIC PROCESS AS ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD APPLY FOR CITIZENSHIP . MY WIFE NEEDS TO SPONSOR ME AND IT WILL TAKE ME 9 MONTHS TO GET A GREEN CARD . UNTIL THAT TIME , I AM TECHNICALLY AN ILLEGAL ALIEN . THE WHOLE PROCESS WILL TAKE ME 2 YEARS TO BECOME A CITIZEN . THE WHOLE THING IS REALLY SO ABSURD THAT I CAN ONLY LAUGH ABOUT IT , AS WORRYING OR GETTING UPSET DOES ME NO GOOD . I STILL BELIEVE THIS IS THE GREATEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD AND AT LEAST IVE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO LIVE HERE . SO THE CRUISE IS OFF . THE FAMILY AINT TOO HAPPY BUT ITS LOOKS LIKE WE WILL BE AT WDW FOR A FEW DAYS INSTEAD AS WE HAVE OUR PLANE TIX . ( KIDS AINT COMPLAINING ABOUT THAT . THERE ARE WORSE THINGS TO BE STUCK DOING ) . BUT I DO APPRECIATE EVERYONES ADVICE AND KIND WORDS AND I GUESS I'LL LOOK FOR EVERYONE SOMEWHERE AROUND FEBRUARY OF 2006 .

 

[figment52]

I certainly hope this all works out. I read this weeks ago and had been thinking about it and wondering what happened...thanks for the update.

You know we are all in your corner and are sending lots of pixie dust your way....and thank you for serving my country.

 

[CRSNDSNY]

Originally posted by offalyrover
BUT I DO APPRECIATE EVERYONES ADVICE AND KIND WORDS AND I GUESS I'LL LOOK FOR EVERYONE SOMEWHERE AROUND FEBRUARY OF 2006 .

That is just so disappointing, offalyrover! I am so sorry. I hope you and your family have a magical time at WDW. Take a look at www.mousesavers.com for Resort codes...maybe you can get a good deal. I hope you are cruising in 2006!

All my best to you and your family!

 

[Tiiiigergirl]

I must offer my condolences and also say that I'm impressed with your attitude. You seem to be placing the whole thing in the proper perspective. It is disappointing about the trip but you seem to understand that it is not a tragedy. How much worse for you and your family it would have been if you had left the country unawares and then not been able to get back in. Again, though, you have my heartfelt sympathy because you have to deal with this whole mess. Those who have said that we do take much for granted are completely correct.

 

[crisi]

Best wishes. We've dealt with INS (its been renamed, but I can't remember what now), and they don't move too fast. But the people we worked directly with were all very pleasant. You'll probably get to have the really cool "becoming a citizen" ceremony (we swore our son in when he was a year old).

 

[gonna go cruising]

I am so sorry. Is there no way to get your other citizenship proven? I certainly hope DCL is willing to work with you on moving your dates until this is straightened out. I had often wondered if you had any luck.

I certainly hope this can be resolved in a timely manner. In the meanwhile, enjoy WDW. I still find it hard to believe you could serve the united states in the military and they cannot help you out in a time like this. I guess I learn something new every day.

 

[Alex]

We just recieved a letter from the Department of State. We just put in for a RENEWAL passport for my daughter, she has has her old one for 5 years and it hasn't even expired.
Even though my wife brought her passport for identification when they applied for renewal they turned it down because we didn't include documentation that she was actually our daughter. We need to send her original birth certificate in!!!!
Folks, everyone is trying to use logic about what "should" right and what seems to be so. In this post 9/11 world none of that matters.
You aren't going to get away with things that you got away with before. The only good part to this story is that the original poster looked into this enough to realize they CAN'T leave the country before obtaining the proper documentation.
I think a lot of people are missing the point here. Everyone feels they are all set if they get ON the cruise. That isn't really the problem. You could get on the cruise and be denied admission back into the US and Disney has utterly no control over that.
If the OP had gotten on the cruise he could very well have found himself deported to Ireland with a long uphill battle to come back.

 

[dianthus]

Originally posted by Alex
If the OP had gotten on the cruise he could very well have found himself deported to Ireland with a long uphill battle to come back.

OMG! That would certainly be worse, as Ireland is really the foreign country to you, not the US. Thank goodness you took the time to get everything rolling before the cruise.

I'm so sorry to hear things didn't work out for you to accomodate this trip. Perhaps your military service will help things along. We all appreciate anyone who serves our country! Good luck with your "journey". The cruise will be worth it when everything is straightened out. You'll enjoy it that much more!

~ Linda