by an anonymous AFM Cross-Cultural Worker
When you’re a US citizen it’s easy to travel to most countries since visas often aren’t required. However, this ease quickly disappears for long-term CCWs in areas such as North Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Countries in these regions want our tourist money, but they usually don’t want us to live among them.
It often takes months—and that’s if you’re lucky—to navigate the seemingly endless list of offices, forms, and payments, and you might be grilled for hours, have your homes inspected, and have your neighbors questioned too. Sometimes, after all this, your visa extension is refused. Overstays can mean extra fees or being blacklisted.
However, by God’s grace, I was able to obtain a visa in just 10 days, the 10 days remaining before my work/student visa expired.
My story below is about much more than obtaining a visa. It’s a demonstration of the way in which God cares for small things and walks with us, especially when we are undergirded by the intercessions of our prayer teams from our sending churches. I warn you: Patience is Required!
1. First Step: Professor Approval
My professor had been out of the country and returned 11 days before my visa was set to expire. First, we had tea. In this relationally hierarchical society, tea is a cultural thing. It slows things down, allows time for chit chat and relaxation. You don’t get right down to business. It’s all about the relationship. Of course, signatures are required for a visa, and after much discussion, he signed the recommendation letter I had prepared. Later I learned he was on leave and wasn’t expected to return until the next year. However, in God’s providence, he returned just in time!
2. Meet with the Administrative Office of my University
After looking at my paperwork, receiving my fee, and giving me a cup of tea, the professor told me I needed the department chair to write a letter. So, I walked to the administrative office and I found a group of students and professorial-looking man. I asked for the department chair and where his office was. Everyone turned and looked at the only man in the group, the department chair. Praise the Lord…more providence!
I followed the department chair to his office and then explained I needed a letter approving my research progress report and that I had a short time frame. He didn’t even know what I was talking about. UGH! I called the Administrative Officer and handed the phone to the department chair so that the two men could talk.
Afterwards, the department chair scanned my report and my professor’s recommendation letter. He then quickly wrote a letter providing his approval. The letter was typed, signed, and notarized in short order. Normally, this process takes a week or more.
3. Back to Administrative Office: More Paperwork Needed
The next day I returned with all the paperwork including the required “Request for the Supervision of my Professor” and “The Administrative Office” forms. Part of immigration oversight includes the option for the school to visit my research sites. My administration officer informed me that he wanted to come to my villages with a friend. He stressed that I would have to pay for his transportation, housing, and food! UGH!
Further, he stated that he didn’t want to go to the villages in the heat of the day; he wanted to stay in a nice hotel and to know what there is to do in the village. Thanks be to God, when I told him I myself was staying with families, and not singles, his demeanor suddenly changed. He informed me that he was no longer interested in coming to the villages. He then signed the forms and informed me that all necessary paperwork from the Administrative Office, including the FINAL approval letter on their own letterhead, would be ready in 3 to 4 days.
4. Return to Administrative Office and Pay
On the 4th day (Friday), the letter was ready! First, I picked up the bill at the Administrative Office, and then walked to the bank. As I was paying the invoice, the teller asked me what I was doing. Turns out, he was from my village! I practiced the local language with him, got the signed receipt for payment, and then took it to the Administrative Officer. He gave me the signed paperwork for the Ministry of Education. Praise the Lord!
5. Ministry of Education Accepts the University Paperwork on Friday
The section head accepted my letter. He then said my approval letter should be ready on Sunday (a work day in my country). I thanked him and explained that my visa was expiring soon!
6. Ministry of Education Provides Final Signed Approval Paperwork
On Sunday I started calling the section head’s cell phone. No answer. Every 30 minutes I called or texted. The section head finally texted me, “I am not in the office.” Oh no!
The next day (Monday) was a religious holiday and government offices were closed. Wednesday was also a government holiday; my time was running out. I explained my short time frame in a text, namely that I had already bought an airline ticket to leave the country on Thursday since that was the last day I could be in the country if my visa was not extended.
An hour later, I got a call from him: “The letter is ready.” Later that Sunday, after I’d received the signed approval letter, I learned that the section head came in that day just for me, to prepare my letter! Praise the Lord! My friends were shocked that I received the Ministry of Education letter so quickly and between holidays. Most people take time off between holidays.
7. Immigration Receives the Paperwork from the Ministry of Education on Tuesday
Remember: Monday and Wednesday were government holidays, so Tuesday was my only window of opportunity. Before picking up my visa, I had to go to the bank to get a statement showing I had the required funds in my local bank account. Then I made 3 copies of all the various paperwork and applications that I needed. I gave all the paperwork to the visa counter when it opened at 10:30am.
After about 30 minutes, I was called into the immigration office. The supervisor asked me some questions about my research. I explained it in the local language and the whole room listened. He wanted to see videos of the villages, so I showed him some videos and pictures of the teaching and living conditions. Everyone in the office said it is much needed research.
They required a copy of my approved report. But Yikes, I didn’t have a hard copy with me! Providentially, they allowed me to email it to them and then they printed it! Next, I went to the big boss’s office who was visiting with another big boss. We talked about what I am doing, where I am living, and my learning the local language of the village. He was happy to provide the final signature. I walked downstairs to get the bank receipt and then again upstairs to get my visa! Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!
God literally opened the doors and made my path smooth. The Lord gave me patience, perseverance, faith, and love for these people as they went the extra mile to help me.
But this would never have been accomplished without the prayers of my sending churches and my Barnabas Team, a group of 12 individuals from my home church that meets regularly to pray for and support me. Through this, God reminded me that the mission of AFM’s CCWs is linked to the prayers of the people who send them. God used their prayers (and mine as well) to move mountains and part seas during my visa renewal process. Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!
