Jumping through the hoops.

Today we received word our container has arrived in Romania and will be available for shipping to Bucharest soon. After going to the customs office to find out what documents are needed to get the container cleared, we got the bomb news that we need to have the temporary residency visa before the container is freed by customs. It shocked us because just last week we obtained quotes from moving companies that also do customs clearing on behalf of their clients (for about $350) and the temporary residency visa was not one of the documents needed for them to customs clearing for us. So, in reality, there are two sets of rules - depending who's inquiring.

Another piece of news that even brought a smile on our faces is the fact that we need "photos" of the contents of our container. What for, we asked. Apparently, if we have the photos stamped by the custom authorities upon entrance in the country, we can prove we take the same things with us upon exiting the country. It seems having photos of our contents is the right way of ensuring that what's coming in is going out.

Also today, we went to the "Passport Office for Foreigners," a visa application office. One of the requirements for applying for temporary residency is 5 years worth of health insurance. Whoolala!!!! But, not too worry... just outside the building one can find about 4 or 5 guys selling... bogus health insurance. It's not quite bogus because you get a paper stating you are insured, just don't try to use the insurance because there are no covered benefits. Total price tag for 5 years worth of "health insurance": $600 for a family of 5. Some expensive paper! While we do have our health insurance covering us internationally for up to 10 million dollars, it just doesn't seem to suffice for the Romanian visa authorities. This sort of begs the question: what is their cut from the bogus 'insurers'? This, friends, is quite typical around here.

One of our Romanian acquaintances helping us through the visa process couldn't have put it any better: Romanian authorities are in love with rubber stamps. If a form or something doesn't have a stamp on it, it is not official. Sometimes there are two or three stamps, each from a different office (meaning that getting a form approved one has to spend days collecting rubber stamps from various offices). And everything has to be on color letterhead and signed with blue ink.

On a positive note, we were able to get a refrigerator and dryer. Praise God!

C & S