WILL WE MAKE IT?

Good morning

It's Thursday and that means an update on our emigration process. 

Things are moving quickly now and life is all about getting the documentation in order. I've detailed what I'm going through at the moment so that I have a record of it. Suffice to say, it's painful and rather nerve-wracking at times.

• House SOLD:
• This is now out of my hands, for which I'm eternally grateful.
• It's all in the process of being finalised and registered. 
• I'm really happy about this. It's taken a long time.
• South African documentation from authorities:
• One of these is a Driving Licence Confirmation. 
• We've been informed by the courier company that the South African Department of International Relations & Cooperation (DIRCO) will not accept this document for verification as it is out of date
• Sigh. What a pain. 
• Oh, well. New applications will be sent today and will, hopefully, be received in time.
• Documentation verified by South African authorities - Apostilled:
• The obligatory Police Clearance Certificates have been sent to the receiving courier company for delivery to DIRCO.
• The courier company will hold on to these documents until the new Driving Licence Confirmations are received and will submit them together.
• For anyone wondering why I don't go through to DIRCO directly, the only office where documents can be Apostilled is in Pretoria (a fair distance away) and they only accept a very limited number of 'walk-in' applications. One has to be at their premises before 6am to have a chance of being accepted on any given day. That means leaving home at about 5am with no guarantee of being within the designated number for the day. Nope, it will have to be a courier.
• Hopefully, this will go off without any issues.
• Financials in place:
• There are two aspects to this.
• Enough funds in a Portuguese bank account
• I'm retired and have no set monthly salary and, therefore, I had to wait until the house was sold to open this account. 
• The application is now in and I should receive my Portuguese account number next week. 
• As this is a Portuguese bank with a branch in South Africa, all documentation is sent through to Portugal to open the account.
• Required funds for monthly living expenses deposited into an investment account
• I have all the necessary documents and this will be actioned as soon as I have my Portuguese bank account active.
• Portuguese Tax Number - Número de Identificação Fiscal (NIF):
• To do absolutely anything in Portugal, such as renting accommodation or transport, one has to be registered for tax.
• The visa for which we're applying requires that NIF numbers be obtained before we apply for our visas.
• We've appointed a legal agent in South Africa and this is in process.

I'm leaving this section blank for any other requirements which may raise their heads before we can actually apply for our visas.

• Visa application
• Emigration 

Beautiful Portugal

The poem I've chosen epitomises my yearning for peace and quiet after the hustle and bustle of a very busy life.

THE CALLING

He paused and listened intently for a while

To the whisper impress itself upon his thought

Still he strained to hear the forest’s call 

Then absorbed that call as he knew he aught

Shades within shadows within shades hid from him

To burst their trickle through his consciousness

As that most ancient clan of primordial trees

Sketched and drew him in to within their midst

Awareness pummelled the fragments of his mind

He knew this place better than he knew his life

But where was it, this mirage of life’s true meaning

Which made him hunger as it quenched his thirst?