Everyone's experience is very individual, based on when they were married and where in their career their spouse was.
Mine went something like this-
1. Husband received orders
2. We got married
3. He left for new PCS (Permanent Change of Station) overseas at Yokosuka Japan
4. Husband had orders changed to reflect a spouse
5. I started overseas screening in NYC
6. He found out I can move to his new PCS without Overseas Screening approval and begin Command Sponsorship approval INSTEAD of overseas screening
7. I found out I could get my SOFA stamp before I was Command Sponsored!
8. Command Sponsorship paperwork complete, screened, and awaiting completion from husband's command
1. He received orders about 6 months before we got married. He could not have altered until after we were married
2. Yay! Marriage!
3. Boo! after 1.5 weeks of marriage he leaves
4. Husband went through a frustrating amount of phone calls and answer hunting to get orders changed and to get me to Japan- and I love him even more for it
5. SO FRUSTRATING. Closest military hospital is in West Point, all paperwork needs to go through them, you'll need all your health records from the past 7 years to complete an Overseas Screening. I recommend just leaving and doing Command Sponsorship if you can. Because I had Tricare Standard I was able to get appointments with local Tricare doctors. HOWEVER the wait for West Point's approval of OS paperwork is at least 3 weeks
6. I went to Japan, on a tourist Visa (90days). I then started Command Sponsorship paperwork (this CAN be done while a ship is underway the OS office will coordinate with ship ).
7. I went to Immigration Office in Yokohama. I brought my Passpot, Military ID, husband's military orders, & dependent paperwork ( I got this confirmation paperwork when we registered me for my ID). I filled out a form to cancel my Tourist Visa. They then cancelled my Tourist Visa and stamped my passport. It took about 90 minutes, and they were all super friendly!
Now that I'm SOFA sponsored I do not have to worry about Command Sponsorship approval before the end of my tourist visa- PHEW!
8. My fate is in the Captain's hands! At least I can stay in Japan. I can't register at the base for a PO Box, register in DBIZ or make regular doctor's appointments (ER only and excluding command sponsorship appts)
Leave questions below- I'll do my best to answer!
No comments:
Post a Comment