To stop my mom from nagging about one less thing about the immigration issue, we went to San Francisco yesterday to visit the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO). She was counting on the fact that she’s friends with an official in charge of issuing passports of TECO office might put my case in a “special circumstances” pile and get special privileges. But of course, no such luck. First the “connection” whom her friend is good friends with is no longer on the post (perhaps she granted one too many favors?). The new head person is tough as a nut.
After the TECO official and my mom had a small chat about the background of my situation, here’s an over-simplification of how the rest of the conversation went:
Mom: Isn’t there anyway around renewing my son’s passport?
TECO Official: No.
Mom: But our situation is really very special.
TECO Official: So is everyone else’s.
Mom: Then this puts my son in a really bad position…
TECO Official: Yes.
Mom: Can’t you turn one eye blind on just this case? (While she’s saying this, there are OTHER people in the room as well.)
TECO Official: No. I can’t do any favors outside of the law.
Mom: But…
TECO Official: No. (Proceeded to walk away slowly… )
Mom: But there must…
TECO Official: No. (Proceeded to open the door as she inched her way to the door… )
So much for a promissory note pending a Canadian Green Card.
But we did learn something “new” in the short 5-minute conversation with the official — they’d still be willing to grant me a three-year passport if I am enrolled in a PhD program before I turn 33.
Holy Christ… More schooling?
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On the way back to San Jose, Bryan was exhausted. So he cried a lot in the car until he cried himself to sleep.
A new strategy will have to be examined if we were to get that Green Card for Canada now that all hope on Taiwan is lost.