Some recent posts suggest that people on amnesty have a) failed to legalize their status in time or b) ample opportunity to book a flight back home. I'm a good example how both can be simply not true.

 

I'm in an EU Civil Union with a Thai citizen (and, yes, gay). We moved here over five years ago because my partner's dad got sick. I was initially on ED and then consecutive METVs, in expectation of being able to apply for non-I 0 once the Civil Union Act were passed and foreign partnerships recognized. That happened only last week, after being in the works for five years. Alternatively, I would apply for longstay once I turn 50, which is fairly soon. Because of CoVid all of this is impossible, so I rely on either amnesty or a stamp that allows me to obtain a work permit. So you see, I'm not here because I want to slack off, I'm here because my partner of over 15 years is. And I'm not the only one in this situation. Also, my July flight - booked before CoVid - got canceled three weeks ago, so the argument that one could leave anytime is as void as my ticket voucher. I got an open ticket replacement though, so no worries about extra cost.

 

There are many people who are stuck here because they are in a similar situation of not being allowed to get a different status. So before you judge other people, make yourself familiar with the facts.

Quite a few people are really judgmental. Pensioners seem to (not all of them) look down a lot on younger guys who live here. They did not mind all the crack downs but started to moan when they actually had to have money in the bank instead of a letter from their embassy.

 

But not all of them of course that would be an unfair statement. 

Another unneeded amnesty topic. No need for another one that will just turn into a bickering and flaming topic.

This one now