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Big blue

Big blue
548
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EW GURU
Latest post on 11 April 2016 - 09:23
For those of you following this forum for the past couple of years, you may recognize me as a strong proponent of Blossom Early Learning Center in Academic City. Sadly the situation at BELC has changed so much this year that I feel a responsibility to let you all know and to withdraw my support and recommendations. We are now on our third center director in something like 8 months; my daughter's class has changed 3 teachers in the past 2 months (one of which was dismissed), communication is terrible, I had a concern about a situation that I complained about and got little in return. At this point it is too late for us to try and move so we will wait the rest of the year out but I would most certainly not recommend BELC to anybody anymore.
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 29 March 2016 - 15:40
Try Spinneys in Umm Suqeim (umm el Sheif road) Yep, most Spinneys have them.,...
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 29 March 2016 - 15:30
Thank you for your responses, yes all the searches I have done would indicate that DSO is a lovely place to live and quite convenient too. We will know for sure which school the boys will attend only after the GCSE results in August, but we will be moving to DSO earlier in the summer. I heard it is a bit hotter at DSO than the centre, but we are looking forward to the move! Hi there, DSO is a great community for families but indeed you may fee a bit cut off from the "main" city (e.g. Jumeirah area. Depends where you work, shop, etc. there are all kinds of options near DSO. I don't have kids at either school but generally GEMS DSO gets mixed reviews and is for profit, whereas DESC generally gets great reviews and is not for profit. Semer villas are for Emirates pilots; Cedre are a mix but prices are around the 200K mark for 3 bedroom and 230K for 4 bedrooms so not exactly cheap. Some may be rented directly by the DSO Authority but most Cedre villas are in fact privately owned. Hope this helps a bit-good luck!
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 01 February 2016 - 16:41
In addition to the ones below, Kings Al Barsha, DESS, Jess and Safa Community have all sent out offers.
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 17 December 2015 - 14:43
Is there anybody who has been offered a place at dess for Fs1 2016 or have attended the assessment?? We have an assessment coming up...I would like to know how it is at dess We had our yesterday, it was fine, small groups, I think 5-6 kids in each group and parents could stay with them. They will be making the first round of offers in the second week of December. @Big Blue: Have you heard from DESS yet?? I think they have started to offer seats... (Im really nervous now.. :confused: ) hi there, yes we got a place on Nov 30. The deadline to accept is Jan 6 so perhaps you will hear from them during the second round... Congrats again... so u have two offers now isnt?? can i know when is the deadline for Horizon for accepting offers? Horizon were quite the case...they notified us a week after the assessment and required payment within 3 days...it was a while back, early November.
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 09 December 2015 - 13:42
Is there anybody who has been offered a place at dess for Fs1 2016 or have attended the assessment?? We have an assessment coming up...I would like to know how it is at dess We had our yesterday, it was fine, small groups, I think 5-6 kids in each group and parents could stay with them. They will be making the first round of offers in the second week of December. @Big Blue: Have you heard from DESS yet?? I think they have started to offer seats... (Im really nervous now.. :confused: ) hi there, yes we got a place on Nov 30. The deadline to accept is Jan 6 so perhaps you will hear from them during the second round...
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 07 December 2015 - 13:32
i did ask re: discipline and technology-- and what you're saying very much mirrors what they told me (which is comforting). i really did like the environment and all the various programs-- i am definitely encouraged by your positive feedback (thanks!) and hopefully will enroll the LO this coming spring! can i also ask-- any specific reason for keeping ur LO there for FS1 vs. big school? it is definitely something i am thinking about as well. not keen on rushing the big school thing. Due to her early September birthday, she wasn't eligible to join the schools we were interested in this year. She will repeat FS1 next year at a school.
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 07 December 2015 - 10:34
They don't do naughty chair; in our experience they do "safe hands" if one kid hits another (teacher hugging them and saying safe hands or something along those lines); they don't spoon feed, they encourage independent eating from the toddler class onwards. Of course adjustments can be made depending on the child; I had instructed the teacher from early on not to spoon feed our DD but other parents may feel differently. I think FS1 and FS2 have scheduled time with the interactive screen where they do numbers, letters, etc. But iPad use is very limited, again, based on our experience. Did you ask about these topics? They should be able to provide specific answers so you can see whether you're ok with what they're doing or not. Overall I have found it to be a warm and nurturing environment for our kids with a lot of different activities, including loads of play, music, arts & crafts, story time. I am not concerned about the use of technology because it hasn't seemed to be an issue but if you are very much against the use of iPads for instance, then you should discuss that with them.
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 07 December 2015 - 09:25
thanks big blue! went to see the nursery today, i really liked it. was really pleased with the head teacher and the nursery manager- really passionate people. i liked that they have all these activities for all the children, even the babies, and that they have language, music, and art programs. my concern is with the sheer size of the nursery - they are at 200+ kids. have u felt this has been an impediment at all? what about the teachers? have ur experiences with them been positive? thanks again in advance for all your help! Hi there, our experience with teachers has always been great; of course there's been a couple we liked more than others but we never had any issues. In terms of size, no we hardly notice it because as you have seen they have 4 different areas (babies, toddlers, preschool, foundation) and they stagger activities such as gym, water play, music room etc.-I think two classes at a time. They have a winter concert on Wednesday, if you're in the area perhaps you can stop by and get a better feel of the place (but check first, not sure visitors are allowed).
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 30 November 2015 - 12:26
We've been there since it opened almost 2.5 years ago now and we have been very happy. Our eldest started out in the (walking) babies class and is now in FS1 and our youngest is currently in the babies class. We were at Hummingbird and Children's Oasis previously and in my opinion BELC is superior. if you have any specific question please ask and I'll respond.
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 25 November 2015 - 10:45
We have a Besafe Izi isofix and 3 Britax (don't remember all models but one is isofix that swivels around and can be rear or front facing and the other two are seatbelt installation but can be both rear and front facing). In terms of kg, if it is Isofix, you cannot use over 18kg because the Isofix tethers cannot handle the weight. If it is seatbelt it's up to you whether you keep it rear facing or not. From our experience I would recommend Britax over Besafe, the Besafe is too bulky, even in an SUV it seriously limits your space, and then there are small things that can get annoying, for instance the straps are not as thick as the ones on Britax so they twist around a lot and are hard to adjust. You can buy most of these on Mumzworld locally and they have good returns policy if you are not happy.
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 18 November 2015 - 10:28
Regarding holding back, I suppose it depends on the birth date. Our DD is early September and all schools we were interested in did in fact suggest she should start at 4 rather than 3. These schools include Horizon and DESS. But I believe that if for instance you child has a June or July birthday you may need to discuss with the school in more detail. I made sure I had the registrar's response on email in case later on they changed the story, but none did.
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 16 November 2015 - 10:18
Is there anybody who has been offered a place at dess for Fs1 2016 or have attended the assessment?? We have an assessment coming up...I would like to know how it is at dess We had our yesterday, it was fine, small groups, I think 5-6 kids in each group and parents could stay with them. They will be making the first round of offers in the second week of December.
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 12 November 2015 - 13:04
We were lucky to actually get a place but my understanding is that they send the offers in "waves" and depending on the acceptances they move to the next "wave" etc. I was told the waiting list is so long that they are not accepting any more applications for FS1 or FS2 2016, so if I were you I'd wait a couple of weeks for the process to play out and then I'd check again to see if you can get an offer by that time or if you stay on the waiting list whereabouts on the list are you, so you can assess the likelihood of getting a place.
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 08 October 2015 - 12:50
I’m planning a move back to DXB in the new year and I have a LO who will turn three in March 2016. I’m hoping to get the enrolment applications in asap. I haven’t left it too late for FS1 (2016) have I? I emailed them in Feb and they said not to apply until October but then I heard they're already doing the assessments now.. So I'm confused about the timing. I have narrowed my list down to these schools: Emirates International School (both campuses) Horizon International School GEMS Wellington International School Is four school applications enough or should I be applying for more in case we miss out? Any tips or suggestions on applying for FS1 from overseas would be appreciated. Many schools are doing assessments in October and November, some are doing them as late as January and I imagine that if they have spaces left they would continue accepting applications and doing assessments later in the year. For some schools you probably won't be able to apply anymore though as they open applications for 3-4 days and then close them because they receive enough for the spots available plus what they consider a healthy waiting list (King's for example, GWI may be similar). Everything can vary from school to school so just deal with the registrar of your chosen school and don't waste time over here:-) If you need a comprehensive school list check WhichSchoolAdvisor, it's pretty good and has all the contacts you're need.
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 07 October 2015 - 13:37
I haven't tried it as its too far from where we live but I know the owners and they're lovely. They have a very good Facebook page with photos, schedules, info, etc. so it will help you get a better idea of the place. I'm hearing that the barre and suspension yoga classes are very popular...
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 28 September 2015 - 12:38
The OP didn't ask about NAS... NAS has quite a different reputation from the one that Kings posters portray here but as the old saying goes...fling enough mud. I think it does them no credit though as why do they need to do it? I know they didn't ask about NAS but I mentioned my experience because the school name came up in a couple of posts. But I thought you were implying the positive comments about King's were not entirely true that is why I asked, because if there is something worth knowing I'd rather know it now that I'm undecided...For the sake of clarity I have visited both Kings (Nad Al Sheba) and NAS and was not too keen on either but at least the attitude at King's was much better than what I experienced at NAS. If I do apply at King's it will not be my top choice but perhaps a back up. I take all comments with a pinch of salt but if I see something that reads true I will try to personally validate it or otherwise.
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 28 September 2015 - 11:17
It's over the counter but most places offer free eye exam by an Optometrist (not Ophthalmologist) so best do that too before you buy, to make sure your prescription hasn't changed.
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 28 September 2015 - 11:14
Another very happy King's Al Barsha family here :) Wonderful Management, staff are really excellent and the school is inclusive ( a rare commodity in Dubai). Unlike other schools in Dubai (NAS being one of them) Kings wont take on a child that they cannot adequately support. For any parents with Dyslexic children, the support is excellent. Better than anything we have experienced as a family or indeed in my capacity as a teacher in various schools in Dubai. Of course the above is not actually the case. The other "benefits" of Kings over NAS are that Kings has no waiting list and always has places What is not true lovingthesun? Can you be a bit more specific as I am considering King's as one of our options and all opinions matter. From personal experience I was very disappointed by my visit at NAS, the admissions lady (who I believe was previously at King's) was vile and so conceited. First of all, although I had specifically enquired about FS1 and was told to go to the tour she told me they don't do tours of the Foundation area. This sounds totally ridiculous as this is where kids start school and I'm sure every parent of a young child would insist on seeing the Foundation area. She then asked which year we were interested in; I said 2016 and another family said 2015 (it was May when we went on the visit). She scoffed at the other family and said 2015 was impossible; as for us, she told us 2016 may be possible but not likely as at that time (May 2015) they had 30 applications for each available place, so 3000 applications which I'm sure by now must be closer to 3500 if not more. So she was basically telling me to my face that they are happily taking our money though they know that they will most likely not even be able to offer an assessment to all applicants. Terrible attitude and I found it extremely offensive to prospective parents and kids. Luckily after the tour we decided NAS is not the right environment for our child so we won't have to deal with her again in the future....
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 17 September 2015 - 16:56
If you really liked the school just do a test run a couple of mornings at the times you would need to drop off and see how it is; don't just take my word for it...traffic conditions car vary every 15-20 mins, although it is generally pretty bad from 7am till 9:30 am. Btw, I don't have kids at the school but i have friends that do and they are complaining about the class size and the fact there are not enough lockers, cafeteria space etc. for all kids. Just check the details before you commit as these things can make a difference to how smoothly the kid's day runs.
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 17 September 2015 - 14:56
Totally away from the 2 schools/areas you mentioned, but have you considered living in Silicon Oasis and sending your children to Welling Academy in Silicon Oasis? We went for a tour the other day and were very impressed, they have a great program to help kids who need extra attention, and we will most likely be sending our 3 year old there next year. It definitely is not a small school though! You will get a much bigger house for your budget in Silicon Oasis, newer villas, and less traffic on the drive to Downtown for your husband. The school is a 3 minute drive from the main community (Cedre and Semmer Villas). The area is far away from the main city though, which might be a positive or negative for you depending on what you prefer. Personally I think it's a welcome change from the Dubai traffic. Good luck with our move! Just FYI as I live in DSO and work near Downtown: the going rate for villas here for several months now has been in the 200-230k region and even so, few are available. As for traffic, it is atrocious, especially during school drop off times. It can take 15-20 mins just to get out of DSO and then Al Ain Rd is usually at a standstill most mornings. Also, having to navigate through the big DSO roundabout in heavy traffic is certainly not for the timid driver....
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 29 July 2015 - 10:25
Slightly off topic, can anyone tell me how is it living there, I live in vibrant apartments and feel it will be too quiet for us. I have a 5 yr and 2 year old. TIA The new villas are basically attached to the old development so location wise it's practically the same. To my knowledge the new ones are being rented out by the DSO authority. The cedre villa community is excellent for families, we have two kids and they love the park, swimming pool, Kid's Jungle at the community Center.
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 24 June 2015 - 17:21
We went through a period when only Voltaren suppositories would bring down high fevers but check with a Dr first as its a stronger medicine.
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 24 June 2015 - 17:18
I recently went to visit Safa Community School and if I recall correctly other than FS1 and FS2 they have places in other years and they are reasonably priced. I believe most of the schools that opened a year or two ago will have places for your kids and a few of them are not too pricey. Good luck!
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 18 June 2015 - 14:26
I will go against what everybody else has said and say that it depends...our nursery provides that service and we have been using it since DD turned 2, so for a year now. The nursery is regulated by the KHDA. There is a TA in the bus with the kids and we had to provide a car seat that is permanently kept in the bus. All kids using the bus have their own car seat. I will however say that the drive to our house is about 10 mins and not using major highways, I might have been more concerned about possible risks otherwise. I think you need to look into the details before you decide, for us it made sense as neither myself nor my husband could leave work to pick her up otherwise.
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 07 April 2015 - 22:07
If you really want to increase your supply rent a hospital grade pump, otherwise Medela Swing is the most frequently recommended one and I seem to recall comments about another brand but can't find the name now, will post again if I do.
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 07 April 2015 - 22:02
I saw some at Babyshop in Mirdif City center last week....
Big blue
548
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EW GURU
Latest post on 22 January 2015 - 08:59
The purpose of the ruling is to ensure children start school slightly later, not earlier. There is no way that a child would be admitted at 2 years 10 months even under the current system. From my understanding and research and talking to several schools (I have a September child) if your child was born in October 2013 then under the current cutoff they would be admitted in September 2017 and if the cutoff is moved to December my understanding is that you would still be admitted in September 2017 because the objective is for children to be 3yrs 8 months or thereabouts when they start school, which your child would be by September.
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 08 January 2015 - 08:27
Mrs Rayner, check Dr George at Genesis Clinic (right next to City Hospital), he does specialize in high risk pregnancies.
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 08 January 2015 - 08:26
Big blue: hi I'm due on 26th feb... This is my 1st pregnancy ... What about you...Why don't you join the coffee mornings on Monday... Would be lovely to meet you and you will also meet a lot of other moms and moms to be there.. Hi First time mom,, I wish I could but I'm working so coffee mornings aren't an option for me... I'm starting my leave in a couple of weeks as I'll be heading home for the delivery and hence I'll be gone for 2 months or so. Perhaps I'll meet some February babies when we come back as I will have leave for a few months and may be able to join a coffee morning then:-) Best of luck to all the ladies with your pregnancies, I wish safe deliveries and healthy, bubbly babies to all!
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 07 December 2014 - 10:07
I saw Gripe water recently at Spinneys but I know it's a hit or miss thing whether you find it or not. Probably best to focus on your diet as a first step and keep up with the lengthy burping and see if you notice any improvement.
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 07 December 2014 - 10:03
Hi ladies. I have a colleague travelling soon and he's looking for those baby bottles that have the bag inserts. so you can put a bag of milk in the bottle and not worry about having to take several bottles with you, you just take the one. Playtex is one brand we've found but no idea if it's available here. Any other brands that you know are available here? TIA Not 100% sure I understand the type, as I assume you would still need multiple teats, but just thought I'd mention they sell Playtex here, I've seen then for sure at Life pharmacies.
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 07 December 2014 - 10:01
I found out at 11 weeks because I did the NIPT test, that is the only way to find out early with 99% accuracy as it is a DNA test. However the test is expensive and usually only advised for "older" mothers as the primary reason for testing is Down syndrome and other chromosome conditions.
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 30 November 2014 - 09:34
Hi Sue, It's not very hard; I believe there are two ways to reach there if coming from AR but I will just describe the one I know which I think is quire straightforward. Exit AR on 311 direction Sharjah, approximately 9km later you will take exit 44 (I think it says Al Ain, Nad Al Sheba, Al Khawaneej on the sign). Move to the right lane, the road will curve and you will be parallel to Al Ain Rd, direction Al Ain. As you merge onto Al Ain Rd look out for exit 16 to Al Khawaneej, take it and after a long curve you will find yourself on Academic City Rd and you'll see a couple of the big universities to your right ( Zayed Uni and HCT). At the first roundabout you come across go right, then go straight till the next roundabout and then turn right again. DESC will be on your left but there is no left turn, you need to keep driving to the next roundabout so you can do a U turn and find yourself on the DESC side.
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 26 November 2014 - 11:39
You are correct about the 3 yrs 8 months but many schools don't apply it, especially because places for Sept 2014 in many cases had been allocated prior to the KHDA announcement. If I understand correctly your son is 3 now so you should focus on FS1 for Sept 2015. Our DD will go when she turns 4 and that is what we have been advised by most schools (except GEMS). In the meantime for this year your son could continue at a nursery, most would take him. Perhaps if you mention your location you will get more specific recommendations.
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 24 November 2014 - 09:47
I sometimes see similar ones at Ripe Market and you could also try easyart.com if you don't find anything here, they have loads of stuff.
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 24 November 2014 - 09:34
Galleries Lafayette in Dubai Mall do it but no idea about their rates; could very well be more expensive than other places.
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 16 November 2014 - 10:15
To echo what some other mums have said, my personal opinion is that at just 3 kids are too young to be in a school environment with everything that entails. Additionally, I believe the KHDA guidelines issued last year are that children should be 3 yrs and 8 months when they start school. GEMS are notorious for ignoring all that; our DD is an early September baby who would have made the GEMS cutoff and could have been accepted for FS1 in September 2015; however, no other reputable school in Dubai (and I have contacted at least 10 and asked this question) would accept her in 2015 as they consider her too young. Frankly I am glad this is the case; someone said a year doesn't make a huge difference and that you're just delaying the inevitable but I disagree. A year for such young children makes a huge difference...even a few months make a difference. If you are really keen on JPS perhaps you could ask whether they could defer the entry to 2016 seeing as your child will have just turned 3? Good luck in any case, I know it's a very difficult decision to make.
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 16 November 2014 - 10:09
Always available at Spinneys in Silicon Oasis but of course that's nowhere near the Marina....sorry.
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 02 November 2014 - 09:57
Lakeland has it, as previously noted
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 02 November 2014 - 09:52
Hi KCee, I had one made recently at Park 'n' Shop for my daughter's birthday and I found it quite disappointing. The photo they printed on top didn't look good (too grainy, poor colors- and it was one from their book of photos so you'd think they would have mastered those) the decoration on the edge of the cake was hard like cement and totally inedible and the cake itself was like a chocolate sponge cake, vary hard to identify any filling and pretty tasteless other than the overwhelming taste of sugar. I got another cake a few days later from Sugaholic that was fantastic but I know they're a lot more expensive and perhaps you wouldn't want to go down that path. Another idea a friend went with is that she bought a basic chocolate cake from Spinneys and then decorated it herself with figurines and candy; it looked great and tasted much better than the one we had from Park 'n Shop.
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 30 October 2014 - 10:21
You should first identify schools that interest you and then check with their registrars when you should apply and for which year; normally you should be looking at Sept 2015 entry but best to confirm. If you can't get a place at a school you like you can do FS1 and even FS2 at a nursery; the ones who can do that are usually called Early Learving Centers. I don't know if all have to be approved by the KHDA (the authority that regulates schools here) but it's best if they are as this should then make the transition to a school a bit easier. Unless you're super keen on one school don't worry about it too much, just in Septemner 2014 over 10 new schools opened in Dubai and there are a handful more scheduled to open in September 2015 so if you are flexible you will definately get a spot.
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 30 October 2014 - 10:13
Hi there, I don't believe it's on the mandatory list but it's recommended. We had it done at 24 months and it is supposed to provide lifetime protection against a relatively rare but very serious disease so I felt it was worth doing. We had no side effects.
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 16 October 2014 - 09:09
Hi ladies, I'm also due Feb 25. Coffee mornings sound fun but unfortunately I can't join because I'm at work...hope you're all doing great!
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 15 October 2014 - 08:48
Hi there, if Meydan Heights is the development behind the Meydan Racecourse then you will be ideally located for the original Safa school. I don't think there is an exit from Meydan Heights to E311 but I may be wrong. You could also access E44 (Al Khail Rd) relatively easily, however most schools will be on the "other" side of the road from where you will be coming and thus you will need to turn around at a junction, hence causing you to drive further and possibly encountering more traffic. The schools you listed will prob all take about 20 mins to reach with traffic, except perhaps Horizon which is in the middle of a massive redevelopment going on in that part of town and traffic and accessibility may progressively get a lot worse. If however Meydan Heights is the development on the corner of E311 (MBZ Rd) and E66 (Al Ain Rd), to my knowledge it has not been handed over yet, and you may be some of the first people moving there in December. Regardless, that location is better placed for schools "along" the E311 (Repton, Jess, GEMS DSO, GEMS Villa, NAS, New Safa school, GEMS Motorcity, etc).
Big blue
548
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EW GURU
Latest post on 12 October 2014 - 21:06
Hi Tabj, Dr Abdulla Al Khayat is an excellent pediatric cardiologist. You can find him at the Medical Specialists Center in Dubai (www.msc-dubai.com)
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 28 September 2014 - 11:20
I find NYE traffic across Dubai is generally worse before midnight (say from 9 to 11pm) when everybody is trying to get somewhere and then it picks up again from about 1am for those heading home early. No idea how Airport Rd may be though...
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 28 September 2014 - 11:01
I think it's time the US and Canada change their nationality laws from obtaining nationality by virtue of the place of birth to either the more common by blood line (i.e. one or both parents have that nationality) or a combination of blood line and other factors. They are the only two developed countries still allowing it and scores of people have been abusing it over the years. As for the changes in Canadian immigration law, I am not Canadian but I firmly believe that anyone who wishes to immigrate whether to Canada or elsewhere should so so in good faith and with the intention to stay in their new country and be grateful for the chance at a better life that they are given. If a family is in dire need of a "better passport" as unfortunately is the case with many in this part of the world and it is totally understandable, it shouldn't matter if it takes 3 years or 4 or 5 to get it when whatthey are getting is a new life for them and their kids. Many people seem to think that one of the drivers for this change were the hundreds if not thousands of cases of fraud relating to immigration and unfortunately a large percentage of those seems to be from Arab nationals. Now everybody has to live with the consequences....
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 28 September 2014 - 10:46
You can also check the notice boards at Spinneys in the Cedre Community Center and I assume also at the Semmer Community Center, they may have some posting there. And if you are an Emirates Airlines family I assume they must have their own forum where you could ask/reach out to people. Good luck!
Big blue
548
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 14 September 2014 - 11:32
Thanks ladies, I'm not concerned as much about the long processing time, what drives me mad is that we have no way of knowing that it IS being processed or check the status of the application. The Consulate in Dubai is useless as usual: "no, we don't have any information and we won't receive anything until we get the actual processed application back"; it is basically a big black hole once you submit your application to them. As for contacting Canada, they make it impossible; all numbers listed on the CIC website are for those who have applied within Canada, otherwise you are expected to interact with the Canada Visa office where you submitted. And even if we found a way to contact them we have no means of identifying the application other than a name; since we were never provided a case reference or anything else....I'm not Canadian myself but this is not what I was expecting from dealing with a government structure like that of Canada.
 
 
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