I'm Legal!

I finally received my work permit from the Ugandan government!  Just in time to be able to leave the country for a visit to Kenya.  Honestly, I had an easy time of it compared to some of my teammates immigration horror stories.  In case any of you ever need to get a work permit in Uganda, below are some helpful guidelines.  

1. Apply Early – and include every document that has your name and some sort of official seal.  I turned in my request in November.  My file included everything from copy of passport (expected) to copy of high-school transcript (embarrassing).  Sometimes it takes several attempts to get your request accepted.
2. Be patient.  Wait, Wait, Wait. 
3. After 3 full months, travel to the immigration office in Kampala (a 4 hour trip for me) to check on your status. HOW TO CHECK STATUS:
1. Go to office A (size of a shoebox) and look through “official” records journal to find your request number.
2. Go to office B (size of large closet) with your request number.  Watch as officer goes up to a wall (floor to ceiling) of papers and files.  Magically your file emerges.
3. Determine if your request has been (a) acknowledged, (b) ignored, (c) forgotten, (d) lost, (e) denied, or (f) granted!
4. At this point, if request is stalled, you’ll have to make another trip to Kampala in a few weeks.
5. Once request is granted – proceed to Office C with your file.  Here a person behind iron bars determines how much money you owe and issues you an official bill.  (My work permit cost 250,000 shillings or around $125.)
6. Take this slip of paper across busy and crowded Kampala city to the Ugandan Internal Revenue Bank.  (figure out where in the heck is the Ugandan Internal Revenue Bank).
7. At Bank go to Counter A – push your way through the crowd towards the front and eventually to a clerk who will take your money and type something in the computer.
8. Still at Bank – wait across the room in front of Counter B for another clerk to call out your name indicating that your official receipt is ready.  This receipt takes anywhere from 30 - 90 minutes.
9. Drive back across busy Kampala to the Immigration Offices with official receipt the verifies your payment.
10. Go back to Office B, present official receipt. Leave passport with officer for another week for the official work permit to be inserted into your passport.
11. Wait a week.
12. Drive back to Kampala to pick up passport.  Be thankful!!