It’s January. Which means it’s time for the annual trek to the Amn el-Aam (General Security offices) to renew the papers of the housekeeper. This is an excruciating long and complicated process that involves as many trips as possible to as many different offices as possible. The officers in charge make it their business to ask for that one paper that you do not have, or that one form that you not copied triple but only double, that one signature that is not quite clear, or that one picture that does not resemble quite accurately the person concerned.
Well, one blogger pointed out to me that there is a web site of the Lebanese government (The Office of the Minister of State for Administrative Reform (OMSAR) that tells you exactly what papers and forms are needed and where. It’s all about transparency these days. I checked out the site. It states the following:
Application for an annual residence permit or renewal of an annual residence permit for holders of a work permit of Category 4 (housemaids): 1st housemaid – 2nd housemaid – 3rd housemaid and more.
Well, one blogger pointed out to me that there is a web site of the Lebanese government (The Office of the Minister of State for Administrative Reform (OMSAR) that tells you exactly what papers and forms are needed and where. It’s all about transparency these days. I checked out the site. It states the following:
Application for an annual residence permit or renewal of an annual residence permit for holders of a work permit of Category 4 (housemaids): 1st housemaid – 2nd housemaid – 3rd housemaid and more.
Documents required:
1. A foreign passport valid for at least 12 months, along with three copies of it.
2. A work permit valid for more than 6 months.
3. The employer’s family civil status record.
4. Two 4 x 4 ID photos.
5. A copy of all requested documents.
And so I got all these papers ready, made three copies of each, just in case. And this morning I went, in a fantastic mood, to the Amn el-Aam. After all, what could go wrong? I was sooooo prepared.
Aah, do I hear people chuckle already? After last year’s experience, you’d think I would have learned a thing or two. Hey, I did exactly as asked. What could go wrong, right?
Right. So I stand in line. I quite like lines. And everyone was standing in line. When someone jumped the line, the men behind the counter quickly and resolutely asked the person to return to the line. I was getting more and more impressed. This was looking really good.
1. A foreign passport valid for at least 12 months, along with three copies of it.
2. A work permit valid for more than 6 months.
3. The employer’s family civil status record.
4. Two 4 x 4 ID photos.
5. A copy of all requested documents.
And so I got all these papers ready, made three copies of each, just in case. And this morning I went, in a fantastic mood, to the Amn el-Aam. After all, what could go wrong? I was sooooo prepared.
Aah, do I hear people chuckle already? After last year’s experience, you’d think I would have learned a thing or two. Hey, I did exactly as asked. What could go wrong, right?
Right. So I stand in line. I quite like lines. And everyone was standing in line. When someone jumped the line, the men behind the counter quickly and resolutely asked the person to return to the line. I was getting more and more impressed. This was looking really good.
And then it was my turn. The officer asked for her passport.
I had it.
Three copies?
Here you go.
Work permit?
Got it.
Khrash elkeit el-ayle (family civil status record) ?
Yep.
Copy?
Here you go.
Two passport pictures?
I got even three!
Work contract?
…..
Her work contract?
Excuse me?
Her contract?
What contract?
Her work contract.
Well, it doesn’t say in the web site.
What web site?
I had it.
Three copies?
Here you go.
Work permit?
Got it.
Khrash elkeit el-ayle (family civil status record) ?
Yep.
Copy?
Here you go.
Two passport pictures?
I got even three!
Work contract?
…..
Her work contract?
Excuse me?
Her contract?
What contract?
Her work contract.
Well, it doesn’t say in the web site.
What web site?
Your web site!
I don’t have a web site.
Yes you do. Well, your ministry does. It doesn’t say I need a work contract.
Well, you do.
But what about the web site?
Shoe gasni el web site (What do I have to do with the web site)?
Well, it said the papers I needed, and it didn’t say work a work contract.
Sorry, but I cannot help you without the work contract. NEXT!
Yes you do. Well, your ministry does. It doesn’t say I need a work contract.
Well, you do.
But what about the web site?
Shoe gasni el web site (What do I have to do with the web site)?
Well, it said the papers I needed, and it didn’t say work a work contract.
Sorry, but I cannot help you without the work contract. NEXT!
Picture up: My fixer, on his way to the Adlieh Office for yet another form, a stamp a signature or all three. I love the way he looks, with his woolen scarf and hat. Very traditional.
And that was the end of that. Defeated again by the Lebanese bureaucracy (do you read this, KG? Please check your pulse.)
But I did learn from last year’s experience. I got my fixer on the line. And he fixed it for me. He thought it was quite funny. He remembered me from last year.
But I did learn from last year’s experience. I got my fixer on the line. And he fixed it for me. He thought it was quite funny. He remembered me from last year.
“Why did you not call me right away”, he asked.
“Well, I thought I had everything in order”, I replied.
“Hahahaha,” he laughed. He obviously thought that was quite a good one.
“Listen,” he said, “why don’t I put you in my agenda for December 2008, and I’ll give you a call, to remind you about her papers, and I’ll come to your house, pick them up, and do it for you. Doesn’t cost much. What do you think?”
What do I think? You da man!
“Well, I thought I had everything in order”, I replied.
“Hahahaha,” he laughed. He obviously thought that was quite a good one.
“Listen,” he said, “why don’t I put you in my agenda for December 2008, and I’ll give you a call, to remind you about her papers, and I’ll come to your house, pick them up, and do it for you. Doesn’t cost much. What do you think?”
What do I think? You da man!
On another note: Suddenly I see chairs everywhere. Remember this one? It is still there. Get the other one, and you have (not a matching) a set.
Which reminds me; THE chair is still not filled.
Another thing that caught my eye today. You do not see this very often anymore; shrapnel remains. My guess this one dates from the war between Aoun and Geagea, back in 1989.
6 comments:
HAHA ur such a moron..u deserve more than that...GO PPL RESPOSIBLE AT THE OFFICE ! not the stupid website...or u just felt like..yey a website lets check it..WELL NO! welcome to the middle east..skralsk whatever ur assy name is.
K.G.
Just for the sake of clarification, OMSAR has nothing to do with General Security. Informs is a project launched by OMSAR, in which the team contacted all the public sector institutions and tried to compile the most requested procedures on one website. They merely translated and published what these institutions sent them.
OMSAR (along with many other local/int'l parties) have been working on an e-government project for ages, where almost every procedure would become automated, but as you can see from the General Security officer you had the misfortune of dealing with, the process is still (very!) long and arduous.
I suggest you email your complaint to jriachi@omsar.gov.lb - he's the head of the team. I already heard more than one complaint regarding the details available on the site(mainly from friends checking it out from abroad), and when I told Mr. Riachi about it, he asked me to always let them contact him with the complaint. So... here's your chance :)
What a hoot. Your fixer is a stitch.
The last item on OMSAR's list, "a copy of all requested documents", made me laugh. No hint as to what might be requested, just that you must have a copy of it.
On the other hand, I've actually rung up the Amn al-3am and they are pretty helpful on the phone. The answerer doesn't necessarily speak English, but he will find someone who does for you. The website is general-security.gov.lb (English, French, Arabic, all endearingly vague), 01 42 90 60/1.
Thank you delerious, for the info. I will mail him right away.
Sietske
ha-ha-ha skralsk and her husband thor! although i must say norway is so much better than the netherlands. and so is germany. i think dutch people are jealous of the germans for their intelligence, ingenuity and general savvy. all the dutch have are a bunch of tulips and some wooden shoes. oh yeah and dam thingies named after lesbians. and prostitution. oh and drugs, which may explain A LOT.
L.
Hehe, thanks for the laugh!
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