Before choosing Canada we had many countries to choose from:
The U.S.A. was another potential target. They loved papers even in those days. It was a long drawn out process to qualify but once it was done you were guaranteed a visa in very short order. The Swedish quota of immigrants of 24,000 was never filled. There may have been a few hundred, at best, going to USA each year in these days. We did it all, went to the doctor, got a police certificate to confirm our lack of criminal activities and the time came for the personal interview.
The interviewer was very enthusiastic. Everything in USA was seen through rose coloured glasses, everything was perfect and we would become millionaires in no time. The description may not have been in those exact words but the interviewer really loved his home country.
We had returned for a second, final, interview which was going really well until the officer started in on his pre-set questionnaire. Some time in, he leaned to look Monica in the eyes and asked:
"Have you ever earned a living as a prostitute."
Not a good question to a young newly married wife, considering they already had a police report to the negative. Her face looked strained and in a few seconds, she stood up, grabbed me by the shoulder and said,
"We leave now."
- and we did. The interview was wrapped up in the next few minutes and we exited. The immigration interviewer's last words were:
“We hope to see you again, soon.”
Some luck for that... - But we did actually receive a complete set of immigration papers to USA, addressed to us in Montreal about a year later, without any further action on our part. Strangely turns the wheels of immigration departments.
That ended our desire for going to USA.
Canada next?
To learn more about my very adventurous life, buy my memoirs "The Seasons of a Man" here
https://www.amazon.ca/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=bengt+lindvall+the+seasons+of+a+man
The interviewer was very enthusiastic. Everything in USA was seen through rose coloured glasses, everything was perfect and we would become millionaires in no time. The description may not have been in those exact words but the interviewer really loved his home country.
We had returned for a second, final, interview which was going really well until the officer started in on his pre-set questionnaire. Some time in, he leaned to look Monica in the eyes and asked:
"Have you ever earned a living as a prostitute."
Not a good question to a young newly married wife, considering they already had a police report to the negative. Her face looked strained and in a few seconds, she stood up, grabbed me by the shoulder and said,
"We leave now."
- and we did. The interview was wrapped up in the next few minutes and we exited. The immigration interviewer's last words were:
“We hope to see you again, soon.”
Some luck for that... - But we did actually receive a complete set of immigration papers to USA, addressed to us in Montreal about a year later, without any further action on our part. Strangely turns the wheels of immigration departments.
That ended our desire for going to USA.
Canada next?
To learn more about my very adventurous life, buy my memoirs "The Seasons of a Man" here
https://www.amazon.ca/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=bengt+lindvall+the+seasons+of+a+man
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