Im moving to Finland, pregnant & want to get married!!!

[Hank W.]

u did some research!!!!

Well, don't *you*?

but he's kinda stuck on how great it is in the us. not really great but we have a crazy and supporting health system where immigrants can be seen and treated on at tax payers expense.

Yeah, well, see now we have a "free" healthcare system, as in universal coverage (a bit like say Canada) and we look at the US as some kind of evil place where you won't get taken in the ambulance unless you got a credit card sticking out of your pocket. Seen too much of ER in tv I guess.

Its about illusions and realities (and Finns get a lot of tv off the US and of course life is just as on tv..). The truth is a thin line you tread in between. And it depends on your viewpoint and experience.

You go on and tell C to talk with someone who has done this "wife/girlfriend import" thing before. The coach should know. And you need to get some whose actually done it, not someone who *thinks* he knows. His game is going to suffer if he's worrying about you and the kids. And some 13-20 hour flight with a small child, you pregnant let alone then with a newborn. Seriously, thats worse than "Amazing Race" elimination pitstop.

Thing is though, you asked this all before or there was almost a similar post of some "basketball widow" moving to somewhere in Ostrobothnia about a year ago? Or two?

may i ask whats your proffesion?

basketball betting agent just kiddin...

[raamv]

Still,
Your first thing to work out is a "resident permit" to stay in this country as the spouse of a person working here. This needs to be applied like you apply for a visa in the Finnish embassy in Washington.
That requires a set of papers and a Fee too and it could take upto 4 months to get that permit..
CHeck here : http://www.finland.org/en/
and for the resident permit form :
http://www.finland.org/doc/en/consular/residence.html
There are at least 10-13 conditions and paperwork needed for this..

If the first is not sorted out, as Hank says, you are a tourist with a premeditated condition....
Weigh your options against the 2500 that you already spent only for the ticket...

Cos once you are here on the permit, you need to register immediately with Maistraatti(Domicle Registration center which gives out your ID no and also marriages etc) and KELA (Health and Social system) as well as have a quick crash course in nevoula(The local health center) as well as the hopital tour all of these when you dont have any clue of the language...

At the same time, getting married here also requires you to go through a heck a lot of paperwork with the maistraatti.

And considering the area of the village that you re going to...I ve heard stories of "open-arm-welcome-for-foreigners" - Not!!!
All this going on at super-speed when you need to be resting for the baby and remaining calm..??Sounds like you are in for a ride..

Also depending on the week that you travel...Sara's advice is strictly followed in the transatlantic routes..
Also, you will be Required to take traveller's insurance ( dont know if it is too late to do this in the US now) when you are traveling pregnant after some weeks as per most airline rules..