[Iain & Liz]

hello everyone,

Well we have been in Christchurch for just over a month now, what hectic time it has been to! Iain had a work visa arranged and has been working for the last fortnight, but I only had a visitors visa. We were selected from the pool on the 15th september 04 our ITA came mid October, we had our meds done at short notice in the uk :exit we then flew out to Christchurch on the 9th November.
we handed our application for residence in yesterday (14,12,04) at the christchurch office at about 1.30pm and today (15,12,04)at 11.00am
we recived a phone call from our case officer that it was accepted and we are now RESIDENCE!!!!!!!! :cheers :nice1 . How quick was that?! We were told to expect about a six month wait not 24hrs.

Any way Cristchurch was not what we expected when we first arrived, however it is quite quickly and comfortably becoming home.

The only tip we can give is keep pestering them, phone calls emails faxes., whatever it takes!

I feel the need for some dancing bananas where have they gone?

LIZ

[bbq]

Hi Liz :raebanana :raebanana :raebanana :raebanana :raebanana :raebanana :raebanana :raebanana :raebanana

cheers

alex

p.s. (check View more EMoticons )

[cagcagb]

:raebanana :raebanana :raebanana :raebanana :raebanana :raebanana :raebanana

seven more happy, dancing bananas for you.

me? I had trouble with the payment of my application but its ok now... I 'm eagerly and hopefully waiting for the nzis nod.

congrats again for the very fast approval! And the better news is, you are included in the old citizenship law!

cathy :mrgreen:

[leslie]

you wouldn't be related to david blunkett, would you?

[Timbo]

Leslie, naughty naughty. :eek

[Iain & Liz]

hello
i dont get the david blunket bit please explain!!!!!

[chuchi]

hi liz,

congratulations! :raebanana :raebanana :raebanana :raebanana :raebanana :raebanana :raebanana :raebanana :raebanana :raebanana

wow! that was fast!

so you lodged your EOI while in UK, received ITA pack also in UK and lodged your application for PR in NZ? did i get that right? did you have to talk to anyone to have your papers transferred from UK to NZ?

how much did you have to pay for the application, NZD1320 or NZD660?

we are expecting our ITA before we leave for NZ in early Feb and we would like to submit our application in NZ. we really cant send our passports out when we send out our ITA as we have to travel to NZ and that way, its much cheaper, too.

would appreciate your inputs.

thanks and good luck to us all.

[Iain & Liz]

hello
we submitted our EOI in the uk,was selected,
found iain a job
applyed for work visa for iain and visitors visa for me and the kids.
ITA arrived and we were assigned an officer in the uk.
ALL THE PAPER WORK COMES BACK TO YOU .
we had our meds done in the uk .
work visa arrived, phoned our officer to let her know we were moving to NZ and she changed our ITA to the christchurch office.
we arrived had a few weeks holiday and time to settle and find a home iain started work.
because we had all the paper work with us it was so easy as we just needed originals when your pack arrives it tells you what you need,
took it in and within 24 hours it was accepted we payed $660 for the application there and then, and we have 6 months to pay the levy which is $1200 for all of us .

so when your pack arrives gather all the information they need ,meds,house hold bills in your name and partner if you have one,birth certs,qualifications,police cheaks,marrige cert,and ref's from employers if you can get them to do 2,and any thing else that shows them that you are in a partnership. put it all in a safe place.
call your officer and let them know you are moving you must have a address in nz so perhaps a po box.
when you arrive and are sorted then take it in and they do the rest.
i would recomend contacting kiwi on this site as she can arrange accomidation,po box and any thing else you need and she only charges a little compared to the big companies and believe me its worthit as it takes the stress out of it all so you can arrive and relax for a while
anything else let us know

[chuchi]

hi liz,

thanks for the response and thanks for all the advice. will really be useful once we get there.

so a PO Box will do? i thought you had to have a residence address in the application. if this is the case, its better as we will likely be staying in a lodge for a few weeks (arranged by my partner's employer--so accommodation not really a prob for us).

hmmm, will try to submit the paperwork in person in NZ, and hopefully get PR soon.

thanks again, Liz! good luck!

[Iain & Liz]

just found out about blunket and what a mess (one less to worry about )
and no not related

[kiwi]

CONGRATS!!! how quick is that!

It was my cousin who did your docs (I have cousins everywhere me...no not really...didnt have squat to do with it!!)

But if I could have helped..I would have.

Well done on being kiwis...who would have thought at the beginning of this year how things would have turned out! (wet cold christmas alone at the bottom of the world..ha ha!)

see you chrissie day, bring a coat :laugh
Nicky

[Iain & Liz]

we might have too.
and the sledge,ski's what horrible weather :nice1

[Arlevien]

OMG 24 HOURS :eek :eek !? That is just the fastest PR approval process I have heard anywhere... U guys hold this record for sure.

[Babette & Andy]

WOW Liz & Iain :raebanana
What a wonderful way to end 2004, and start your new lives as kiwi's in 2005. I'm so pleased for you guys.
Have a great Christmas!!
luv
Babette