[roseandrob]

Hello

Just wanted to say hello really! We've been reading this site for months. I'm a kiwi (born and bred in Christchurch and I spent a couple of years in Auckland before moving here), I've been in the UK for the past nine years and my partner is a builder from South Africa, he's 31 and I'm 24 and we've been together for almost 3 years. I'm leaving the UK because I want to return home, and my partner because England, and London especially, isn't where he wants to be long term and he does not want to return to SA.

We're applying for a partner visa which I think seems straight forward, and we're just waiting for the police checks to come back before doing the medical and sending everything off.

I went back to NZ for the first time in 9 years at the beginning of the year and absolutely fell in love with the place, in fact, the only thing that made me get back on that plane was my partner. I don't know how many people on the board live in London, but London is not for me! I am getting to the point where I feel as though I'm about to have a breakdown on every tube journey (and that's four tubes a day for me.. and two busses). The pace of life, the amount of people, the type of people, the pollution, the cost of everything - not for me.

I have to say, Christchurch looks the same as it did 9 years ago, with a few more houses thrown in. I really did feel as though I went back in a time warp, but I love the place, hicksville or not. I had the most fantastic childhood in Christchurch, and went to a school in Yaldhurst with at the most, 15-20 kids in the class. And Auckland! So many new houses and suburbs it's unbelievable. We lived in Flat Bush (near to Botany Downs etc) and there wasn't a house in sight when we were there! (okay there were a few, but not many at all, it was all farm land). It's so built up - I got a worrying feeling when I was there - I hope we don't spoil what makes New Zealand so special!

Sorry for the long post!

Thanks
Rose

[wiki]

Hi Rose, welcome to the forum

I'm also a kiwi returning home (after 10 years in Manchester and Yorkshire - nothing could persuade me to live in London)

I'm from Invercargill - so even more hicksville than you - but I'm looking forward to going back for many of the same reasons that you stated. My British partner is being very brave and coming too without ever visiting NZ before!

The partnership application really is easy - ours took five months, but only because of a couple of medical issue with my OH... but they really do want kiwis to come home, so will try everything to grant you approval and tend to deal with the applications really quickly.

We'll be landing in NZ a week tomorrow so it's really exciting now - hopefully it will be for you guys too.

Best of luck

Amy

[roseandrob]

Hi Amy

I hope ours takes less than 5 months as I have a plane ticket booked for the end of February! If the visa's through by then - great - if it's not, i'll be seeing my partner out there as I can't take anymore! I had to book a ticket home I was getting more and more depressed. I spent five years living up north too, and that did nothing for me either.

I don't doubt we'll get a visa at all - I just wish things would speed up a bit - we're still waiting for the South African police clearance to come back and we paid an arm and a leg for a speedy courier service!

I live with three kiwi girls all aged between 24-30, and they absolutely love London in all its glory, but I guess it's a great big adventure and party to them. Me, I think I'm going to burst into tears the next time someone whacks into me on the tube or pushes me out of the way for whatever reason.

The only thing I am going to miss about England is the affordability. Here I can go out and buy a flat screen tv and more at the end of the month. In New Zealand I probably won't be able to do that at all. In New Zealand I'm going to put a deposit down on my own house (the one thing that's made the daily grind here in London worthwhile!) and have my own vegetable garden (sad.. you wouldn't think I was 24!) and that means everything to me... it's the simple things really.

We're even thinking of moving all the way down to Dunedin and I've never been there before!

I really hope it works out for you and your partner! This week is going to fly by I'm sure!

[wiki]

Don't worry - as long as your application is in order and you've got 12-months proof of your relationship you'll probably be processed really quickly.

I think the record on here is five weeks from handing the paperwork into NZ House. We knew ours would probably be delayed so were braced for it - plus I needed to give 3 months' notice at work which I wasn't prepared to give until we got the ok for my partner to go.

We applied on Waitangi Day so from then till the plane leaves is eight months, but that gave us plenty of time to make our peace with the UK before we leave.

btw, Dunedin's great - it was our prime location to go to, but then I got offered a job too good to turn down in Invercargill, so we'll start off there and see what happens.

[dharder]

Hi Rose, and welcome to the forum :)

Our partnership application took four weeks and a bit from handing it in to receiving the approved in principle letter. As Amy said, if it is all in order, it should be fairly quick.

As far as London goes, well, I loved living there (even though I complained no end about how impossible it is to live there), would move back NOW if someone gave me the option, and had a really good time there for 11 years and have only been away for a month).

I remember standing in Mile End tube station waiting for the Central Line to come by with a train I could actually get on, staring at a big poster ad for New Zealand: some snowy mountain top with a lake underneath, and the title was 'Wouldn't you rather be here?' (or some such thing). And, even a bit to my surprise, the answer was a loud and clear 'NO'. Takes all kinds, I suppose :)

But anyway, my kiwi partner is desperate to get back home, and I have agreed to give it a (three year) shot.

Good luck with your application,

Daniela

[BaldyBeardyBloke]

Welcome. London eh? Some love it, some hate it. Theres nothing in between I've found.

My sister lives there and loves it. I'm of the opposite opinion and the odd 90 mins visit to watch a footie match was generally enough for me to start craving to be out and back 'oop north again.

Over my 38 years in the UK I found the rest of the major cities going the same way and, sadly, I couldn't afford to live in the country (born and bred in rural Cheshire), so a new land it was for me and family.

Loving the Waikato thus far, although the job market is causing me a major problem now, so Wellington may be an option for a relocation.

I'm really hoping it won't come to that. Not because of anything against Welly, I just really like it where we are, the kids love their school, Hamilton is a nice size for us etc.......

Fingers crossed for Seek turning something up soon.

[holland]

Hi Rose and welcome to the forum

J and G x

[Jo Jo]

Hi Rose, and welcome. I married a kiwi 3 weeks ago and we are moving to NZ in 10 days. (We have been together slightly longer than 3 weeks!) My partnership application took about 4 weeks from submission of all the papers to receiving the approval in principle, and I'm picking up my visa tomorrow.

Good luck with everything.

Jo Jo

[roseandrob]

Thanks for the stories everyone. It's really great to hear - it seems that partner visas are the quickest visas so no worries there!

Baldybeardybloke - I lived up in Chester for five years so not too far from where you used to be I imagine. Yum: the ice cream farm!

I have family in the Waikato and I'm seriously considering Hamilton as well. Or Taupo, apparently Taupo is crying out for builders which is great for OH. Or Tauranga although couldn't afford to buy in Tauranga sadly. I'm, fingers crossed, hoping to be accepted into police training, so hopefully my options won't be so limited.. being a legal secretary (which I really don't want to be anymore (can I write that whilst sitting in work?!)) my only decent options would be Welly, CHCH ad AKL.

I guess for certain jobs you have to be in certain areas in NZ. My dad is a computer software programmer by trade and hasn't been able to get a proper full time job in CHCH for years. He retrained, and now jumps off the Port Hills with people strapped to him for a living. Great stuff! If anyone reading this lives in Sumner and sees the battered old Nimbus van driving around (with a bald man driving) that's my dad!