[Perry]

Hello again, everyone.
It would seem that our ITA has gone through swimmingly well apart from the fact that due to me getting into trouble a couple of times as a teenager (22+ years ago) and nothing serious, NZIS insist on character references. Has anyone else had experience of this issue as we are a little worried, what with being so close to emigrating?

[victoria]

This has come up before. All you need are some letters attesting to your wonderful trustworthy etc etc nature. Do you know anyone in a civic role that could supply a letter? For example, maybe a doctor,preacher/vicar,senior employer & that type of thing.Ask for a letter addressed "To whom it may concern" entitled "Character reference for *********& then confirm how long they've known you etc etc. Hope this helps.

[holland]

This link may offer some help:

http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=7230&highlight=character+reference

J x

[PeteS]

I had a similar problem, I had committed an offence when I was 18, and thirty years later......

I was asked to write about the offence, and my feelings about it now. After that, things just sailed through.

As an add on to this, I've just applied for a gun licence here in NZ. I started to explain to the firearms officer about this offence, and the conversation went:-

"How long ago was this?"
"32 years" I said.
"You told the NZIS didn't you?"
"Yes"
"It's so long ago, and you've been checked by the NZIS, so we really don't mind...."

[Perry]

Thanks very much to all. Your information has put our mind at rest. We have sent off a few references and are waiting for a couple more, so we shall wait and see. Once again, Thanks.