[Kate D]

Hi All,

I know this has been a relatively recent thread, but people may be interested in the following.

I contacted NZ Post and asked - Can I open a PO Box in NZ before my arrival?

The feedback I received was:

Go to NZ Post web site, Customer Support, Contact Details, contact us by email, submit a question:

http://www.nzpost.co.nz/Cultures/en-NZ/CustomerService/ContactDetails/

Within 48hrs I should receive a PO Box application form. It requires to be FAXED over and accompanied by:
PO Box contract
Certified ID eg passport (not sure how well this will fax…!)
Payment in advance – Visa or Mastercard only

Now, as the 48hrs have not yet elapsed, I can’t be sure this works. And the PO Box can only be requested a max of two weeks in advance. Soooo – I’ll let you know as soon as I find out, unless anyone else gets there first, but on the face of it, it looks extremely promising!

Kate

[thezorbster]

We did this before we came out months ago and it worked perfectly. Simply showed up at our requested post office when we arrived to confirm our ID and collect keys. Simple.

[Tia Maria]

We opened one in advance over the phone, we just gave our name and address - no other details or faxes required. I was unsure whether it would work, but I was given a PO Box number.

Then when we arrived in NZ, like the zorbster, we just went with our PO box number, ID and some cash to the nearest post office.

They held it for us for about 5 weeks (from phonecall to payment) and although our PO box was in Auckland we were able to activate it at a Christchurch post office (we traveled a bit when we first arrived).

All this was a couple of years ago, and it looks like they might have tightened things up.

One thing to be aware of is there can be a lack of PO boxes in popular areas, so having a couple of areas, as possibilities, when you phone up, can help. We'd originally wanted one in Devonport but as they were all taken we got one in Takapuna instead (about 15 minutes down the road).

We did our UK mail redirection to the PO box but if you are not confident that it has been reserved for you, you can always have it redirected to a relative who can then re-redirect it to your PO box once you've landed! You can then get it re re redirected when you buy/rent a place! :laugh

Cheers

Tia

[Lara Croft]

Kate.
If you're not sure where you are going to be living, there are several Post Shops in the CBD to choose from, including one on The Terrace and another at the bottom of Lambton Quay. If you're working in Welly, it might be easier to get access to your mail in the city...

J

[cappuccino]

I didn't fax my application - just scanned in completed form and my passport and gave them visa number in separate email and it all got sorted very quickly. My delay initially was their website - I followed the instructions to 'post a question' but then I didn't see the 'submit' button and couldn't work out why they hadn't responded within 48 hours as promised. Second time round I found the submit button and all was 'sweet as' after that!

[CJ22]

It's a bit annoying if you can only reserve it 2 weeks in advance, as the Royal mail redirection service, iirc, takes a while to apply the redirection. Besides I don't really want to be leaving anything to the last couple of weeks :)

[BoroCraig]

I guess that you have to pay for a P.O Box? If so how much?

Thanks

[CJ22]

It depends. (http://www.nzpost.co.nz/Cultures/en-NZ/Personal/ManageMailDelivery/POBoxesAndPrivateBags/)

$115-$300 (p/year) depending what you need.

[aberdian]

We were told by phone by NZ Post last night that it was impossible to do from UK...... Retried using your method :)

[Kate D]

Besides I don't really want to be leaving anything to the last couple of weeks :)

Blimey - I only wish I didn't have to be leaving so many things to the last minute!! The luxury of time, eh:roll And no, 48hrs not elapsed yet, and no feedback on the application request. If it's not there tomorrow morning, I'll chase...!

Kate

[Tia Maria]

We were told by phone by NZ Post last night that it was impossible to do from UK...... Retried using your method :)

It just goes to show that if you get the wrong person on the phone its very easy to get bad info.

Either that or I am very good at achieving the impossible! :D

Cheers

Tia

[CJ22]

We found the same situation with the airlines - it's pot-luck whether you find somebody who actually has a clue what they're talking about.

@Kate: Yeah, in principle. I imagine in 6 months time when it comes to it, my ideals of getting everything sorted well in advance will fall apart like a pav.

[Kate D]

Just to update you all - I did get my PO Box number in advance, so this option does work!

Today I produced ID and received the keys in person in Wellington. That would be sunny, warm Wellington with no sign of the famous winds, and far preferable to the wet and miserable snow I left behind:-)

Remains to be seen if RM in the UK actually get the redirect up and running now...

Kate

[CJ22]

Waaay! Well done, and congratulations!

:raebanana :raebanana :raebanana :raebanana

[JandM]

Have some :raebanana :cheers :raebanana

[mikewalkerfrom]

We'ved used these guys (not quite the same as a PO box).

http://www.privatebox.co.nz/index.php

They keep our mail, and post it in one big bundle to where ever we want when we want. We'll be moving addresses 2 or 3 times this year and we didn't want to be tied to a location.

[Lara Croft]

Hi Kate - welcome to Welly!

Yes the weather is fab at the moment, but be warned, the locals are muttering about the hardest winter for years on the way...

For the moment though, yay for the sunshine :clap

Jane

[aberdian]

Mine worked too through email, all opened no problem :) We have an address (even if we have nowhere to live.....)