[dawn]

Hello there,

I'm Dawn, I've been married to my Kiwi hubby (Chris) for 3½ years. I have 2 children from a previous relationship, Lewis is 13 and Samuel is 11.

Chris has been living in the UK since March 1996, where he has been working as an Aircraft Engineer for the Royal Navy. It was always his intention to return home to New Zealand, but he had originally planned to do this in 2020, once his term with the Royal Navy was at an end. After a disastrous posting in April last year, we decided to bring the move forward by 14 years!! If our application is successful, we will leave the UK on 18th July 2006.

We'll be settling in Masterton, where hubby has a house (it's been rented out for the past 10 years) and we'll stay there until we can find our own place.

I submitted our partnership application on 4th January, so I guess we just have to wait and see now. Hubby reckons it's just a formality, but I have my doubts, on paper, there is no reason they should turn us down, but stranger things have happened and I'm not going to get my hopes up too high just yet, I don't think I could bear the disappointment.

I've been reading all the posts and I just wanted to wish everyone good luck with their applications.

Dawn

[kiwidebs]

Hi Dawn

Welcome to ENZ forums. I'm a Kiwi married to an Englishman and living in London. We're in the process of trying to sell our house (long, tedious story :mad: :wah ) and then we'll be heading to Auckland (where my family is). Mark got his PR by partnership and it really was just a formality. It took a very short time to get his PR in principle back. Having seen what the others have to do with EOI's and ITA's etc, I'm thankful we didn't have to go that route.
This is a great place for getting info and support. Generally, if you have a query someone here will have 'been there, done that'.
Good luck with you application - let us know when you get PR!

Debs

[dawn]

Hi Debs,

Thanks for the encouragement! We're lucky that we live in married quarters and don't have to sell our house, so hopefully it'll be quick and easy when we do get PR.

Some of the stories on here are pretty scary and I agree, I'm very glad we didn't go that route. I had 140 points and we nearly did go EOI & ITA, but we don't need an answer quickly, so decided not to. Hubby can't leave the Navy before 17th July, so there really was no point in rushing it.

The only problem I have is that I had my medical on 20th October, before the rule change and submitted my application after the rule change. So I now have to have the extra blood tests and submit those results. It isn't really a big deal, but it will delay the application by a couple of weeks. Thankfully, NZIS agreed to accept the extra results, rather than request a new complete medical, as I was within the 3 month submission deadline.

Hubby said to me last night that we were now over the first hurdle, I just laughed at him, he has no idea. I told him that this was our last hurdle, I've already been over 10!!!

Dawn

[willsken]

Hubby said to me last night that we were now over the first hurdle, I just laughed at him, he has no idea. I told him that this was our last hurdle, I've already been over 10!!!

Dawn

Yes, I know the feeling!!! :roll I sent off all my paperwork yesterday and it was months of chasing to get everything together. (Teacher registrations, qualification assessment etc) Now I have to sit back for the looooong wait! I was much more at home with the chasing around.

[Marie P]

Hello and Welcome to the forum . :nice1

Marie x

ps love your Avatar.

[dawn]

I was much more at home with the chasing around.

I know what you mean, it's all waiting around now and I don't have much patience!

BTW, I'm a Bridgend girl, say hi to the Motherland for me!

[dawn]

Hello and Welcome to the forum . :nice1

Marie x

ps love your Avatar.

Thank Marie! All the pictures were taken on top of the Rimutukas on the way from Wellington to Masterton, New Year's Day 2003, so I thought them especially appropriate.

I'd be happy to make similar one's for anyone if they send me a few pics.

[Avalon]

Dawn,

Welcome, and welcome in advance to the Wairarapa.

{{HUGS}}}

[tofu]

Hi Dawn!!!

Please keep us informed when your visas get approved. I'm also going to apply for my husband's spouse visa soon. Would be nice to know how long the process usually takes.

Good luck!!!

[dawn]

Oh joy!!

My panel doctor is amazing! They will see me TODAY, 6.00pm tonight to be precise and perform the 5 extra blood tests.

NZIS have agreed not to return the application form, as long as I send a fax confirming the situation.

God Bless everyone!

[kiwidollie]

Hi Dawn and welcome to the forum.

Hope things go smoothly for you - I'm sure they will.

Hear hear on the snazzy photo avatar thingy!!

[Smiler]

Hi Dawn


Welcome to you and your family.

Good news on the panel doc, get thoses results in. :nice1

Keep us posted on your progress.

Deborah

[gil]

Hi Dawn and welcome,
Bridgend eh? We're Cardiff-based (I'm Welsh, Steve isn't) (actually, should probably've said "ain't").
Good luck with your big move. We just need to sell our house (sorry if I'm boring everyone who's familiar with this refrain) and we can go....!
Great news on your panel doc, there are some real gems around, aren't there?
Let us know how it all unfolds,
Gil

[zardell]

Hello Dawn.

Welcome to the forum.

Love the avatar.....really good.


Julie

x

[sizzlingbadger]

A BIG hello

We're in Featherston so not far from Masterton.

Good Luck with your move to NZ :cheers

[K&CS]

Hi Dawn

Welcome to the forum. Hope all goes smoothely for you - love the avatar too!

Kate

[dawn]

Thanks everyone for a lovely warm welcome.

sizzlingbadger, lovely part of the country, my mother-in-law is in Featherston - that's why we chose Masterton, close enough, but not too close lol :nice1

Gil - nice to meet another Welsh lass, good luck with your house sale, I hope it happens quickly. I thought property in Wales was moving quickly??

Well, had the extra blood tests on Friday, should get the results through this week and will submit them as soon as I have them. The Panel Doc said he'd phone me if there was a problem, as these are the big tests (HIV, Hepatitis, etc), I said "no offence, but I hope I never see you again :laugh ".

Ah the waiting is killing me.

I've been virtual shopping, this weekend, it's kinda helping the obsession, I go to sleep thinking NZ and I wake up thinking NZ, driving hubby nuts. We visited his house both times we went to NZ, so I know the layout and last time we were there, I took measurements for curtains, etc. We're selling everything here, just taking clothes and personal possessions, plus the pc, so I need to buy everything.

I found a company that will get me everything I need and deliver to my door for a small delivery charge, so I think I'm going to do that, we need everything from cutlery to beds, at the moment, my wish list is at £3k! Hubby is having heart attacks.

Anyone else sell everything or do most people ship?

We've decided on a car, we've got a Freelander in the UK, but I think we're going to go for a Mitsubishi Challeneger, nice and roomy for the kids and plenty of room in the boot for our German Shepherd, we're taking him too.

I was astonished at the price of shipping Huxley, £3500 all in, with www.airpets.co.uk, I researched a few, but they seemed best value for money. Hux is going on the same flight as us which is a bonus, we fly out of Heathrow and we have to collect Hux at customs in Auckland. It's going to be torture knowing he's below us but we can't see him. He's hubby's dog and I know hubby will be fretting. We're crate training him now, in preparation.

If anyone's interested, I have a emigration diary on my website, please don't laugh at the url, it was a christmas pressie to my hubby in preparation for his return home! http://www.flyingkiwis.co.nz/residence_application.htm

Oops, sorry it's so long, I seem to have written a mini novel.

Hope everyone has a great evening.

Dawn

http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/26/26_18_1.gif

[Moorf]

Hi Dawn and co and welcome to forum :nice1 - it's all worth it, honest!!

Moorf & Woz

[dawn]

Hi Dawn and co and welcome to forum :nice1 - it's all worth it, honest!!

Moorf & Woz

Thanks guys, sometimes you wonder don't you, especially seeing jo b and how upset she was leaving her family. Hubby is pre-warned, I will be exactly the same.

I feel so stressed, I hate that I can't do anything now, either we get this or we don't.

And I just know that 18th July will be here before I know it and I'll wonder where the time went. We made our decision to try to go in Apri 2005, I can't believe it was that long ago.

[Moorf]

Yep, I do believe leaving the family was the hardest bit, and I'm not even that close to mine - I've always been very independent and lived large distances from my folks - doesn't mean you don't miss them heaps though, it just means I've had more experience at it and have learned to cope. I think being from a Forces family has helped heaps too as I have always moved around the world until I was 10 and went to boarding school.

When we left, in Sept 04, I was determined not to have any fuss or leaving parties etc. I was talked around (both by family and friends and by people on this forum) and we had a big party a few days before we left, best thing I did as it meant I got to see everyone without being stressed at travelling around the country to see them, and I got the tears out of the way before departure day. I asked that no-one come to airport - my preference, worked for me.

Whichever way you deal with it it is very emotional, and the best thing to do is realise that you will be upset, you will cry, your family will cry and you may even begin to have doubts and feel it's all getting a bit scary, but that's normal.... totally normal. :nice1

Moorf

[dawn]

Our party is booked for 1st July, we're renewingour vows at the same time. All our friends and family will be there, it gives us a chance to say goodbye and it means that we won't be rushed as we leave nearly 3 weeks later.

We're a forces family too and I haven't lived near my parents since I was 18, so hopefuly that'll make things a bit easier.

I bought my mum a webcam for Christmas, so we can talk when we're in NZ.

I'm so glad I'm normal although, hubby thinks I'm strange, the weepiness has crept in already!

Dawn

[David with a dream]

Hi Dawn, just wanted to say welcome to the forum and what fantastic photos :nice1 ...................David

[dawn]

Hi David with a dream,

What a great screen-name!

I feel very at home already, you're all so welcoming :D

Thanks for the photo comments, my boys are gorgeous :laugh I'm snap happy!

How's your dream going?

Dawn

[Moorf]

Our party is booked for 1st July, we're renewing our vows at the same time. Oh wow, now that is emotional enough in itself - even I'm guaranteed to cry at a wedding :D - how lovely.

[dawn]

Oh wow, now that is emotional enough in itself - even I'm guaranteed to cry at a wedding :D - how lovely.
Crazy more like, as if I haven't got enough to do, I have to organise our wedding too!

Luckily, my mum is doing most of it so I can concentrate on everything else.

[Moorf]

It'll certainly make the time whizz by and keep your mind occupied!! Not that the immigration process doesn't...... ;)

Yep, lovely pics - just been having a squizz at your site :nice1

[dawn]

Oh yes, I think it definitely will!

Ooooh!! I always wonder what people think when they do that! We built it originally for Chris to keep in touch with his family in NZ, now it's going to be used for me to keep in touch with mine in the UK! Funny how that's worked out.

[Moorf]

:laugh Same with my weblog, I often wonder what people think, ultimately it's for family and friends so who cares, eh! ;)

Amazing how people coped without the technology we have now - am currently researching a couple of early settlers for a comparison book on then and now :nice1 - makes for very interesting reading and unbelievably some very similar situations/emotions and realities of immigration from the 1800's that could easily be written by us lot on the forum!

My gran in UK is tech'd up now and we keep in touch via email, and my parents etc are all on MSN and webcam, so they can see that I still look rough as when I get up in the morning :laugh - damn time-shift!

[dawn]

I admit to reading your weblog, I found it really interesting and informative, with have some beautiful pictures of your family. It's great to read about the things people have been through to get where they want to be, I have a much better idea of what to expect from being a member of this forum for a week than I did in the 8 months I've been researching. I wish I'd found you guys months ago!

The book sounds really interesting, are you publishing or is it just a personal thing? I'd love to read it when you're done.

I'm not sure my gran is ready for webcams, etc just yet, she's only just mastered the VCR! Though I do have mum sorted out now, will have to work on gran!

[Debbie]

Welcome Dawn,
Best of luck wit your plans, Vow renew and leaving do in one. Let me know how that goes. OH and I got married on the quite, 7 days notice to family and only 2 witnessess. I don't regret it at all and don't plan to go through it again but it would be nice to do something special at our leaving do especially for my mum. Help take her mind off things and mine.
We also got webcams for family for xmas and it is fab. Im not great with the technical stuff but for anyone who hasn't got webcam I can recommend it. Im like a kid at my first xmas with it. It is such a blessing that my mum can see the kids daily if she wants.
All the best.
Debbie

[dawn]

Vow renew and leaving do in one. Let me know how that goes.
Hi Debbie,

We got married in a bit of a rush 4 years ago, had to grab some time when hubby was actullay home, as opposed to at sea, so we didn't get a big wedding.

At the moment, only my parents, hubby and kids know about the vow renewal, everyone else thinks its just a farewell party, so they'll be a bit surprised.

The crazy part of all this is that Chris' mum is coming over from NZ to attend our farewell party, so when we arrive, she'll be in the UK!!!

I'll definitely keep you posted.

[Debbie]

Sounds like the making of a great party!
Debbie