[Questor]

Well, as we move into a lovely looking (so far) Labour Day weekend, I thought I'd post with the perhaps best, and most frustrating day since we've been here!

Woke up this morning to an email from our case officer (Craig Pontifex, if anyone's interested) saying that he's received all my evidence of registration with the Pharmacy Council, and work experience etc. and how would we like our passports back - I am taking this to mean we've got our PR visas even if the status hasn't been updated on the INZ website!! :) :raebanana

That's one bit of good news.....

The secon, and most exciting is that Catie has a job! After 3 months of applying for jobs that are kinda related to her experience, a job came up in Petone last week, that was PERFECT for what she does, and after a second interview today, she was offered the job, and she's accepted it! This means we can really start saving for a deposit for our own place, and also that we can go and DO more stuff! :) :raebanana

Then there's the annoying news....

Our stuff arrived in Wellington last Tuesday, and is currently sat in the Moving Company's place before it comes up to our house. Why is it not here yet you ask?
Well.....

Because of the way health professions are registered in New Zealand, you cannot register with the professional bodies until you are here - you cannot get PR until you are registered - a catch 22 situation. We therefore got a 6 month Work visa with the proviso that as soon as I am registered and working for 3 months, we get automatic PR visas.
Unfortunately NZ Customs have decided that, as our Work Visas are only for 6 months, we can't import all our stuff, and they won't accept a letter from the Immigration people saying that our visas will be upgraded - which they are in the process of being....

The upshot of this is that it would appear that we can't have our stuff till we have our passports back and show them to the Customs people - which could of course be anywhere in the next 2 weeks knowing the post...

As it arrived at the beginning of last week, we had hoped we would have it here by this weekend so we could sort it out over the long weekend - but no - it would appear we'll have to do it over Christmas instead!!

Sorry for the War and Peace epic, but our emotions are all over the place today!
It is now Wine o'clock however!

Jon

[jubjub]

:raebanana :clap to the job and the visas getting sorted, thats a big weight off your minds...

:mad: :no to the red tape, where do your passports need to go to? Can you express/courier post them or even hand deliver?

Good luck, it will sort itself out soon I am sure...

[k-k]

Well done Catie :cheers That's really great news.

Jon - thank goodness we got over here as pharmacists now, I see today that as of December pharmacists coming from the Uk will have to sit an exam as well as the supervised period and ethics interview. (and pay $700 for the priviledge).

Waiting for your furniture must be a nightmare, just more totally unnecessary red tape, as though you've not been through enough. What makes it more annoying is that by the time you get your stuff you'll have no time to sort it out 'cos you'll both be working!!

Enjoy the weekend anyway and congrats once again

Karen

[Avalon]

Hugs and congrats to Catie :clap :clap :clap

Im really chuffed she got it! It sounds like shes going to love the job.

Though I guess this may dent the lunches a bit - we really are gonna have to get flexible!

Hang in there with the shippers.

You may find its really quick to get the passports back. Is there anyway you can get into welly and pick them up when they are done? Just a thought - but we were told our visas would take 6-8 weeks tp get back when we had the Section 18a removed - we got em back 2 days later!

Karen -

$700! To sit an exam. They really want people to PAY to sit yet another exam???? Ho hum - we still have it better than the Kiwis and Aussies, they need to do a year pre reg going over to the UK from next year (or it may be this year).

[Questor]

That's the slight problem Helen,

The passports are back in London!!!

Why they couldn't just be sent to Welly for the visas to be added I don't know, but after I phoned the helpline here, and the woman said it should be fine, I emailed Craig, and he said "No - you have to send em to me" (or words to that effect) so we're reliant on the vagaries of international post!! :)

And as for the exam, it's not an exam, per se, just a kind of OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination) - basically you go in and react to certain situations, and they mark how you do - they've just started doing em in the UK, and they form a major part of the NZ intern (pre-reg) assessment, they don't have the exam that we do in the UK

[marcia]

Great news with the job etc.

Shippers a law unto themselves - I'm not looking forward to our container arriving and it hasn't even been packed yet - but just knowing the stuff kev is taking gives me headache and the dread of what customs/maf are going to want to inspect - but hey-ho we'll deal with it when we come to it - trying to have PMA (positive mental attitude!!) But it's hard sometimes! :no

Hope to be able to catch up with you guys over there - never did manage it here did we even though we were only 10 mins apart!!

Good luck with the passports! :nice1

[Trigirl]

$700! To sit an exam. They really want people to PAY to sit yet another exam????

i'm really hoping that work are going to pay my course/exam fees for registering in NZ. 2 exams (tax and law) at $500 each. $190 initial registration with ICANZ. Another $190 to have membership confirmed once I've passed the exams. Plus going forwards an annual membership fee in NZ ($685 a year) as well as having to maintain my membership in the uk (about £130 a year).

[Smiler]

Catie - Well done on the job. I was thinking of you yesterday. :cheers:cheers

have you thought of spalshing out on DHL or FedEx for the posting would that help speed them up? Or is there someone who can collect them from London and FedEx them back over?

[Questor]

We're getting them to send them back via courier (for £13 we thought it was worth it) - it just frustrated me that customs are being so annoying! :)

[Avalon]

That's the slight problem Helen,

The passports are back in London!!!

Why they couldn't just be sent to Welly for the visas to be added I don't know, but after I phoned the helpline here, and the woman said it should be fine, I emailed Craig, and he said "No - you have to send em to me" (or words to that effect) so we're reliant on the vagaries of international post!! :)

Ah, yes, well I can see that does put a bit of a dent in my plan :o

[Questor]

Well, I've just had the email that says we've definitely got our Residence visas!

Sadly, 10 minutes later, I had an email saying my passport wasn't in a good enough state for the visa to be issued into it (apparently the laminate is peeling away from the photo 0 it was fine when we sent it!) so i cant have my PR visa until I get a new passport!!

It's SO frustrating!
(I want to use stronger words, but I've already had a PM about using language on here - even if it was only the word that is similar to what happens if you cut yourself!)

[marcia]

Sorry to hear your problems with the passport - but these things are sent to try us (they certainly do!) it WILL all work out in the end - just a bumpy road to get there sometimes! ;)

[Questor]

I think someone is just trying to give me some sort of heart trouble before I even get settled here - I wouldn't mind but the passport is in EXACTLY the same condition as when we had our work visas issued - they had no problem with it then, so why should they now?!

I wonder if its cos my passport only has about 18 months left on it, so they cant be bothered to sort out the visas again when I have a new passport!

[Smiler]

Hiya

Gosh I know how much you must want your stuff now and I'm sorry to hear you are still having probs. :( Is there anything we can lend you?

Can they email confirmation of your visa's to whoever wants it, so your stuff can be released? Or will they accept Catie's alone?

Absolutely no help to you today, but at least you won't have the hassle of renewing your visa's and PP's in 18 months, so you've saved a bit of money. Like I said no help at all am I? :laugh

**ducks as heavy objects are thrown at Smiler from the Kapiti Coast direction**

[Anita & Marco]

Heya,
Just read your post.
CONGRATULATIONS on the PR and the Job!!!

But what a disappointment with that passport - very annoying.
Someone is testing you to the max!

Don't let it influence you too much and if you want a chat - come along to the botanic gardens next week for the picnic - would be lovely to catch up with you guys again.

Cheers,
Anita

[Questor]

Well apparently they can't give Catie her visa till they stick the one in mine as I'm the principal applicant - I've got Craig to email Margaret at the Moving Company so hopefully that will be enough - just need to wait till Monday now to see... :(

It never stops!

[Questor]

And I hadn't realised how much it costs to get a new passport nowadays!

£91 !!!! Or $289 as I've just found out from the FCO website :wah

Good job I'm working!

[Avalon]

£91 !!!! Or $289 as I've just found out from the FCO website :wah

Good job I'm working!
Time for one of those words we cant use :wah OH just had to do that, so he has a shiny new passport (with a consequecntly older looking photo showing considerably less hair!)

Keep smiling! You WILL get there in the end.

Hxxx

[Smiler]

91 quid :eek:

Fiddlesticks! I thought they were about 12.50

Good luck for Monday with Margaret ;)

[k-k]

Jon and Catie

My sympathies are with you, things have not gone your way have they. Fingers crossed that you can at least get your furniture and stuff.

I know you'll both keep positive even if you do feel like killing someone.

Karen

[Questor]

I do - unfortunately he's 12,000 miles away (or should that be fortunately?!?!) and his name's Craig :D

I'm really hoping that the email he sent Margaret will be enough for Customs to let us have things this week - at least then we can be doing things with that to take my mind off the annoyance!

Hope the move has gone well Karen, when's the housewarming?!

Jon

[Questor]

*Expletive Deleted*

Customs are being very *something*-minded about this, and are insisting to see the visa - and since i have to send back to the UK to get my photos countersigned, that's probably not going to be for about another 4 weeks!

Why the heck is this being so hard??!

I'm THIS close to just getting back on the plane and saying "*rude word* it all"

A VERY annoyed
Jon

[jubjub]

This is getting really silly now, you poor thing. Surely one NZ government agency can trust another one? I suggest you get onto your MP and see if they can help, hey, anything is worth a try at this stage!

I did not think you had to have a photo countersigned if it was a replacement/renewal?