[sfordjasiri]

I appreciate seeing the "timelines" of other people's emigration process, so I thought I would post mine as it happens. I'd also appreciate any feedback from anyone who has the same "complications" as I do.

Submitted EOI online (125 points with no job offer) on November 10th, 2006
EOI was selected in the next drawing on November 22nd, 2006

I got an electronic letter from New Zealand's London office saying that they will check into my EOI. (This process will probably take 2 to 3 months from what I can tell looking at other people's postings on this board.)

My complication is that I am a UK and US citizen who is currently living in California. If I am to meet with anyone or mail somone something, it would obviously be better if the New Zealand consulate in California was in charge of my application. Has anyone else had this complication? If so, did they switch offices, or did you just deal with the delay?

I have been working as a self employed computer consultant for over 15 years, so I cannot supply letters from ex employers. I can easily supply paycheck stubs, tax returns and other documents showing I have had a steady income. Has anyone else gone this route? Will New Zealand be satisfied with this?

Thanks for any insights into my situation. I'll keep this thread updated with what happens.

[Ana&Steve]

My complication is that I am a UK and US citizen who is currently living in California. If I am to meet with anyone or mail somone something, it would obviously be better if the New Zealand consulate in California was in charge of my application. Has anyone else had this complication? If so, did they switch offices, or did you just deal with the delay?
Though the NZ consulate in CA is there to answer questions, all US EOIs and Applications go to London. You will have to mail (or email) everything there. The final interview is over the phone, so you never really see anyone face to face (in the US).
Here's the info on the consulate in Los Angeles:
Don Badman
don.badman@dol.govt.nz
310-576-9220
He usually responds promptly, and tries to help. :)

[Ana&Steve]

Me again...
I got an electronic letter from New Zealand's London office saying that they will check into my EOI. (This process will probably take 2 to 3 months from what I can tell looking at other people's postings on this board.)
Check your EOI status on the immigration site, it should currently say "selected", and hopefully soon it will say "decision successful". After that, you will get your ITA in the mail anywhere from 10 days to a couple months. (I think it depends on their workload, and job offers are given priority) I think you have to sign for the ITA when it comes.
Sorry, I don't know about the self employment stuff; good luck with everything!
Ana
BTW, where in CA are you?

[sfordjasiri]

Me again...

Sorry, I don't know about the self employment stuff; good luck with everything!
Ana
BTW, where in CA are you?

In the Sierra Valley, which is about 30 miles northwest of Lake Tahoe. Middle of nowhere in the mountains. (Nearest traffic light to my house is about 18 miles away.) My last contract was for a customer in Beverly Hills though. What a difference. The South Island should be my kind of place.

[CjChris]

Hello..

My EOI status changed to "decision successful" just three weeks after being selected from the pool. I noted the change on the immigration website first, then the next day I received an electronic letter stating that my information was being sent to the London Office after which time I would receive an offical invitation to apply.

I have not heard from them yet, but this was only two weeks ago, so it will probably be a while before I receive the ITA.

I am in the US also. Good luck with your journey. :nice1

Christine

[Ana&Steve]

In the Sierra Valley, which is about 30 miles northwest of Lake Tahoe. Middle of nowhere in the mountains. (Nearest traffic light to my house is about 18 miles away.) My last contract was for a customer in Beverly Hills though. What a difference. The South Island should be my kind of place.
Had to google the area, that is remote! Nice, though. :) Hope the SI offers everything you want, and good luck on the paperwork!
Ana

[sfordjasiri]

Today, Jan 5, 2007, I saw that the status of my EOI on my "home page" on the New Zealand Immigration website changed from "Selected" to "Decision Successful".

We are very pleased to confirm that your Expression of Interest has been successful.

You will shortly receive a letter inviting you to lodge an Application for Residence. The letter will contain information to help you complete your Application for Residence.

According the website's "New Zealand Residence Programme Fact Sheet" I now have a 94% chance of actually getting the PR! Whoo! Hoo!

I am going over there as a software engineer with no job offer. Can anyone tell me what will happen if I work a completely different job? For example, as a flight instructor. As long as I don't go on "the dole" or become an expense to the country, do they care? Or, do you get the impression that they wouldn't be too happy about that?

Assuming I do have to be a software engineer in order to make immigration happy, do they care if I work a 9 to 5 job all year long, or are they OK with people who work as a consultant/contractor and take long breaks? For example, for the past 15 years in the US, I have typically only worked a year or so, and then taken a year or two off. (I am aware that pay in NZ will not be comparable to the US.)

I don't think I really want to ask the people at immigration these sorts of questions. Wouldn't want to come of as some sort of surf bum or something. Thanks for any info on this subject.

[Ana&Steve]

Can anyone tell me what will happen if I work a completely different job? I think if you receive PR (not WTR) you can work any job you wish. If your points were in part due to a job offer, you would have to work 3 months in that field, then receive full PR, but I don't think that was your situation. That's the way I understand it, anyway. *head spinning*

BTW, :clap Congrats on the "Decision Successful" !!! :clap

Ana

[sfordjasiri]

I got my ITA packet. (About one week after the website told me "Decision Successful".) It seems to be missing the "Health Requirements Leaflet" that the first page of the packet mentions, but I found it, and other useful helpful documents about the medical paperwork, on the immigration website. Now I gotta find a doctor in the US that will be willing to go through the process with me.

The packet gives the list of documents that I should return. What is the "cover letter"? I see nothing describing that. Obviously I can simply write something generic, but is there something specific they are looking for? The packet included a two page letter that has my name, EOI number, and other identifying information. Is this the "cover letter" that they want me to send back to them?

I am in the US and will be sending notarized copies of things like diplomas and school transcripts, passports, and so forth. Normally, a notary simply stamps the document to say, "Yes, that's his signature.", but doesn't really attest the contents of the document. I don't know if I am supposed to show the notary the original so s/he can somehow attest to the fact that the copy s/he is notarizing looks like the original. Anyone familiar with this?

Has anyone had any experience getting a police report from the UK for a UK citizen sent to the US? That is what I will be needing to do, and I think that will be the most difficult document to get.

[Smiler]

Hiya

I've pinched Marie P's cover letter from an old thread. Thank's Marie! There is also a letter that I think Gil wrote, but I couldn't find it sorry. :o

Take the bits out that don't apply to you though. ;)

Here goes;

Date

Expression of Interest Number: *****

Dear (your case officer)

Thank you for my invitation to apply for residence in NZ. Please find enclosed a completed Expression of interest form and application for residence, for myself as principal applicant and my family.
My Residency Application is being lodged under the Skilled Migrant Category. The following list details the documents that have been submitted and photocopies.

1. Completed EOI / Application Form

2. Identification Documents
• Passports
• Birth Certificates
• Partner’s Name Change Document
• Partners Divorce Papers
• Driving Licenses

3. Police Certificates

4. Completed Medical and X-Ray Certificates

5. Evidence of De-Facto Partnership
• Photo’s
• Utility Bills in both Names
• Car insurance policy
• Mortgage Statements / Endowment policies / Redemption Statements
• Tax credit info for our children
• Bank Account Statements showing funds being transferred between a/c’s
• Birth Certificates of our children

6. Offer Of Employment
• Employer Supplementary form
• Job Description

7. Qualifications
• NZQA Pre-Assessment result
• Course Transcript
• Qualification Certificate

8. Nursing Registration
• UK Nursing Registration Document
• UK Nursing PIN details
• NZ Nursing Council Registration Certificate
• NZ Nursing Annual Practicing Certificate

9. Work Experience and References
• Current C.V.
• Current Employment Contract in UK
• Employer Refs
• P60 Certificates
• Previous Employer Wage Slip

10. Partners Qualification in English Language

11. Bank Account Statement showing funds to support my family and myself in NZ

12. Migrant Levy Form (if required)

I trust all supporting documentation is satisfactory. If you require any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me at your earliest convenience.

Yours Faithfully


I'm not sure about the notarized copes thing, maybe someone from the US can help you there and with finding a Doc etc.

Good luck. :nice1

[Twig]

Apart from the nursing registration and job offer etc....is the rest of that list standard enclosures for the residency application??

Blimey, think I better start getting better organised! :laugh

[sfordjasiri]

"Better get organized!"

Yup. That's the approach I am going to use. Being a self employed software consultant I don't have a nice neat list of 9 to 5 jobs. So, I figure I'm going to create a detailed contract by contract packet of paycheck stubs, 1099 forms, tax returns, and so forth. My cover letter will be a chronology of the contracts and sentence or two for each contract.

I hope to give them more detail than they are expecting, and in an organized fashion, in order to prevent any back and forth messing about with requests from them for more information.

First steps for me are going to be the police reports from the US and UK, (they are good for 6 months), and then the medical exams, (they are good for 3 months). I figure it will be at least 2 months before I get all this paperwork done. Sigh.

[Ana&Steve]

I don't know if I am supposed to show the notary the original so s/he can somehow attest to the fact that the copy s/he is notarizing looks like the original. Anyone familiar with this? Yes, bring all original documents to the notary, they are to certify that the copy is the exact replica of the original.
Has anyone had any experience getting a police report from the UK for a UK citizen sent to the US? That is what I will be needing to do, and I think that will be the most difficult document to get. My friend Judy had to send for a UK police report before completing the ITA; she said the UK part was pretty straight-forward, but she needed a special bit from Scotland that took forever to process. If you request the police report right away, and maybe add a polite note like "Time Sensitive, Please Expedite", you should receive it within 40 days or less.
Hope that helps, I hope we get to stress out about an ITA someday soon! :p
Ana

[sfordjasiri]

I found this webpage on the FBI's website that gives information about getting your police check. It is better than the info about the US police check on the NZ immigration website.

You can follow links on the page to an example cover letter, an image of what the fingerprint card will look like, how much it costs, and where to send the info.

http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cjisd/fprequest.htm

If anyone else needs to get an FBI police check because they have been in the United States, this page has the info you need.

[SarahEDH]

hi Sfordjasiri,

I live about 1.5 hrs. west of Lake Tahoe, so I guess we're almost neighbors :) Went to Northstar last Saturday -- beautiful day for skiing. Would like to see some fresh powder though.

Re: photocopies and medicals: If you send originals of all documents (including passport, birth certificates, etc.) with your ITA, the photocopies don't need to be notarised. Be sure to send as many copies as requested -- I think it was two sets, when I returned my ITA in July '06.

If you send in your original passport and then find you need it to travel, they will mail it back to you, but check to see how long this takes, if you think you may need it.

Good luck with your application. My own experience was very positive, with NZIS meeting its estimated deadlines for each step. Hope you find the same!

regards,
Sarah

[sfordjasiri]

Thanks for the info SarahEDH. I'm about 35 miles northwest of Truckee actually.

I wasn't too sure about sending originals of paperwork, but from your posting I got the impression that you got everything back? Do they send back all the originals "right away", or do they only send everything back in one mailing at the end of the process?

I figure I'll send my original passport, but I just can't see sending items that are almost irreplaceable, such as my birth certificate or paycheck stubs of old companies. You sent your birth certificate and got it back from them?

[SarahEDH]

Pretty up there, north of Truckee ... nice area.

I was very impressed with NZIS' care of my documents. They promptly sent back every original, including the birth certificate, albeit at the end of the process when I got PR. If I had needed the passport back sooner they would have sent it. Regarding birth certificates, (presuming yours was issued in the U.S.) if it gets lost, you can order another "original" (meaning imprinted with an official seal) from your birth state's Department of Records. I was born in Missouri and have twice ordered additional copies of my birth certificate over the years (at a small charge) and each one carries an official seal and imprint as though it were the first -- there's no difference. Each state may have different requirements for proving identity before they will issue a replacement, but I haven't heard of any state that didn't have a process for this.

I know it's nerve-wracking to think of putting your most sensitive documents into a UPS or FedEx envelope to send to complete strangers across the ocean. I remember thinking, someone could hijack my life completely with this info and recreate my entire identity somewhere else. It was a test of nerves, and faith, but it turned out all right. Well worth it, in fact :nice1

[SarahEDH]

This would be a long drive for you, but I can recommend a doctor in the Folsom area who has done at least one medical exam for the NZ Immigration form (mine). He was thorough, supportive of what I was trying to achieve and also a very good sport about filling in their lengthy documents. Let me know if you need his name and I'll PM you -- Sarah

[sfordjasiri]

Thanks. I'll probably send my originals after making some copies for myself. The birth certificate is the risky one for me. I'm not an American. I am a UK citizen who was born in Germany on a Canadian airbase to a German mother and British father. (I can't image I could ever get a duplicate of it. Maybe I should look into getting some kind of replacement for it next time I am in the UK though.)

As far a the doctor you used, if you could send me a PM with his/her contact info I would really appreciate that.

[Jo Jo]

Hi sfordjasiri, I think you may be able to apply for a copy of your birth certificate online as you're a UK citizen who was born abroad - check this link for details: http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/births/obtainingbirthcertificates/howtoverseas.asp I think this is the right contact info for children that were born to British forces personnel outside th UK.

(Just realised this info may be too late too be useful!)

[sfordjasiri]

Thanks, but I have mine. I was simply refering to my fear of not being able to get a copy if they lose mine in the mail. Thanks for the info though.

I've finally got all my paperwork together and will be sending it to London in a few days.

Whew!

[sfordjasiri]

I sent back the ITA today, April 5th 2007. Here are a few facts for others going through the ITA process right now...

The packet weighed 5.4 pounds! Most of that was "employment" records. I've been a self employed computer consultant for almost 20 years, so I don't have simple letters from a few company human resources departments. I put together contracts and tax documents from a couple dozen past customers, made photocopies of everything. Putting it all together was quite a chore. It probably took me 30 hours just to organize my employment evidence.

The medical tests/xrays ended up costing about US$900. I had to make an extra trip or two for tests because everything wasn't done the first time. (It was the first NZ application that the doctor had done.)

I sent both an opened college transcript and one still in its sealed envelope. But, I don't know why some people on this board talk about sending sealed transcripts. I didn't see anything in the ITA directions that said they needed to be sealed. I only saw directions asking for "official" transcirpts. I figured better safe than sorry and sent one sealed though.

The police check from the UK only took a couple weeks to process. The police check from the US took about 5 weeks.

All in all I think I easily spent 70 hours getting tests, photos, fingerprints, collecting records, making photocopies, etc.

I'll post again when I get a case officer and report if there were any problems.