Application thoughts

Silversmith · I'll Hang Around A Little Joined: 19 Nov 2003 Posts: 32

Hey Gang!

I have a NZ passport but my partner will be having to have to apply under the family category, we are not married so paperwork will need to be shown eg bank statements and the like.
Some questions that im wondering if the rest of you can answer
When applying from the UK, how long will it take to get all the medical x rays etc and police report done and what are the costs?

After your application is put in do you get a reciept that they have
recieved it?

Whats the processing time of applications?

Has the overall application cost gone up recently or is it still the same?

Are there any thoughts about getting the most for your pounds on the exchange rate?

Speak to you later

andy · Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2003 6:28 am Post subject:

Based on my mothers recent application, Medical= a couple of weeks £190. Police report 6 weeks £10.
The processing time is double what they tell you it will be.

The application cost has gone up but it now includes the migrant levy and settlement fee. I think it is close to £400 if I remember rightly.
£ to the $ is bad news at the moment and has been for some time, I dont think there is a good way to change it. Anyone else know?
Hope this is some help!

Silversmith · I'll Hang Around A Little Joined: 19 Nov 2003 Posts: 32

Thanks Andy,

All useful stuff, Its set my mind thinking of two further questions

If the processing time is double what they tell you - what do they tell you it is in the 1st place?

Second, on recieving your residance permit, how long do you have to use it and go out is it only a year or is it now 2?

Cheers mate!

andy · Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2003 5:59 am Post subject:

Family application is quoted at 4-6 weeks to be passed to visa officer and an answer in 3-4 months. 11 weeks later it has still not been passed to the visa officer. Hopefully the lack of general skills applications coming in will give them more time to clear the other peoples backlogs.

karltsmith · Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2003 4:56 am Post subject:

Eveyone seems to have covered most things re the paperwork as for the exchage rate it will probably get worse before it gets better. The NZ economy is being fuelled by us prospective migrants buying up property at ever increasing prices which is having some effect. NZ is doing rather well economically anyway and the long range forecast is that the dollar could reach 2.5 to the pound by the first or second quarter of next year...ouch! Trading in the NZ$ is a rather speculative affair and once traders and investors with short stops on there investments decided to cash in it could swing all the other way and very rapidly. The worst thing you can do is do nothing! Get registered with a currency broker who will give you a better rate than the banks! Place a market order for an exchange rate you can live with and you can settle up to 2 years later. The currency is brought for you by the broker, you pay 10-15% deposit and no you don't get any interest...thats the down side but with property prices on the increase down under that would be insignificant. 18 months ago you could get about 3.3 to the £! Oh those halcyon days! Current rate 2.6828 at time of posting and I'm securing my position at 2.700, I Hope!

Stuart Mac · Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2003 5:07 am Post subject:

That's interesting karl. I suppose if you know you're going but it's still a good few months, or a year away, you might want to buy a little chunk of NZ$ every month - a bit like how you would £ average with shares on the stock market. That way you avoid buying at the worst point in the market.

karltsmith · Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2003 9:18 pm Post subject:

Hi Stuart,

Yes I agree. Of course my thoughts were for the short term to avoid being priced out of a booming property market but as you rightly say hedging your bets is a good idea if you have the time...and money to tie up for a long period without interest. Brokers will operate a market watch for you or alternatively page 241 teletext BBC1 gives the exchange rates for the NZ$, which at the moment I watch avidly.
comfort

andy · Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2004 8:20 am Post subject: Family Application

Just an update, the above application has now been approved in principle. Thats a total of about 16 weeks from application.