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Living overseas

Family sponsorship

6 replies

Unbeliever · 27/01/2013 08:44

My daughter and her husband and children emigrated to New Zealand a few years ago. He had a good job contract lined up and they had enough equity in their house in England to allow them to buy a house with a couple of acres. She had a good career but worked long hours and is now able to stay at home, grow most of their own fruit and vegetables, keep chickens and pigs, and enjoy the outdoor life. They are a very sporty family and all enjoy hiking, camping, swimming, kayaking, riding, and cycling.
The house is not as large or as elegant as their house in England, but they all feel that their lives have improved enormously. They have made many friends and have a great social life
The older girl is just finishing a degree, and the two younger ones are very happy at their secondary school. They settled in almost immediately and found the Kiwis incredibly welcoming and friendly. Three adult children remained in England because of work, university and marriage.

I have been retired for over ten years, but I am very fit and healthy - I walk for several hours on most days, as I live in a very beautiful area of France.

My daughter has suggested that they sponsor me and that I sell my flat here , which I own outright, and use the funds to help them buy a bigger lifestyle property that had the potential for separate living accommodation for me. I think it is a bad idea for two generations to share a house and I know my daughter and her husband look forward to some privacy once all the children have flown the nest. I would be able to afford only a very small flat by myself as prices in their area (Nelson) are so high.

My income from UK government pensions (I was a teacher and later a civil servant) is not far short of the NZ average family income. I have no debts and I am able to save several thousand pounds a year for travel - not just an annual trip to NZ but also holidays in many parts of Europe.
I have looked at the various costs involved in living in NZ - I would need to run a car (I would probably export one from the UK), and full health insurance would be around $500 a month. I would want to return to Europe once a year to see my sister and older grandchildren.

I would like to join some social groups, either for women, or older people. At the moment, I live in a very isolated mountain village and have no social contact. I have had several long holidays in New Zealand and loved the countryside and the people. I have a very good relationship with my daughter and her husband, but my idea would be to respect their privacy and live quite independently as I do now.

I wonder if any of you have sponsored your parents to move to NZ and how it has worked out. I would like to emigrate whilst I am still fit and active so I can enjoy all that NZ has to offer.

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Mosman · 28/01/2013 06:28

We looked at it for DH's mother for Australia but her state pension would be frozen at what ever it was when she left, her teachers pension would have been reduced by 25% and the cost of living relative to what she enjoys on the UK would have been a problem. There was also the cost, I think about $25,000 and a 5 year wait I believe for Australia.
I think you should talk to an immigration agent and find out what your options are and go from there. Glad to here NZ was all they hoped it would be.

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Unbeliever · 28/01/2013 07:34

Thank you, Mosman. I have been told that I fulfil all the criteria for Tier 1 entry to NZ because of my SIL's income and my own so there would not be a long delay. My state retirement pension would be frozen, but my Teacher's and Civil Service pensions would not. My outgoings are low, because I don't smoke, use cosmetics or hairdressers, buy few clothes, and need no medication apart from low dosage blood pressure pills.
The biggest expenses would be rent, if I can't find anything cheap enough to buy, running a car and health insurance.

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chloeb2002 · 30/01/2013 23:43

Also in aus.. not sure about nz. Beyond buying a house you have to prove you have a certain amount of "equity" which is cash ready. This can be supplied by the sponsor or sponsee. and an assurance of support, which lasts up to ten years. meaning that family will pay all costs for the migrant and not the country.

I also agree living with your children, unless to infirm to live alone is a bad idea!

Oh and the balance of family test too, so depending how many children you have.. the majority need to live in the county you wish to migrate to.

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Unbeliever · 01/02/2013 15:48

I have one daughter and three of my grandchildren in NZ. I live in France, and the only information I had to give was whether I had any other children in my country of residence, which I don't. My other daughter and her four children and her two grandchildren, plus three of my NZ daughter's adult children and two of her grandchildren, live in the UK. I have a very large family!
The daughter in the UK is disabled and her adult son is her carer. She broke off all contact with me a year ago - she suffers from paranoid delusions caused by long term codeine abuse. I am in regular contact with her eldest daughter.
I don't think I would have any financial problems, as my son-in-law earns about $NZ140,000 pa and my own income would be about $NZ35,000 from three UK government pensions, two of which are index linked. I own my flat in France outright and have no debts.
My daughter will have been resident for three years later this year, and will then be able to sponsor me. I don't want to move for about four years, as I am really enjoying living in the beautiful French Alps. I am renting a flat near my daughter for three months next Nov-Feb, to give me time to experience life in NZ.

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chloeb2002 · 04/02/2013 04:28

I think the 50% rule only applies to direct siblings. so if one is in NZ and one in UK.. that's fine. great idea to try it first!

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Unbeliever · 04/02/2013 22:22

I am off next week to spend six weeks with them and I am going to hire a car and drive down the West coast road. I want to see Mt. Cook and the fjiords. Then we are having a couple of days in Wellington and I will carry on to see the Bay of Islands. I am really looking forward to it. It is about -5C here in the Alps and much as I love the mountains I am ready for some warmth.

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