Where's Best to Live in NZ and what do we need to know: PART TWO!!!

[AngryBeaver]

Wow,have just gone to post and it wouldn't except it! So have had to start a new thread. Hope everyone finds it ok.I feel a bit like we've all been out for the night and somehow got seperated and no one has their mobile!!
Anyway,this was the question I've had to cut and paste from the old thread:...

Sorry,have had a quick look but can't see...has anyone used emirates?
I think the sky couch thing looks good,but we'd have to buy a couple and that would be pricey.
Dh reckons Emirates are fine,but I don't think he's anticipating how different it's going to be travelling that disatnce with 3 exhausted infants.
He has limited travel experience as it is and the longest he has been on a plane with them is 3 hours. He keeps saying it will be fine,they'll sleep for loads of it...somehow I'm thinking this will not happen!!

We'll get a car as dh has been offered role with car allowance but do you know if there is a good bus route from north shore in the rush hour? - we have the bus lanes which helps alot. I supposed I'm used to being so central that I potter around with buggies on foot - can't all get in the car now anyway which has been a bit limiting on the weekends.

I think the bus doesn't have its own lane actually on the bridge - it rejoins the normal lanes there so can get stuck in traffic there. But it has its own lane up to very close to the bridge so is fast til then. I have a friend who commuted by bus from the shore to the CBD and he found it quicker (and less stressful) than driving.

I'm afraid I don't know much about the NS as it hasn't been an option for us. We like Devonport but it does have one road in and one road which makes it vulnerable to jams.

Great news on the house justabout

Great news justabout! Congrats. When do you move in?

My mother has apparently made it onto a plane now - she is somewhere around Taupo. I wonder if she'll home by Christmas

Maybe you should report her passport stolen so she has to stick it out for a few weeks .

She's off to live in greytown this time around. I just don't think she'll stay - she's been with her dh for about 20 years and it's been constant moving - he likes to run away rather than face up to the fact that's he's really quite depressed. He refuses to see the gp about his moods. The Nz fiasco is just another avoidance tactic on a grand scale in my view

Went to Greytown once, it was very rainy and, um, grey.

Bottom of the north island - about hour north east if Wellington. He works masterton - anyone I've ever told doesn't have very positive things to say about 'the area - are generally surprised as to why someone would move there but I've not been so can't really comment. They have tended to pick the most godforsaken towns to live in in the uk around the south west - won't say where incase I offend but really run down seaside towns.

Oh I was mixing it up with Greymouth (which was rainy and grey)

Wipes are pretty pricey aren't they? If you have a New World near you, ours had 2 packs of Pam's wipes for $4 last week which is about the cheapest you get them for.

AB and itsjystthebeginning - I need your help on what you did for your DC when applying for visa. My dc are 5,3,20m and 9wks

1. Dh's company have advised all should apply under student visa category

2). £1 minute London house immigration department advised ds1 and 2 should apply under student and ds3 and 4 under visitor category

3. Nz immigration website email response (from Nz) have emailed me back to say ds1 should apply as a visitor and the rest as dependants on DHs visa. ( this sounds the cheapest option)

I should imagine our situation is quite standard - worker with dependant kids - why can't I get a consistent answer on which forms to use?

What did you do???

Yes, you're mixing it up with Greymouth - which is very grim!
Greytown is actually quite chichi and a weekend retreat for lots of rich Wellingtonians. Full of cafes and boutiques. Nice for a visit.

lollystix- have you looked or asked on emigratenz.org.nz? You should get an answer there.

Hi littlestkiwi- they were the ones who gave me answer 3. I've gone back to query it given London said different - so confused

Hi Lolly. It is very confusing isn't it, they need more flow diagrams for families I think! I applied for a work visa and we applied for student visas for the children (aged soon to be 9 and 5), we also filled in INZ1146. I have just had another look and it does say that on the work visa you cannot include partners and dependents they must apply for their own work, visitor or student visa. In the Work Visa Guide INZ1016 it confirms this on page 2.

Given the 3 options you have listed personally I would go for all student visa as to my mind these fit the best (having looked at the visitor visa).

I found it really annoying that they charged £1 per minute. In the end DP took the forms up and then the email communication started which was much better. Just to let you know that when he gave them in they said 'oh yours will be about 5 days and the others up to 6 weeks!' however they actually did them all together!

HTH, good luck!

Thanks for this - how long it take then for all of them? Just spent 2 hours on the medicals today -£640 poorer but glad that's all sorted and police checks sent off for today. Hoping that we'll be able to send it all off for early January. What sort of visa has your hubby got? Skilled migrant or talent/accredited employer?