OK, I've been slightly remiss in not updating sooner.
Mrs. Smidsy's passport arrived this week after she had her passport interview. I have posted off the last piece of proof for SmidsyJnr's passport so we are now just waiting for that.
The fair was useful in that it gave me some contacts, espeically with banks and financial institutions in NZ. I was also able to get a rough price of getting a 20' container of my household goods shipped to NZ. (£3500) Given the cost of some of the furniture in the house vs the cost of sending several small boxes (£1,000) and buying all new furniture over there, it makes sense to hire the container.
Costs this week £3 to park at The Royal Highland Show, entry to the show and the demonstrations £13. Petrol, £15. Stamp 37p. Mrs Smidsy's train fare into Glasgow £1.40 Total £32.77
Total costs = £283.97+£32.77= £316.74
Friday 29 February 2008
Friday 22 February 2008
Edinburgh
I'm off to Edinburgh, specifically the Royal Highland Centre, to an emigration fair. I reckon 1000hrs to 1430hrs will nail all the questions that I still have.
Being a cynic I think the organisers will be trying to get people to sign up to emigration agents in order to earn fees.
Being a cynic I think the organisers will be trying to get people to sign up to emigration agents in order to earn fees.
Saturday 16 February 2008
Passport Issues
Well, Mrs Smidsy's request to attend an interview letter for a passport has arrived so she called the number and got an interview on the Sat 23rd February. Her boss said she should have got a mid-week interview and not to have worried about the time lost. Nice boss!
Finally, the last piece of proof required for my sons passport arrived so I'll have to send that off in the post. They have changed the person dealing with the application so this should be fun as I may have to re-explain, in detail, why this isn't a standard procedure application.
Finally, the last piece of proof required for my sons passport arrived so I'll have to send that off in the post. They have changed the person dealing with the application so this should be fun as I may have to re-explain, in detail, why this isn't a standard procedure application.
Saturday 9 February 2008
Visa issues
Ok this is where you start to get a sore head.
As a British national I can travel to NZ without a visa if I am going on holiday but this doesn't apply to me.
I need to go on a Business Visitor Visa as I am (hopefully going to get interviews).
From the e-mail reply to the enquiry I made
"If you are travelling to New Zealand on business (eg. to attend a conference, research and negotiate business opportunities, attend interviews with potential New Zealand employers, etc.) and are not receiving any gain or reward during your stay (payment or benefit that can be valued in terms of money, such as board and lodging, goods (eg, food or clothing) and services (eg, transport)), you must obtain a Business Visitor visa prior to your travel. For a step by step application process, please follow this link:
http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/stream/visit/visitors/process/ ".
Also my letter stating that I did my teacher training in the English language arrived today.
Well no new costs today either.
As a British national I can travel to NZ without a visa if I am going on holiday but this doesn't apply to me.
I need to go on a Business Visitor Visa as I am (hopefully going to get interviews).
From the e-mail reply to the enquiry I made
"If you are travelling to New Zealand on business (eg. to attend a conference, research and negotiate business opportunities, attend interviews with potential New Zealand employers, etc.) and are not receiving any gain or reward during your stay (payment or benefit that can be valued in terms of money, such as board and lodging, goods (eg, food or clothing) and services (eg, transport)), you must obtain a Business Visitor visa prior to your travel. For a step by step application process, please follow this link:
http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/stream/visit/visitors/process/ ".
Also my letter stating that I did my teacher training in the English language arrived today.
Well no new costs today either.
Wednesday 6 February 2008
Photocopying and pricing up sending a package
Just got all the photocopying of things done today. This meant a trip into a photocopy shop as libraries tend not to have A3 size photocopiers. Total cost of that, including parking, 72p!
I have been researching the costs of getting the info to New Zealand. The cheapest and fastest route is good old Royal Mail. Anything up to 2kg can be sent by "Airsure", the link to it is below, where NZ is a cost bracket all of its own. There are size restrictions like the total of the length, width and depth of the packet must not exceed 90cm. The letter should take 4 days to arrive and can be tracked too. Given the cost of the documents and the replacement costs I would advise taking the £500 insurance even though it costs a relatively high £2.
http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/jump2?mediaId=400034&catId=400033
The next cheapest I found was £50, so I ain't taking those as an option.
Costs today 72p
Total costs = £283.25+£0.72 =£283.97
I have been researching the costs of getting the info to New Zealand. The cheapest and fastest route is good old Royal Mail. Anything up to 2kg can be sent by "Airsure", the link to it is below, where NZ is a cost bracket all of its own. There are size restrictions like the total of the length, width and depth of the packet must not exceed 90cm. The letter should take 4 days to arrive and can be tracked too. Given the cost of the documents and the replacement costs I would advise taking the £500 insurance even though it costs a relatively high £2.
http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/jump2?mediaId=400034&catId=400033
The next cheapest I found was £50, so I ain't taking those as an option.
Costs today 72p
Total costs = £283.25+£0.72 =£283.97
Tuesday 5 February 2008
From the sublime to the ridiculous!
This will make you laugh.
I'm a Brit, educated in Britain, teacher trained in Scotland. NZQA still want me to prove that my teacher training was done in English. Needless to say that this caused hilarity when I asked the registry at the university I trained at for THAT letter. I mean I could hardly keep my face straight when explaining why I needed the letter.
The letter stating I did my teacher training in English will be winging its way to me tomorrow.
I'm a Brit, educated in Britain, teacher trained in Scotland. NZQA still want me to prove that my teacher training was done in English. Needless to say that this caused hilarity when I asked the registry at the university I trained at for THAT letter. I mean I could hardly keep my face straight when explaining why I needed the letter.
The letter stating I did my teacher training in English will be winging its way to me tomorrow.
Sunday 3 February 2008
Getting ready for qualification assessment.
Yesterday was busy. All three of my university transcripts have arrived. This means that I can apply to the NZQA, using the link below this paragraph, to have all of my qualifications assessed. This is a necessary step that should take about 4-6 weeks depending on post. The form is about 18 pages long, the first 12 pages being instructions on how to fill in the last 6 pages.
Website
http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/for-international/qual-eval/index.html
The form
http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/for-international/qual-eval/docs/nzq1.pdf
You need to send the original and a copy of EVERYTHING. The website is quite clear about what to include and the instructions get 10/10 from me for clarity. They even want your High School Certificates. Time to dig out the Higher and O grade results.
It costs NZ$450 to have the assessment done with another NZ$36 to return your original documents (or included a FEDEX/DHL bag). You can fast track the application for another NZ$150, which I will not be doing.
Well time to go fill in another form.
Website
http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/for-international/qual-eval/index.html
The form
http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/for-international/qual-eval/docs/nzq1.pdf
You need to send the original and a copy of EVERYTHING. The website is quite clear about what to include and the instructions get 10/10 from me for clarity. They even want your High School Certificates. Time to dig out the Higher and O grade results.
It costs NZ$450 to have the assessment done with another NZ$36 to return your original documents (or included a FEDEX/DHL bag). You can fast track the application for another NZ$150, which I will not be doing.
Well time to go fill in another form.
Saturday 2 February 2008
Getting Money
This moving lark is expensive. OK I have a car which I don't really need as we have another car (which we are still paying for) and Mrs Smidsy has a pool car from her work. It makes sense to get rid of my 5 year old car.
It has gone into the Herald and Evening Times motoring pages as up for sale. I am having it serviced and MOT'd on Tuesday to make it a bit more saleable, seems as I have been slightly naughty and advertised it as 12 month MOT before I actually have it ;).
I have an endowment policy which I pay £75 a month into. It was being used to pay the mortgage on our very first house but we realised when we moved to our second house that it was never going to make its target so we just kept it on as a savings plan and life insurance. I looked into keeping it until it matures but the cost of international money transfer every month makes that uneconomic so I have decided to cash it in. OK I'm getting less than I put in but it means that I do not need to ask the bank for money to pay for air fares or living money whilst I am in NZ without Mrs Smidsy and son.
It has gone into the Herald and Evening Times motoring pages as up for sale. I am having it serviced and MOT'd on Tuesday to make it a bit more saleable, seems as I have been slightly naughty and advertised it as 12 month MOT before I actually have it ;).
I have an endowment policy which I pay £75 a month into. It was being used to pay the mortgage on our very first house but we realised when we moved to our second house that it was never going to make its target so we just kept it on as a savings plan and life insurance. I looked into keeping it until it matures but the cost of international money transfer every month makes that uneconomic so I have decided to cash it in. OK I'm getting less than I put in but it means that I do not need to ask the bank for money to pay for air fares or living money whilst I am in NZ without Mrs Smidsy and son.
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