Timeline

Just a quick note to point out the nifty little timeline I put up on the right side of this blog. It's got all the key parts of the process of obtaining the legal right to move my family to New Zealand. Quite a long process. We're almost at the end.

We have our tickets!

I've been saying for a while now that we're going in January. And just a few days ago that was still the plan. Mainly because that would enable Bic to finish her first half of the year of school here, and get us to New Zealand right before the start of their new school year. Also it would give us more time here to pack and prepare, and let us have one more white Christmas.

But then I went to go buy our plane tickets. In January, two adults, two children flying one way from Boston to Napier, with a stop over in San Fran for 2 days came to US$7330 on Air New Zealand. We like Air New Zealand the best because they have direct flights from San Francisco, where we like to stop over to visit relatives. Plus they do New Zealand domestic flights, so we wouldn't have to switch airlines at all the whole way. We could have probably found a cheaper domestic flights for both the US leg and the NZ leg, but having it all on one ticket means we can bring the max amount of luggage on all the flights. Which is 2 per person before being charged extra. Most domestic flights in the US now charge for even the first checked bag. And we're probably going to bring as much as we can.

Anyways $7330 is a lot of money. It sounds like too much. So I did some searching around, and found that if we leave in early December the price drops by over $2000. That's too much money to ignore. So I bought the tickets. We leave Boston on December 6. Leave San Francisco December 8. And arrive in New Zealand on December 10. Whohoo!

I had a mini anxiety attack when it dawned on my how close all this really is to happening. There's really no turning back now. And December is SO soon. But now I'm good with it. Better than good, really. That extra month will give us more time to find a place to live, visit schools and kindergartens, etc. before the start of the new year. It will give us more summer and less winter. It will give us Christmas and the New Year in our new home and with Aidan's family.

Residency in Hand

That was quick. I got my passport back today, just 8 days after I sent it down to the New Zealand Embassy in Washington, DC. It is now stamped with a Residence Visa, which I must convert to a Residence Permit by 8 September 2009 (by entering New Zealand). I also go a Returning Resident's Visa that lets me back into New Zealand if I leave in the two years thereafter.

Recon

Like I said previously, there's a lot to update. We went down to New Zealand for 3 weeks in July for a bit of reconnaissance. It was winter (note the snow on the Napier/Taupo road below), which wasn't ideal, but we got a lot of stuff sorted in our own heads, and it ended up being a wonderful trip.



So what did we sort out? Well, the biggest thing was deciding where we want to move to. We were divided between Aidan's hometown of Napier in the Hawke's Bay region, and Wellington. We spent a week in Napier, a week in Wellington, then a week back in Napier. And it became clear to us that Hawke's Bay is definitely where we'll go.

Not to knock Wellington. I mean, we totally love it there. But lifestyle-wise, I think Napier is more our speed. And really, lifestyle is the reason we're moving to NZ. Wellington is another big(gish) city. We've lived in the suburbs of a big(gish) city for the past 11 years. It's what we're moving away from. And housing in Wellington is SO expensive that we'd definitely have to live in the suburbs there, rather than close to town, which would defeat the purpose of being there anyways. The downtown is awesome... the suburbs, not so much.

Napier, on the other hand, is technically a city, but I consider it a small town. It feels like a small town, but with most of the city amenities you could want between Napier, it's sister city Hastings just next door, and the adorable village of Havelock North. Hawke's Bay is a gorgeous region.



We'll be able to afford pretty much anywhere we'd like in the area. Where in the end we settle exactly will depend on where our jobs are. And on that front, it doesn't seem like there will be any problem, since Aidan managed to meet with many potential employers, and they all seemed enthusiastic, some even offering him jobs on the spot! He didn't commit to anything. I assume when we arrive in January the situation will be similar.

So that was the major decision we made on this trip. More gleaned info to follow.

I bet you thought it would never happen

It's here! Finally, an update!

There's actually a lot to update, but instead, I'll just share that today I sent my passport to the New Zealand Embassy to have my Residence Visa stamped, or attached, or inserted, or however they give it to me. The acceptance letter told me it would take about 4 weeks to be issued, and then from that point I have 12 months to move to New Zealand. No problem, the current plan now is to move in January.

Whohoo! Almost there. :)

Wait.

So it seems I need to wait again. My letter from the NZ Embassy said I need to send them back my passport, and they'll put my Resident Visa in it (for the fee of $235 called a migrant levy). I will then have 12 months to get to New Zealand at which point the Visa will be removed from my passport and my Residence Permit will be issued.

Thing is, I'm going to NZ for a month in July. But returning home for a few months to pack and stuff before moving over permanently sometime at the end of the year. So I don't want my Residency to start till I actually move (so I won't be tax liable there, so I won't need a Returning Residents Visa to get back). I emailed my case worker and asked what I should do. She said I shouldn't send them my passport for my Resident Visa until after I get back from my trip in August.

So like I said, more waiting. But it's all good. It's not like I'm waiting on someone else this time.

Whohoo!

I got it! Or rather:
"[My] application for residence in New Zealand has been approved in principle."

Sweet. You'd think they'd make the notice a little more exciting, a little more emotional. But it doesn't matter, because now the only thing standing between me and New Zealand is time!

more stuff

Hey! So I got my documents (passports, birth certs, etc) back from the NZ Embassy on Monday. That took just over three weeks, which is pretty good. Not so good is the fact that I also received notice from them that they needed additional documentation to process my application. Mother frakker! I sent so much stuff already, and they want more?!?!

Turns out I missed 2 teeny tiny instructions on the health form. Despite the fact that the form has 2 pages dedicated to the doctor indicating whether each of the lab test results and the x-ray results was normal or not, I was actually also supposed to also include print-outs of the actual results, signed by the doctor. That required me going back to the doctor's office, which I did today.

The other thing I missed was enough documentation to prove that my husband and I have been cohabitating for at least 12 months. Funny thing is, though, that to prove that, they ask for joint bank statements, separate individually addressed mailings, etc. from the past 6 months. How does that make any sense? I don't know.

Well, I had only sent in one recent joint bank account statement, and our marriage certificate (from 10 years ago!), and our daughters' birth certificates, which both showed that we were living together 4 years ago and 2 years ago. I had thought that would be enough. Guess I was wrong. So today I went through our files, got 12 months worth of joint bank account statements (they said they only needed 6, but I sent 12 just in case), a recent excise tax bill addressed to both of us, a health insurance notice sent just to spouse 6 months ago, a credit card statement sent just to me 6 months ago, and a joint car insurance statement sent to both of us 6 months ago. That better be enough, man. I UPSed it all off again today.

Now it's back to waiting.

Andy's got it

According to the UPS web site tracking, my application arrived at the New Zealand Embassy in Washington, DC safe and sound on Wednesday. Seemingly fitting, it was February 6, Waitangi Day, a New Zealand national holiday, commemorating the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi.

The UPS site says the package was signed for by Andy. Just Andy. Hee. That makes me think of Murray, in the New Zealand Consulate in New York City on Flight of the Conchords. If you haven't seen Flight of the Conchords yet, you must. It's a show by, and about these two New Zealand guys who are trying to make it in New York as a band. We don't have HBO, so we haven't been able to see it until recently when we got it out on DVD. So far we've watched the first 4 episodes of season 1, and it just keeps getting funnier. A lot of the humour seems like it would only be understood by Kiwis, or those who know some, but I guess enough of the humour crosses over, because it's a big hit, and everyone I know here who's seen it loves it.

it's out of my hands now

It's done! I've sent the whole application package off to the New Zealand Embassy in Washington, D.C.

Here's what I sent:
- Completed application form
- 2 Passport photos of me
- 2 Passport photos of my partner
- Certified copy of my birth certificate
- My US Passport
- Letter explaining why I couldn't obtain an FBI police certificate (with all the paperwork from my failed attempts)
- Completed Medical & X-Ray Certificate form (with 3 passport photos of me attached)
- Completed Sponsorship Form
- Certified copy of my partner's birth certificate
- My partner's New Zealand Passport
- My partner's FBI police certificate
- Certified copy of our marriage certificate
- Certified copies of our daughters' birth certificates
- Our daughters' New Zealand Citizenship Certificates
- Joint bank account statement
- Bank check made out to the New Zealand Embassy for US$925
- Prepaid self-addressed UPS envelope for return of documents

Now the waiting begins.

maybe tomorrow?

Okay. So Friday Aidan went and got the 2 passport photos the partner of the New Zealand residency applicant needs. He went and signed his Sponsorship From with the Notary at our bank. I thought we were all set. Saturday morning I started piecing it all together, with the hope of mailing it off that day. But then the one item I was sure I had a copy of, was missing. I can't find a certified copy of our marriage certificate. I found 2 regular copies, but neither are certified, so they won't do. I found the certified copy of my birth certificate (2 actually), I found the certified copy of Aidan's birth certificate, I've got both our passports, I've got the medical form filled out, the sponsorship form filled out, and the actual residency application form filled out. All I need is this marriage certificate. Oh, and a money order for the fee. On the application there's a spot for your credit card number, so I assumed that I could use my credit card. But according to the Immigration New Zealand fee finder the only options for paying the fee when filing in the US are bank checks, money orders or cash. Like I'm going to send $925 in cash. Yes, $925. I should just move to New Zealand first, then apply, because the fee when applying in New Zealand is only $700 in New Zealand dollars. That's like a US$500 difference to apply from here. Oh well. I'm way too close to finishing this application of change the plan now.

So tomorrow it's off to City Hall to get a copy of my marriage certificate, off to the post office to get a money order, then off to the UPS Store to mail it all, along with a prepaid return mailer for getting my documents shipped back to me. That's important, because we'll definitely be needing our passports soon. We're planning a reconnaissance trip down to New Zealand for July!

this might take awhile

I finally got the ink for my printer yesterday. We had a dump of snow over the weekend and I didn't want to go out in it. Now that I've printed the forms, I see it will take a few days before I have them completed. The primary reason? Despite the fact that I am the only one on the application (husband and daughters all being New Zealand citizens) I have to write out every member of my partner's immediate family. With their birthdates. Aidan is the youngest of nine kids, and he's not quite sure on all their birthdates! He knows all the days and months, it's the years that he's a bit unsure of.

I'm assuming the reason they want this information is to see who could potentially in the future want to try to gain entry based on my residency (assuming I get it). But it's silly, really, because all of them are New Zealanders. I guess in this sort of case it could be to see where we have the most ties, so it's a positive thing, having so much of our family in New Zealand. I don't know, but it's frustrating all the same. We'll have to contact his mother to get all the dates.

healthy as a horse

Whew! So glad that's done. I had my medical exam and lab work and chest x-ray needed for my New Zealand residency application. Time spent at the medical clinic totaled two and a half hours. Then two days later I went back in to pick it all up. I had been quite nervous about it, apparently unnecessarily so. My doctor was very nice about it and agreed to do all the paperwork herself, rather than sending it to Medical Records (as I was told must be done at the front desk) which would have taken weeks to get back. The chest x-ray was done at my clinic, but had to be sent to a radiologist off-site, and though I worried about it, the form for the radiologist went off with the x-ray, and came back correctly filled in. Once I got it all back, I celebrated in the classic Kiwi way, with beans on toast.



So now I've pretty much collected everything I need to submit my application. Last thing is for Aidan to get a couple of passport photos. I've gotten mine already. I needed three for my medical forms, so I got the extra 2 for the application at the same time. Oh, but I need to go to Staples tomorrow to get some more ink for my printer. I'm running out, and need to print up the application (24 pages), and the sponsorship form (12 pages). A few weeks ago I had called the NZ Embassy in Washington, DC to get them to send me copies of the form (wanting the nice, official versions), but they didn't have any to send! Told me I had to print off the web. So I will.

must wait

I've been quite nervous thinking about the medical exam and tests that need to be done for this residency application. Not because I think I'll have anything wrong with me, but because I'm not sure how the process will go. The form is LONG. 16 pages LONG. And the directions state that half of it has to be filled out in the presence of the doctor, and the other half has to be filled out by the doctor. And that midway through you must go get a check x-ray, blood work and a urinalysis done, and then come back to your doctor to finish the form filling outing.

I don't know about you, but I've barely ever met my PCP (primary care provider, often called GPs in other parts of the world) of the past 5 years. She's usually all booked up, so even if I'm sick, I end up seeing a nurse practitioner. And when I do go in, I'm usually rushed in and out as quick as possible. So the concepts of this medical immigration form and my doctor's office just don't go together at all.

But now that I have all the background check stuff done, the next step is the medical. So I called my doctor's office, and spoke to the receptionist. I explained that I had this long-ass form I needed filled out, with lots of accompanying testing, and she said "It sounds like you just need a physical. Your doctor is booking in February for physicals right now." Now, I don't think I just need a physical, unless they're willing to do this whole form as an add-on to a physical, but I'll go along with that. But FEBRUARY!? I wanted this done soooooon. Oh well, better stop whining. She had a cancellation and was able to get me in on January 22. I think I'll go in a few days before that, bring a copy of the form with me and leave it for them to look over, so there won't be any surprises on the day.

it came

See, that's how easy it can be. Just two weeks after I sent it off, and my husband's FBI background check is back, with no arrest history of course. It's a busy time of year, but I'll try to get my medical done in the next few weeks, so I can hopefully mail the whole application off before the new year! Almost done. Whew!

sent

Kiwi hubby went to the police station on Tuesday to get his prints for his FBI record request. They looked to me like they've got the necessary feature vectors. We'll see I guess. We mailed it off to the FBI 2 days ago.

really????

So apparently, the people at my local police station were wrong. It's not that after three tries the FBI just goes ahead and accepts fingerprints with a low quality characteristics. It's actually that after making me submit my bad-ass fingerprints three times they go ahead and reject my attempts to get my police record. This past Saturday I received back in the mail all 5 sets of the fingerprints I submitted (1 the first time, 2 each the second and third times) with a nice note. The note reads:

It appears the quality of your fingerprints will not improve. Unfortunately, they do no possess the "feature vectors" which must be present to complete a fingerprint search of the FBI Fingerprint Identification Record System. Should a fingerprint search be required for the purpose of licensing, employment or immigration, you should contact the agency requiring the fingerprinting to determine alternate procedures.

My fingerprints don't possess the "feature vectors". I feel so dirty.

So following the note's instructions, I emailed the New Zealand Embassy in Washington. First, actually, I checked Immigration New Zealand's web site to see if they had "alternate procedures" listed. And it seemed like I had found the "alternate procedures" right here in the first paragraph. It says I need a statutory declaration and corroborating information attesting to my good character. That's what I ultimately emailed the NZ Embassy about, because what the heck is a statutory declaration, and what kind of corroborating information do I need?

The response I received was not so helpful. They told me to call the FBI to find out what to do to get my fingerprints accepted. Even though I made completely clear in my email why the FBI wasn't going to provide me with a police certificate, they wanted me to check again. So I did. It was a quick call. The very nice woman at the FBI CJIS Division told me I need to go back to Immigration New Zealand and ask what to do since the FBI will NOT give me my record. Sounds like a lot of back and forth, eh?

All that, to get the final response from the NZ Embassy saying I just need a statutory declaration stating all the above. Great. Thanks for the help.

Before writing back again to this kind soul in the NZ Embassy, I found out that just last week the requirements for attaining residency through a NZ partner have changed. The forms are all different now and everything. Yikes. Good thing I saw that on the Expats in New Zealand Yahoo Group, or I wouldn't have known that now, my husband needs to get his FBI record as well! Let's hope his fingers have feature vectors.

I'm not going to bother writing back to the NZ Embassy, because perusing the new application forms I found out that a "statutory declaration" is just a letter that's been notarized.

bad bad fingers

Well, the Red Sox didn't sweep the Indians, but did end up winning the series in 7 games. They just wanted to make it more interesting, I'm sure. As I write they're up 3 games to none against the Rockies in the World Series and winning in Game 4. Maybe this time they'll sweep.

Anyways, my fingerprints were rejected by the FBI again. Blah. It was kinda expected given what the fingerprint technician told me last time, I was just hoping I wouldn't have to go in. Again. But I went back to my local police station, and this time a different technician was on. He agreed that my fingerprints were naturally really bad. He said he does 3 - 5 sets of prints a day, and mine were some of the worst he'd ever seen. Great. But he confirmed that the FBI will just go with what they've got (primarily my Social Security number) after this submission, even if the fingerprints get rejected again.

So I didn't have to pay for the prints at the police state again, since it was a redo, but the FBI made me pay a second fee of $18. I don't know why they let you resubmit once without paying more, but make you resubmit twice before they give up. Whatever. The most annoying part of paying again was that this time they required a money order or certified check. The first time I was able to pay with a credit card. I should have gotten a money order at the post office, but I was at the bank, so had them print out a certified check. Unfortunately they charged an $8 fee. Oh well.

Besides the extra time and the extra $26, there's no worry really about all this. I got a response from the New Zealand Embassy in Washington DC about the processing time for a residency application. 3 - 6 months. And then I'll have to move there within 12 months. So so far I'm still on track for an October 2008 move. Yay!

let's talk about sports

While I'm waiting for my FBI background check to be processed I've got some time on my hands. I'm using a lot of the time to stress that I won't get residency in time to move to New Zealand in October of 2008 like we're planning. I know it's a year away, but remember, we had to wait over two and a half years for Aidan's US citizenship (the USCIS website says it should take about 7 months). The Immigration New Zealand FAQ says "Once you know which branch will be processing your application, you can access their processing times on our website, which is published in their individual branch pages, under the heading 'Processing Times'." Being in the US, I'll be submitting my application to the Washington branch. Their page doesn't have the 'Processing Times' heading. :( Guess I'll have to call them on Monday so I can stop stressing (or start stressing more).

Until then, let's talk about sports. In New Zealand, the biggest sport is rugby, and they've recently had a devastating result in the Rugby World Cup. They were eliminated by France in the quarterfinals. Oops. They were expected to win the Cup. As they are every time. And as the rarely do. They're good at choking I guess.

Over here, the biggest sport is baseball. And my local team, the Boston Red Sox, last week made it past the equivalent of a quarterfinal round, by beating the Los Angeles Angels in the American League Division Series (ALDS). Now we're in the American League Championship Series (ALCS) against the Cleveland Indians, playing for a spot in the World Series. Last night we won the first of the seven game series. Yay! 4 minutes to the first pitch of Game 2. Here's hoping for a sweep!

bad fingers

So I was all proactive and went back to the police station yesterday for reprinting. Turns out it wasn't a problem with the set of prints, it's a problem with my actual fingers. They don't print well. And so when the FBI says that the "quality of characteristics is too low to be used" they mean that my fingerprints are kinda boring and uncharacteristic without nice deep groves and nice defined whorls and such. So reprinting doesn't usually actually help. But they make you do it anyways. Great.

The lady in the detectives' office was nice and redid the prints, twice actually, since the FBI had sent me 2 extra print cards and we figured we might as well send them both. She said that the FBI used to have the rule that they'd make you send in 3 sets of prints before they finally just accepted them. She said she believed the new rule is just 2 sets. Here's hoping.