Surfer Chick

By the time we have put 3 dogs in kennels and paid for the 4 of us to go on a holiday to New Zealand we would have spent upto 5 or 6 thousand. I'm thinking this could be used to keep us for 6 months if necessary.

Anyone made the leap, without visiting the country at all!:scared:

kittenlips

We are in the same position!! Well there is only two of us going to OZ but you are still talking 4 thousand at least for a 2/3 week holiday!! We can't afford to do it! But what the hell you only live once, it's rather exciting going out there blind don't you think?

Theresa

tosh cambridge

Hi

Not yet... but very soon will be setting foot on aussie soil for the first time... :scared: :scared: :scared:

will let you know
kath

PeteY

You can do a holiday in oz for far less than that......

Flights = 600 each returns.

You can't tell me you NEED to spend a further 2800 pounds in a country where its very cheap (IF YOUR EARNING POUNDS - NB NB NB)to live.

You can get package holidays in oz for about 1200 a head if you want to do it the easy way.

Pete.

Surfer Chick

Oh thank god....we're not lossing our minds then.

If we are then we're not the only ones at least

crabtree

I posted a Poll on this forum some time ago. Check it out, you will be surprised to know that there were only around 53% that had visited prior.
Its a matter of choice and for many affordability comes in to it too.

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...highlight=poll


Tony C

cadman

We would have been going straight there if we hadn't decided to wait until my wife does her Nursing.
Now we'll HAVE to go simply to validate the visas, fortunately I have a cousin in Melbourne who says they'll put us up, but we are hoping to live in Brisbane so we'll have to shell out for a week up there.
(there are 5 of us AND I'm self employed so DON'T GET PAID when I'm not in work! Ouch!)

Surfer Chick

My hubby is self employed too, a plumber, and I am at Uni trying to finish a HND in Building Studies. So it really is awkward

Kath

Before emigrating to Australia I always believed that visiting the country first was essential, I found it hard to believe people who packed up their lives without a visit. I have now changing my mind and don't mind admitting when I'm wrong!!

We visited Australia 12 years ago back packing on the East coast, we then came to Perth in 2001 for a holiday to check out the area whilst waiting for our PR, we moved here permanently in 2002. I now think it doesn't matter how many holidays you have nothing can prepare you for actually living, working, schooling etc. you just have to go for it. We met up with an English family who've never been to Australia before, they arrived same time as us, I would say they've settled far better than us and have never looked back.

There is so much information available, books, internet etc. you are just as prepared as anyone!

The only thing I will say is it felt better, comforting arriving in Perth knowing the airport, city and roughly where we wanted to settle.

Gill and Rob

We didn't visit first and now live happily in NZ. We didn't feel we would get the right impression doing NZ as a hoilday prior to moving. It's true, nothing can really prepare you for living and working somewhere other than living and working there .....er...I hope you all understood that.

Gill and Rob, PS the cost came in to it too

theguitardoctor

Nah, not visited NZ, researched heavily, but really, can anywhere actually be as bad as Stoke on Trent anyway? It was voted worst place to live a couple of years back....I don't know how it lost it's crown really, it's not like they made an effort........unless you count the increase in boarded up buildings as a concerted effort.....

Did the same thing before - went to live in Germany without visiting, then Spain...same again....it beat the UK every time...thus we have no fears...

Rich.

newkiwi

Hi,

We also moved to NZ without having been. Its nice to go if you have the money available, but no amount of holidays will prepare you for what its like living there in any event.

As long as you have realistic expectations youll be fine

We have no regrets moving here "blind"
, altho i did have a job lined up so that made it easier i guess

BritboyNZ

Did exactly that....came over on holiday (with a WHV so I could do casual work if needed) & ended up staying. Much better that way - no painful goodbyes for a start - just "What do you mean, you're not coming back?!?!" Been here 3yrs now and have pretty much gone native now

sweet as eh bro

Russ

kittenlips

I have never seen flights as cheap as that! And that is only to one destination, what about the rest of the country?

OK a package holiday will be about 1200 minimum a head, this doesn't include food and getting out and about! So unless you intend to scrimp and save (which defeats the whole object of going) you are still looking at my original figure or very near to it!

Theresa

Jamie Smith

Hi all

Minister and NZIS both state it is expected that a future migrant would visit NZ first, both for business and skilled categories. NZIS say this demonstrates bona fides.

I don't personally expect that thye'll have an excess of applicants under new SMC category, however wouldn't you kick yourself if your case got lapsed because someone identical to yourself got approved, with the only difference between you being he/she had visited first, so scored higher in assessment about ability to settle well.

Especially if your visa application costs were higher than the cost of a visit.....

NZIS/Minister are looking to approve people who'll settle well, and they believe that fore-warned is fore-armed. Makes sense to me, however I think a lot of the success factor comes down to attitude, about getting stuck in and not dwelling on home too much.

best if you submit your case from a position of exceeding the minimums???

Regards to you all