Gravers007

Hi there all,

I was wondering if anyone could point me to the right direction in my next steps for immigration.

I am a british citizen, as are our 2 children (aged 4 &1). My wife is a new zealand citizen (with an NZ passport) with indefinite leave to remain in the UK. We'd like to move to NZ as we think the lifestyle would be more suited to us but really don't know where to start.

I work as a professional, but have checked and my job isn't in the skills shortage list. However, I think my best avenue is to get a visa through the fact that my wife is a kiwi. Would this also need to be done for our children?

Am I right in thinking that this should be my first step?

Once that's done, I thought my next task would be to sort out work & accommodation? How do people find work - do you have it all arranged before you leave for NZ or do you try to find work when you get there?

I think we're financially secure enough to buy a house - but have no idea how difficult it is ,in general, to get a mortgage in NZ if you've just arrived there.

I appreciate that there is quite a lot of information I'm asking here and I'm sure it will illicit some eye-rolls! But if you could offer me some advice or point me in the right direction I would really appreciate it.

SanDiegogirl

Can't help on the NZ questions, but if your wife only as Indefinite Leave to remain in the UK (ie not citizenship) then her leaving the UK for 2 years or more will mean that status will lapse.

If you wish to return to the UK you'll more than likely have to start the immigration process for her all over again.

Something to think about.

Clappy

My wife is a New Zealand citizen so I moved over here on a Partnership visa and started looking for work when I arrived.

Between booking the tickets and arriving here there was a Global Financial Crisis so I found it very difficult to find work at first but I don't think I could have done anything differently.
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Timmy Chch

What job do you do or area youd like to work in might help? Location wise you'd probably either look where your mrs might have relations/ties but equally important to just get work and go where the jobs are. Yet auckland with loads of jobs means high demand/expensive housing, Wellington similar so if your work isn't highly skilled then a regional "city" (think town) then might be a good bet as you'll be paying a far healthier couples combined income to debt/mortgage ratio. Think I read auckland was 11.5 ratio today, the regions from about 3 if you can cope with a doer upper?!