Solicitors question
 

My wife and I are currently filling out all the needed forms for our emmigration to NZ. AL alrge number of documents need to be signed and stamped by a solicitor.
I've never had the need to contact one before, so wanted to check on here before I do. Do I simply call a loocal solicitor and make an appointment, taking the needed forms with me, or id there more to it than that?

Re: Solicitors question
 

Hi

It depends on the documents you need certifying. To register with my professional body in NZ I needed a notary which cost around £30 for half an hour. Apparently if the documents are to be sent overseas then a notary is needed, a normal solicitor won't do. This was by far the cheapest notary I could find, the costs varied from the above to £120:mad:
When I sent in my ITA I sent in copies of my degree certificate, passport and professional registration rather than risk NZIS losing them:eek:. These were certified by a normal high street solicitor at a cost of £2 per copy which I thought was pretty reasonable. I rang round to get estimates but none were higher than £5 per copy. I didn't even need to make an appointment, just turned up with the originals and the photocopies and the job was done.
Hope this helps:D

Sue

Re: Solicitors question
 

Thanks Sue :). My wife is currently filling the forums out to register for the NZ nursing council, these are the forums we need stamping - along with copies of passport, certificates etc. From your first paragraph, won't a normal solicitor be able to do this? If not, what do we need to look for?

Thanks for the help,

Chris

Re: Solicitors question
 

According to the nursing council's guide for overseas registrants:

"All copies of documents must be certified as true copies of the originals by a solicitor, justice of the peace, notary public or other person authorised to make a statutory declaration".

I am sure others have used a solicitor. I am also about to submit my application and will be spending Monday or Tuesday walking round the local solicitors and courts to see who will do this for me.

Re: Solicitors question
 

I have just done my NZ nursing council forms, and had them certfied by a solicitor form the high street, thats what the website said, so thats what i did, hopefully that should be ok. Do tell your your wife to get a letter from her employer confirming her employment and that she has done at least 450hours practice time in thelast three years, apparently this saves time, and the registration should come through in approx 6 weeks(here's to hoping, ey;))
Good luck:thumbup:

Re: Solicitors question
 

Getting confirmation of my hours is something I haven't done yet. Its a little complicated for me as I was made redundant last year and worked for several agencies so I have to write to quite a few people. I've been in a full time job for 6 months but I'll need to get evidence of all my experience for our skilled migrant application. Also, it could be another 2-3 years before we're ready to move to NZ so I imagine I'd have to prove my hours all over again in addition to my professional development.

Re: Solicitors question
 

Looks like you can just use a normal solicitor then. It's just my registration body that needed an expensive notary!:curse: