moomooandy

Hi, we're very sadly still stuck in the UK - 3 months later. Lost job number 1 and now about to lose job number 2 The reason is our 8 year old daughter has Coeliacs disease and there is a man in Wellington that can't decide how much financial impact a child that has to just eat gluten free food to remain healthy might be. Has anyone out there got through immigration with this condition??? Any stories good or bad would be great to hear.

Thanks all - i can't put in a smiley face at the moment as sooooo cross.

The dream may be coming to an end due to bureaucracy

chippy64

If your daughter's condition will only involve eating gluten free food, then you need to get a letter from her consultant to confirm this to send to the MA.

My daughter (still in the UK) is gluten intolerant and finds the lack of readily available food a pain. Also, unless she wants to eat a salad, eating in restaurants/cafes is very problematic (apart from a fab restaurant in Tonbridge!). In Christchurch, I have been amazed at the amount of gluten free food available in the supermarkets. Lots of restaurants and cafes offer gluten free food - even the little cafe in my local little library! Bakeries advertise gluten free - even Dominos Pizzas offer this choice.

So, best of luck and hope for a swift outcome.

moomooandy

Thanks for that. Believe it or not I phoned our paediatrician this afternoon and within 2 hours she'd written a letter which i've forwarded to our emigration company. Fingers, legs, arms toes and anything else is crossed but it does push me to my absolute MAXIMUM! From the research we've done being GF in NZ is quite easy -we'd like to be able to try if only they'll let us in!

chippy64

Everything for you

scrubbedexpat094

Extremely frustrating for you. Have noticed a big increase in the amount of gluten-free foods available just recently.

Hope things move forward more quickly for you now

Kiwikaye

Hi, I can't help on the immigration front, but, as a coeliac myself, it shouldn't have a bearing on your eligibility I wouldn't have thought. As others have said, gluten-free food is readily available here. The Coeliac Society at www.coeliac.co.nz might be able to provide you with some more help.

jmh

I guess they're worried about whether she will go on to have more serious medical problems later on and require expensive medical treatment. It is a serious condition for some people and can lead to major illnesses if the person is not rigourous about their diet:

- Chronic poor health
- Osteoporosis due to calcium malabsorption
- Infertility
- Miscarriages
- Depression
- Dental enamel defects
- An increased risk of gastrointestinal and oesophageal carcinoma.

NSWP

I am a Coeliac and there is a decent range of GF Food in supermarkets in Aus/NZ, just read the labels as you do in UK.

One thing though, I note that in UK you can get subsidised GF Food through the National Health. Not here. In fact GF food very expensive, bought a couple of loaves of Zehender GF Bread today, just on $8 a loaf, $7.94 to be exact.
Good luck in KiwiLand, not going to shakeytown - Christchurch are you?

Yes probably the issue of medical treatment is the stumbling bock. Like for me, GF Diet was not enough, had to go on the Cortisone via Medicare.

AndyR

Surprised being a Coeliac got brought up on your immigration form. My wife is a coeliac, was diagnosed 5 years before we emigrated to NZ and wasn't mentioned once on our AUS or NZ visa applications.

In fact, now we have been in NZ for 2 years, the range of gluten free food, both in supermarkets/stores and especially out and about is one of the biggest reasons we do not want to go back to the UK. Its so much better out here that even I have converted to a gluten free diet out of choice. Only bummer is the gf food is a bit more expensive out here, but the quality is WAAAAY better than the UK.