Maz

So our shipper got back to us with the answer to a rather important question. Basically if we go over on visitors visas, we have to pay 7% GST on all non-clothing items in the container!!! That's just not feasible when our house contents have been valued at nearly US$100K. So barring a job offer 6 months from now (as we are taking the cats with us wherever we go, and they have to be prepared for immigration starting 6 months in advance), and an employer willing to wait for us to get our PR first, it's all off. The costs started skyrocketing, too, as we were looking at about US$15,000 for the container, US$6,000 to get the cats over there (plus a month in quarantine after that). We just saw our funds rapidly dwindling... Might take another look at mainland Europe as we still want to move. No way we're going to retire here!

But yep that 7% GST was a bit of a nail in the coffin.

Also, our daughter has announced she doesn't want to move there, but graciously gave us all permission to go there on holiday. Too cute!

Oh well... c'est la vie.

Leighlou

Hells Bells Maz! Thanks for this as it is really relevant to us too! Although really crappy news. Not sure what on earth to do now? I am presuming that it gets waived for working visas and not just PR. Another bloody slap in the face though. Really sorry Maz.

Spacecake799

Hi Maz,
I dont know if this is relevant as we came from the UK, but we came over on a visitors visa and stored our stuff with the removal company in the UK. As soon as we had our work permit we scanned them a copy and our stuff was delivered the same as everyone elses. Hope this helps
Carole

Maz

Yes that's definitely a way around it! But we would kind of start needing some of our stuff well before that happened. Hubby is increasingly concerned about the sheer distance from everywhere else on the planet, and that's a very valid concern, too. One that cannot be overcome, too.

Leighlou, yep you'd need a work permit or PR, basically. Anything but a visitors visa, pretty much.

happynz

Sorry to hear about that setback. However, I think spacecake's idea is a good one.

I guess my perpetual poverty has shielded me from those sorts of concerns. What very little I do have I could walk away from tomorrow. I reckon most wouldn't or couldn't and that's okay too.

All the best of luck to you.

pixi-dust

Maz
Carole's idea sounds good. Also its amazing how much you can do without - we had nothing for about 2 months - just an empty house with some borrowed things - people are very generous.
thinking of you xx

BEVS

Flip . You've put this much effort in already . It's a shame to not give it a go, although I can quite see the points about finances and distance.

Spacecakes tip about the container is a great idea.

We managed with nothing but what was in our suitcases for around two months and people really are very generous. We were lent all sorts of stuff. It was enough to be quite comfortable.

Another younger family we are good friends with had a couple of kids. They were kiwis returning after years in Scotland. They did virtually the same thing plus they joined the Toy Library so the kids had different stuff to play with.

Once you arrive in New Zealand and find a job you can apply for the work permit straight away. I have read that there is a longer waiting time recently but I always thought that if you had an imminent start date, NZIS would go all out to get your permit through for the NZ employer who wants you.

I have just been helping an Hungarian family with a work permit.I couriered the application last Monday. Yesterday, Friday, the employer was told the application was approved. That's just one weeks turn round.

NZ employers can be very understanding. My husbands employer waited over 5 months for him in the end, what with one thing and another.

We brought two cats . In fact they arrived before me in the end. If I couldn't have brought my lovely cats I wouldn't have come ,so quite know where you are coming from there.
I dunno whats needed when you bring a cat from the US of A. We didn't have to quarantine our cats. Just keep them in.

It is a very expensive exercise and NZ is a long way from everywhere else [ bar Oz] but if that's where you feel your family will do best then I hope you will soldier on & have a life here.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do & wherever you decide to end up .


ps -- if you end up coming to Nelson . I'll lend you stuff meself - no worries...

Batty

Crap Maz - you're really going through the mill aren't you? When we were coming, we could only put Mr Batty's name on the documentation because I didn't have PR. That was fine for us but I think I'd probably try the storage thing first before giving up. You never know, your work permit could come through really quickly and then you'd regret not having kept everything. I hope you can get a good result out of this.

southerner

Maz

if you want it enough, it will happen.

The storage option is a good one,
and another option used by some peeps is to send one person ahead to get the job and visa, while the other 'packs up' your existing lives.

Don't rush into anything, sounds like you are having a few little setbacks this week is all.

Good luck, whatever you decide.

littleal

How is your daughter Maz? We're expecting a similar reaction from our 9 year old. (I have to keep hiding what I'm up to on the computer!)

uk+kiwi

Oh dear. But in the big scheme of things, is it really the end of your plans?

Could you consider sending your personal belongings later, going alone first to secure a job and then visa, deciding another $7K to move to the other side of the world is worth it assuming it's viable, or choosing between your belongings or the cats, since they cost about the same!

Fate will sort it out. What will be, will be. Good luck Maz.

simonmarkellis

Maz,

if NZ is what you really want, then it can happen. What others have said are very viable options. We're in the same boat as you. We're going to put our stuff in storage and ship it out once the permit comes through. What's a one month delay in getting your stuff. Just take what you need, you can buy the rest. Don't let the bastards grind you down. It's only a hiccup.

How old's your daughter? It took us nigh on 7 months to talk our 8 yr old into it. He wouldn't leave his grand parents. But talking helped, little by little, bit by bit... now he's planning our future in New Zealand, where we're going to live, what and how manys dogs we're going to have. How we're going to spend Christmas this year (on the beach).

You have my email or even PM me if you just want to talk...

Simon

sarahw

I think it would be useful to consider if you do need to send a full container of stuff over straight away. We arrived with 3 suitcases between us and managed on that for 9 months while we went through the process of selling our house in the UK. As long as you can get a furnished serviced apartment on your arrival for a week or so while you look for a rental place, there's always a bargain to be had on Trade Me when it comes to buying household goods to tide you over.

Good luck