Husband goes out first, family to follow 6 mths later ... anyone done this?

[MrsCheeks]

Have tried a search but there are too many results for some of the keywords for it to throw posts or threads up that are relevant, hence am starting anew topic.

Quite simply as the title suggests has anyone ever done the emigration thing with main applicant going out first, getting settled etc and then the family following at a later date?

Our reason for considering this route is that husband's current job would finish in the UK in mid Jan but middle child has final exams in the June and we cannot consider moving him at that crucial time.

Is this something that is feasible to consider or do INZ prefer that you travel en masse?

Thanks in advance for all comments.

Vik

[JandM]

If the family has PR, with one of the parents as the main applicant, it does not matter whether you travel together or as separate individuals, as long as you EACH, AND ALL, get to NZ (and therefore have your PR activated) before the date stated. If any one of the family did not do this, their PR would have lapsed, and they would have to apply separately for another visa to get to NZ - not that that is likely to happen in your case, from what you have said.

So yes, you could do what you are thinking of, as long as your PR date is after the date when the second batch of the family plans to travel.

[MrsCheeks]

Thanks so much for that, it's not an ideal situation for us because of renting here AND out there for hubs but needs must and at least I can send the cats over for him to deal with hahahaha

[Duncan74]

yep, doing that now.

From the NZIS point of view then they don't care at all, so long as it's the main applicant that comes then all is well. You can't do it the other way though, or rather it's not simply a case of using the PR stickers. Assuming he's the Principal, then I beleivr the only thing you need to worry about is making sure that you still get in within the year to activate your permit. Jane came over for a holiday/visit after 4 months so that wasn't a big issue for us.

But don't undersestimate the emotional stress of this. Not just the separation, but it's not as easy to get settled here with half of you missing. Makes for a very strange first few months.

Make sure that you both have skype and know how to use it. Even then, the time difference makes life hard to stay in touch if you both work (one is just going to work as the other gets home). Also making sure that hubbie's digs have skype may place additional restrictions on where he stays, although if you can afford the Vodaphone naked boadband at $70 a month then that should be fine.

[whakapapa]

But don't undersestimate the emotional stress of this. Not just the separation, but it's not as easy to get settled here with half of you missing.

We're doing it too but he's a Kiwi so he should find it easy enough - new job anyway so he'll be able to focus better without the stress of settling us too! I've told him to get a Blackberry at least then we can BBM free!!

[Duncan74]

Blackberries are horrendously expensive to run over here. I use a Nokia E55 and then use the emails with a 100mb / $10 PAYG deal. Only slightly slower than BBM.

Thing I struggled with is not wanting to do anything social, in the sense that I didn't want to go places, do things, etc without my OH. Don't get me wrong, work certainly helps, and at my place then people went way beyond the basics to help, but the bottom line is that it's still hard. Of course it depends on your relationship anyway, some people may be quite independent. In my case I'd not realised just how dependent on each other we were.

[Wooly_Cow]

We did this for exactly the same reasons but for 12 months.

The NZIS issues have been explained and are easy.

The emotional issues are tough ....no getting round it but we made the best of it and it was fine....I made loads of Kiwi mates who helped a lot.....your hubby just has to be very active at making freinds...no moping and feeling sorry for himself

[Duncan74]

Wooly - did you have a fixed end date? I think that's the bit I'm struggling with most, the unknown. When I left it was hopefully only going to be a month or so, but it's the shifting goalposts that's taking it's toll for us. Just wondering if there's something that people can work on or plan around fixing dates to help?

[dianney]

Hi, we are doing this at the moment, my hubby went out in febuary to start his new job and me and our 4 children stayed in the uk as our house hadn't sold. Thankfully we have now sold and are living with my mum at the moment, our furniture is on its way and should be there early december. We are spending christmas and new year with my family and flying out to NZ on 5th january.
I was the main applicant and it has been fine for my hubby to go out first and activate his visa before us we all just have to activate our visas by february with either a visit or to stay.
We have found it very hard being apart and as duncan says it was the not knowing and having a final date which was the hardest. My hubby also says there are things he wants to do as a family and not on his own or with his new friends as it is just not the same. We are now just counting the days when we will all be together again at last, we are sure the year apart will be worth it in the end. Skype has certainly been great for us in fact I think we have probably talked more in the past 9 months than we ever did before as when one of us got in from work the other was often just about to leave for work.
Best of luck to all others in the same situation fingers crossed your homes will sell very soon.

[whakapapa]

Thing I struggled with is not wanting to do anything social, in the sense that I didn't want to go places, do things, etc without my OH.

ROFL.........the only person my OH knows in the place we're headed is his ex GF!

...and breathe!!