parent visa advice please

[californiadream]

Hello there... we are a retired couple presently living in Lancashire. Our daughter and family emigrated to New Zealand 2 years ago. We have visited twice and are considering applying for a Parent Visa. Our daughter and family will have had PR for 3 years in March 2012 and we are starting to collate information so that we can proceed with an application at that time.

I have lurked for a while on this, and other forums, and have been able to get a considerable amount of knowledge about the application process from that..thank you forumites.

Obviously, we can't profess to know everything we need to but..one thing, in particular is puzzling me

I understand that the wait for a case officer can be anything from 18-24 months...so do you have the medical, x-ray etc., when you apply or..when you are allocated a case officer..

From what I understand, the medical is submitted at the same time as the application. Surely this will mean that the medical is out of date by the time the case officer is allocated..or have I misunderstood?

Is there anywhere..a time related list for the application process..what comes first etc?

We would be really grateful for any other tips that anyone could supply to help us wade through all the bureaucracy.

We are hoping to be experts by the time our application goes in..as well as thinner and healthier...

This is the beginning of our long journey..and we are truly hoping it has a happy ending..

[JandM]

Hello and welcome.

You do submit the medical when you apply. In general, the time that elapses till your case is considered, that is INZ's 'fault', isn't seen as making it out of date, though, particularly if a health problem is shown up, the CO or the MA could tell you to have another one done.

I don't think there's a one-size-fits-all procedure, although there are more similarities in being a parent sponsored in than in e.g. Skilled Migrant. It's probably best if you just post a link and ask about anything you come across that bothers you.

The big thing you'll need is patience - don't forget to live, while all the NZ stuff is chuntering along in the background.

[babscat]

Whereabouts in Lancashire are you?

We are in E.Lancs and are in the same position as you, but a year further down the line - we submitted our applications (medicals done in NZ) in Sep last year and had one or two queries from INZ on a couple of issues which we think they may check again when we eventually get a case officer.

Do follow JandM's advice about remembering to live! I have to admit there are times when we wonder if it is worth all the stress and the feeling that your life is "on hold". Our planning began in 2005 when our family decided to emigrate but it was 2 years before they actually made the move.We are now ages 70 and 76 and still don't know where we will be in 2 years time! Perhaps the considerable amount of time and money involved would have been better spent on our life in UK before we became to old to enjoy it?

[dianeos]

It is a long process and as J & M says one has to learn to be patient and to still live whilst all this is going on. My journey took 5 years which included a move from South Africa to London and then my move to Auckland. I have now been employed for a month in a really good job (got the first job I applied for.....not bad for 62 hey) and am enjoying it very much. I move into my own unit this weekend and so my jig saw will be complete.,..5 years down the line. It has been worth it though....all the waiting,heartache. stress etc etc.....all is fogotten so quickly when I watch my darling grand daughter as I push her on the swings and have a meal with my son and daughter in law. That is why I did it and it really is worth the pain. Keep strong, it will eventually happen....the rewards are worth the wait.

[californiadream]

Thank you all for your kind replies...

Don't worry, we do intend to live our lives whilst the process is dragging on. In fact we probably need this time to re-organise and de-clutter. Procrastination is one of our major bad habits. At least this will give us an incentive, we have been in the same house for over 30 years and it's full of STUFF!

We have a small American RV and spend a lot of time away at Country & Western festivals all over the UK. We also have started Kayaking, (inflatable) and I am learning the ukulele. We tend to be fairly busy most of the time.

When we visited NZ this winter, for 3 months, we took an inflatable kayak, had a stop-over in California and kayaked on Lake Havasu. We then took the kayak to NZ where we kayaked on the Pacific and Lake Taupo, amongst other places.

Whilst we were in NZ, we bought a small motorhome, intending to sell it when our trip ended. We actually got quite attached to it so it's now in storage in Paeroa...together with our inflatable kayak.

We are also in East Lancashire, near Fence. Our objectives are to totally de-clutter and down-size, this year if possible, but that depends on the housing market. We want to buy something very small just for a base as we intend to spend our time motorhoming in UK & Europe. As well as NZ of course.

So, as you can see, we plan keep occupied, and enjoy our lives whils we can.

I expect I'll be posting many more times from now on, so I look forward to getting to know you all and to getting some tips on the emigration process.

[babscat]

We are only about 3 miles from you - Higher Reedley. When you have made 5 posts on the forum I will be able to send you our telephone number via a Private Message!
Where in NZ are your family living?

[californiadream]

Hey Babscat...we're nearly neighbours!

It'll be nice to have someone nearby to compare notes with.

Our family is in Cambridge.

Where's yours..?

[baboonworld]

Also , if u aren't bmi of 35 or the right waist measurement I'd work on that before your medical - but it sounds u r pretty fit & healthy so good luck.

Medicals, good character, sons having good enough income to support you - if all that ok then u should have no probs!

[babscat]

Our family is in Napier, Hawkes Bay. We're keeping fingers crossed we are eventually accepted. We have spent 3 x 6 months periods there but it becomes increasingly expensive so we shan't visit again until we get a decision. Then there's the house sale and the packing ........! At least we will then finally know where our future lies.

Look forward to making contact with you soon!

[californiadream]

Thanks for the BMI advice Bbw...we are both trying constantly to lose weight but it seems to get more and more difficult, somehow especially during the winter months, when we eat lots of broths and comfort food. Summertime and salad are much easier.

We are not as fit as we sound (or as we like to think we are) and it's quite likely that we will have medical issues when the application goes in. But, we are aware of the requirements and are doing all we can to keep fit (ish)... I have rheumatoid arthritis, which is mostly controlled (with inexpensive drugs) but it is an immune disorder and can flare up at any time and in many ways. I use lots of natural remedies too, as I have always disliked strong drugs. So, I hope and pray that I get no major flare ups in the future. At the moment things are good.

Babscat, we visited Napier when we were last there, we really like it. I love Art Deco so it was somewhere I wanted to see. We went in our motorhome and stayed on the riverside at Clive. We also visited Hastings, which I loved too.

You have had three very long visits, I can understand what you mean about the expenses. Although we love New Zealand, we do find it extremely expensive and meals and drinks out were a no-go area for us. The flights are more expensive each year, with taxes and fuel surcharges bound to go up. But...if we go in the wintertime at least we don't have to heat the house as much, so at least we save on something. Also, the £sterling was less than $2 when we were there, we're hoping that it will be better than that in the future.


Either way, we have to live with it and make the best of it don't we? We were upset when the family emigrated to the other side of the world. We didn't blame them, we understood the reasons but...logistically it's so far away.. There is no way, unless you are filthy rich, that regular visits to family are affordable. Lifestyle changes have to be made in order to accommodate the expense and the time it takes.

l wish you well in your quest for parents visa, hopefully we can learn from you, as you're ahead of us on the immigration journey, and one day we'll have a glass of wine together in that country our children have made their home.

Barbara