August 24th

[Kiwi]

Keep that date in mind

thats the date I arrive in the UK! :D
Some of you who have known me for a while, will know that I have been planning on moving back to the Motherland for a few years.

I really love NZ but, my family only came over from Scotland in the 1950s. I was brought up by a fiercely proud Scottish family and want to see my ancestors homeland. Plus in the industry I want to work in, NZ or Canada just wont cut it. Plus I just want to travel and what better place to start than London!!!!

My Visa should be for 5 years, believe me, anyone who says its easy to immagrate is LYING through their teeth. I have been RUSHING every single day to get this done, working 4-5 hours a day and Im not finished a month later. Trying to get all of the 15 requirements has not been easy or fun or cheap.

Oh wow am I excited!

My application should be sent in by Friday (Monday at the extreme latest).

Im due to leave for a 2 month stop over in Canada, Kyle and I are selling our appartment and hey... I want to see the guy!

My ticket isnt booked yet (ugh money) but we are planning on August 24th because it should be just after the high prices of summer are over, but before it gets black at 4pm (or so I have heard)

I AM SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO EXCITED!!!!


I am humbly asking for your knowledge any advice, warnings, well wishes, anything. :runaway:

Hopefully at some stage after I land, we can set up a meet? :drink:

did I mention how excited I am!!!!

EDIT: To clarify, my ticket to Vancouver is booked and paid for, getting from Van to London is what im still trying to pay for.

[Misanthropical]

I always keep that date in mind, since it's my little guy's birthday. :D

I hope you have a safe trip and take lots of pictures for the rest of us to see.

[BusBus]

-There is a British Consulate in downtown Vancouver, so you can always take care of last minute things with them.

-Have you verified whether or not you are entitled to British citizenship? Often times, citizenship is hereditary. It might be easier to get your british citizenship and passport than it is to get the visa.

-Flights between Vancouver/Calgary and London are plentiful and can be quite cheap, if you look around (it's cheaper to fly to London than it is to fly to Toronto).

[tropicsgoddess]

I'm happy for you and I hope you have a safe trip. Show us some pics when you get there! :)

[Kiwi]

Thanks everyone!!!!

I have to have the Visa finished before I travel because they hold my passport until it is granted

I qualify for a 5 year ancestry visa because my mum missed out of being a british citizen by 4 years..... damn immagration.... or not

Ive found a fairly cheap flight and because buiness class is only 200 more, my boyfriend
is topping up so I can fly business class YESSSSSSSS

I cant wait :)

[Kiwi]

so sunday, I spent at least another 3 hours going over EVERYTHING I need for my Visa just to make sure its right for the 30 millionith time

and I spot something I dont want to see..... an oversite

a big one

My mothers birthcert (ancestry Visa) is a certified copy... not an original!!!!!

8 working days to get a new full birth cert! OH SHIT on a stick!

Im working on a tight deadline, I simply dont have 8 working days to wait!

My darling mother called and pleaded with the BDM people to get one done asap. She was so lovely and allowed my mum to order one over the phone and pay by CC insteadof having to submit the forms and ID. God bless government workers ID numbers!

now I have 8 working days (without mums magic abilities it would have taken 2 weeks), to find the best flight from Van to London.

[Kiwi]

I sent my Visa package in this morning

YAY

now a 3-6 nail biting wait!

[Kiwi]

I handed in my resignation today!

6 weeks till I finish

[Kiwi]

The Visa application fee was processed from my visa card today!!!!

sooooo excited!

[Kiwi]

52 days until I leave for Canada!!!

still no visa back.... damn nervous about that

its going to be mucho expensive if I have to buy a new last minute ticket!

[Kiwi]

I obviously cant count its apprenty 50 days....

only 28 more days at work YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

EDIT: count or spell hahahaha

[Kiwi]

49 days!!!!

[Kiwi]

26 days left at work

we have the first interviewee coming in tomorrow....

17 years old...not even out of highschool HAHAHAHA shes going to be eaten alive in our office

[Kiwi]

47 days until I fly out

25 days of work left

2 two weeks since my visa was sent in....

numbers to ponder

[Rapscallion]

Do you know where you are staying yet?

Rapscallion

[Kiwi]

In canada, at my apartment

when I get to London, August 31st I havent figured out yet. There is a hostel going for 30 pound a night (I dont have a english pound symbol on my keyboard) or a couple of B&B that are going for 40 a night.

Im going to try for an a place in a flat in hartfordshire (I think thats how you spell it), ideally a commutor town with good tube or train links thats a max of 45 minutes away from Canary Warf (thats where my companies London office is based)

any advice or help any of my English members can offer I would be most grateful.

[Bella_Vixen]

Alt-0163 £

[Kiwi]

thanks Bella

[Kiwi]

only 43 days now!

[rvdammit]

any advice or help any of my English members can offer I would be most grateful.

Tube maps: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/gettingaround/1108.aspx
Look for places Zones 1-6.

Hertfordshire (Herts) is pretty much the opposite side of London to Canary Warf. Northwood is the furthest out Zone 6 station, Journey time is about an hour.

An easy guestimate for travel times on the Tube is Zone 6 to Circle Line is 45 minutes, and a cross London transfer is 20.

[Barefootgirl]

Try somewhere like Stevenage or Welwyn, you can then hop on a train right into Kings Cross and get the tube round to Canary Wharf from there. Both my sister and my husband used to work in CW and it is a tremendously good place to work. The new DLR and the Jubilee line extension have made it nice to get to.

If you can find a nice flatshare somewhere like Barnet (which won't be cheap, i warn you now) you can get the Northern Line tube straight down to London Bridge and then get the Jubilee Line into Canary Wharf. It will take a bit longer than 45 minutes (more like 55 in the mornings), but its really the easiest way.

You might find it easier to live in Essex rather than Herts, as that would be bringing you into the correct side of the City for working in Docklands.

[Kiwi]

41 days!!!

I got an email from the british high commission requesting some clarification on certain stuff

sent off the stuff they wanted

hopefully I get my visa back sometime next week!

[Kiwi]

I got my visa back on Friday morning!!!!!!

[BookstoreEscapee]

Well I can't help you with advice or warnings, as I live in New Jersey and pretty much always have, and I don't even have a passport, but I can send along plenty of well wishes! Good luck :)

So, are you excited? I couldn't tell from your posts...;)

[Kiwi]

Oh im beyond excited
but scared out of my brain

many of the older members will remember me talking about this move for years, then I got side tracked with a canadian boyfriend who wanted me to give canada a try first.

I know Raps and others have heard my rantings for many hours!

That didnt work out and now im finally back on track. Leaving in 36 days now!

[Kiwi]

35 days

16 days at work!

[Kiwi]

34 days!!!

15 days left of work

oh I wish it was 1.5 days!!!

[Kiwi]

hey all

25 days until I leave

8.5 days of work to go!!

they still havent found a replacement....

[Rapscallion]

Are you going to have to train your replacement as well?

Rapscallion

[Kiwi]

they want me to train my replacement

I had 2 weeks of someone training me, but she was a temp who trained me incorrectly in most things... she had only been there 3 weeks her self....

its going to leave everyone in the lurch, but I could really care less. I told them in FEB that I was leaving and gave them 6 weeks formal notice

they didnt even bother advertising until 2 weeks ago

not my problem! but my team is panicing because im the only computer literate member, and I have the nightmare coworker frantic and trying get me to show her my duties, but she wont actually listen when I go through stuff....

my boss also decided to approve friday off for me and her in my team. despite the fact the nightmare coworker has all day training (she cant have the day off now) and there are only two members on our team trained for the freight cashier counter. me and her.

haha Ive told them I will be out of auckland and booked a hotel the day my leave was approved so im going anyway.

what a shambles!

[Kiwi]

im on holday
have 23 seconsds left

leave in 2 weeks!!

[Kiwi]

well technically 17 days!!!!

[Kiwi]

SIXTEEN DAYS

4 more days of work (WOOHOO)

im looking forward to finishing work even more than going I think!

[Kiwi]

SIX DAYS TO GO!!!!!!!!

I am just about to start packing tomorrow!

[Kiwi]

I leave tomorrow everyone, wont be around for a few days....

have a safe weekend!