What we have been doing since...

Time line:

3th Oct 2006 - depart from singapore

4th Oct 2006 - arrive in auckland

5th Oct 2006 – Open a bank account in Auckland (to start earning interest! They require an IRD number because the interest earn is taxable)

16th Oct 2006 - fax a copy of our passport to IRD (Inland Revenue) because our copy of the birth certificate in our application was not clear enough.

24th Oct 2006 - Got our IRD Number for future tax purpose

6th Nov 2006 – Andrew got a job offer with Auckland District Health Board

8th Nov 2006 – Send in application for Singapore Police Certificates (Had to get a bank draft for SG$100, and go to the local police station to get a set of 10 finger prints for this application)

9th Nov 2006 - Do medical checkup for work permit (we had to see a doctor, get a chest x-ray, and do a blood test. And all these is only valid for 3 months)

14th Nov 2006 – Singapore Police sent a letter saying we need a documentary proof to establish a need for a police clearance. But the letter only reaches us on 21st Nov.

16th Nov 2006 – Apply online for Expression of Interest (to get pick from the selection pool for an invitation to apply for PR, our chances increase greatly once Andrew has a job offer)

21st Nov 2006 – Department of Labour send us a letter to support our application for Singapore Police certificate. Luckily we can fax it back instead of mailing.

28th Nov 2006 – Got a letter that says we are selected for consideration for PR but need to wait while they verify some information in our applications.

5th Dec 2006 – Finally got the invitation to start applying for PR, unfortunately, we also just found out that we need Taiwan’s police clearance for Andrew. He was in Taiwan for over a year during national service.

5th Dec 2006 – Singapore Police posted our Police clearance over

12th Dec 2006 – Send in our work permit application after Singapore Police Certification came through into our hands

13th Dec 2006 – Get letter from Auckland District Health Board to state the urgency for Andrew’s work permit

22nd Dec 2006 – Andrew got his work permit

22nd Dec 2006 – Taiwan has Andrew’s police clearance ready but it will take around 2 weeks to reach us

20th Dec 2006 – was sent a reminder to renew visitor visa (Singapore passport has a vistor visa valid for only 3 months) but fortunately, we can skip that because we have already apply for work permit

3rd Jan 2007 – Andrew’s first day at work in Auckland City Hospital

10th Jan 2007 - Send full set of materials to support our PR application. (Even had to prove our marriage is real by providing evidence like joint bank account, wedding photos etc. Marriage certificate is not enough as a proof!!!)

12th Jan 2007 – Joan got her work permit base on spouse's work permit

26th Jan 2007 - Immigration wants Andrew's Australia Police Clearance because they thought he did his degree there. Had to get SIM to write a letter to prove that he did his degree via distance study in Singapore.

9th Feb 2007 - Letter arrive from SIM to prove that Andrew did a distance study with them.

14th Feb 2007 – Got a valentine letter from immigration to send in our passport. Our application status is now "Approval in Principle". That’s because we still have one more criteria to meet, Andrew has to remain in employment for 3 months.

19th Feb 2007 – Send in our passports to immigration for Residence Permit :) Now we wait for it to come back to us…