Immigration!

[Stew_Matthews]

Originally Posted by mylittledemon

my new wife and I just filled out our immigration papers to move to New Zealand! You have to have a minimum of 100 points to even apply. We had 115 and thats without job offers! (We would have 165 points if we both had work offered)...so keeping my fingers crossed that we get in!

Anyone else moved to another country and had difficulties...? Or complete ease?

~brandon~

Good luck Brandon - I guess the key is to find work now to boost your points - you need to check out the US firms who have business interests there.

I emigrated in January from the UK to the US and hold permanent resident status (green card). I don't intend to go the whole way and secure US citizenship though they may grant me that in time. I originally applied on the basis of having a family member (my only family) resident in the US and that was 6 years ago. That was a waste of time and I wouldn't recommend it. I reached an agreement with US authorities about 4 years ago that in addition to owning a home in the US, if I deposited a sum of money in a US bank account I could stay in the US for up to 6 months a year (I think the limit was 2 months then). About two years ago I applied for permanent residence in the US on employment grounds. That was successful on the basis of being a civil engineer and holding a PHd (they did make me wait until January this year when the PHd was awarded). Marriage isn't really an option for the US or UK unless you can demonstrate that you have been 'together' for 2 years -(the US is less strict than the UK) it is part of both countries attempts to tackle 'marriages of convenience' - otherwise I might have tried that