A long road ahead for us

[Tina N B]

Hi All,
A few months ago my husband and I decided to start looking at immigrating.  I was always the one holding back because I am very close to my (and his) family.
But we've just had enough.  As things progress here, we are afraid that working like dogs to provide a home and life for our kids will all have been in vain. With talks increasingly centering around "nationalizing" mines, and increased taxes and tolls, we've decided that we cannot risk our government taking it all away from us.  And so our very emotional journey has begun.

I still cry every time i think about all the things I'll leave behind. Mostly my heart breaks for my children that will lose out on the most magical relationship they'll ever have - that between a grandchild and his grandparents.  But at least I know that being in another country will provide them with a better chance to survive long enough to form new relationships.  Here - who knows how long we have before we become just a statistic.  Another victim of crime.

Our reasons for leaving are huge and varied, but mainly I want to know that I am valued as a citizen and that the tax I pay, goes to the good of the people. 

We only have one thing standing in our way from immigrating tomorrow.  I have a son from a previous marriage and his father will not allow me to take him with.  So I have to wait until he is 18 years old, when he can decide for himself if he wants to come with or not. 
Which means we have 7 years to wait. 
We have a lot of research still to do but were putting our timelines and plans in place.
To start with, I'll get a new Degree. My husband will get his trade tests done and he'll go over 6 months to a year before the rest of us.  The idea is that he'll go on a work visa - get a job, get used to a new way of life, and then the rest of us will come over in the December of the year my oldest son finishes Matric.  He will then hopefully be able to start a tertiary education there, whilst my youngest son will start school. I'll then hopefully find a job and begin our new life.
We still have many questions and I'm sure we'll face many obstacles, but we're determined and ready. 
Any and all advice will be welcomed

[dievissers]

   Tina N B and     with the emotional journey ahead.  There are a lot of info already on this forum, so sit back grab a cuppa       and start reading.   We're more than happy to answer questions we're allowed to (no immigration advice    )

[Gypsymom]

  Welcome to this amazing forum. Good luck with all your plans, you will not regret moving here, and probably wonder why you didn't do it sooner. 

[thombatt]

Life can change a lot in 7 years. NZ labour requirements and immigration policies most certainly will over that time period.

There are a few things that will not change.

You and your family need passports, these will probably expire before you start the process, but get them, just in case things change. You never know your ex might decide to emigrate himself.
You need copies of birth certificates. These never expire, but are a pain to get. May as well start now. A tip, get more than one copy.
You need copies of marriage and divorce certificates. These never expire but can be a pain to get.

[frodo/maya]

A big  to the forum Tina. Good luck with your decision and all off us can identify with your emotions, it is not easy at all! 

[SA3001]

Hi Tina and to the forum.  Just want to let you know that NZ immigration only require parental consent for children under the age of 16.  I got consent for my son, but he had just turned 16 when we applied for his visa in Feb this year and so I wasn't asked for it.  Also be sure to check up on requirements for including children over 18 on your PR application or getting a student visa if you hold a work visa.  There's more than likely some form of evidence that will be required to prove dependency.