Fly, sail, paddle or swim.  See a travel agent near you.  Soon!

--------------------

B4.1.1  Travel Details

One of the cheapest ways to fly is as a courier.  You must be reasonably
groomed, have a clean record and be over 21 to do this sort of thing, also
you have to be prepared to wait around until a job comes up.

The following is becoming something of a jumble.  As I know nothing about
the machinations of the Immigration Department, I'd be more than happy if
someone would be kind enough to rewrite this section into a more coherent
form.  In the meantime, people might like to know that Christopher Werry
has created a 'Moving to New Zealand' web page, which has info and links to
nfo on Immigration, Jobs, Housing, Appliances and Kiwi Expressions.  The
url is:
 http://nz.com/NZ/Immigration/Immigration.html

Also try:
 http://www.immigration.govt.nz/
or
 http://www.ipenz.org.nz/ipenz/
or
 http://www.ipenz.org.nz/enternz/immigr.html
and follow the links through there; the latter has a lot of immigration
info, including a comprehensive explanation of the points system.

Other sites for immigration info include:
 http://www.rmmb.co.nz/immigjuly95.html
 http://nz.com//webnz/malcolm/
 http://www.clearfield.co.nz/wilson_white/immig.htm

Also, try Reading the rec.travel.air FAQ for hints on saving money and
rec.travel.australia+nz for stuff specific to us.


Visitors to NZ must have a valid passport.  The only exceptions are
children under 16 who are included on the passport of an accompanying
adult.  Passports must be valid 3 months beyond date of departure.  Visas
may be required depending on nationality, purpose of visit, and intended
length of stay.  Visas are not required of US citizens in possession of a
return or onward ticket staying up to 90 days.

Australians and NZers need passports to get into each others countries.
NZers now need visas too, although these tend to be no real difficulty.

A departure tax of $NZ20 per person (over 5 years old) is charged of people
leaving New Zealand who have been in the country more than 24 hours.

A person in New Zealand cannot renew their visitor's permit if they have
applied for residence whilst in the country.  If the Immigration Office
cannot process the application within the validity of the V.P., the
applicant has to leave New Zealand.  The application is forwarded to the
overseas post which deals with the country to which they have returned.  It
is better to apply before going to New Zealand, especially when you take
into account the customs concessions available to first time migrants.

Residency gives you the right to live and work here, but it can lapse if
you're out of NZ for too long (a couple of years I think).  A first permit
is valid for a period of four years from date of issue.  To prevent
individuals from receiving residency and never actually living in the
country, future renewals to a returning residents permit may be issued for
shorter terms, depending on how long the person has actually been resident
in NZ, work status, etc.

If you are given a visa for residency you have some time to move to nz, but
it pays to come in once within the first 6 months.  This proves you are
taking up permanent residency.  If you provide a good reason, it's possible
to take as much as two years before you move here.

There are 2 types of residence permits; single entry and multiple entry.
If you have single entry it means you have to apply every time you want to
leave to ensure you can come back in.

What you may get is a 1 year or 5 year permanent residency permit.  At the
end of that period, the amount of time you spend in NZ will probably
determine if it is going to be renewed or not.  So if you have not spent
even a year living in NZ by the end of 5 years you better have a good
explanation.  There is probably a minimum.  Check with the department.

What you need to do is be able to explain why you are not permanently
living in NZ (if you are not).  Talk to your nearest NZ counsulate.

Also you will be given an allowance of value of goods to be brought into
NZ.  So within the next 5 years ( I think) you can bring in quite a lot and
not be taxed (customs duty) provided they are personal belongings for your
use here.

Citizenship is separate from residency and can only be applied for once a
person has NZ residency and has lived in the country for a certain number
of years (3?).

NZ allows dual citizenship, but the US may not.  If they don't, you'd have
to give up your American citizenship to get Kiwi citizenship.  US will
insist that you renounce all other citizenships when you swear allegiance
(whether the other countries recognise this will depend on their own
regulations).  For someone who already holds US citizenship, there should
be no problem.

Judy Shorten wrote:
My own daughter, born 1977, who has spent a total of 6 weeks in NZ over 2
visits, has NZ citizenship *By Grant* meaning that she can pass on the NZ
citizenship to her children even if she and her future children never set
foot in NZ.  After our last trip to NZ in 1991 I applied for my daughter,
and she was subsequently given citizenship By Grant.  Until that point she
had (unbeknown to me) NZ citizenship *By Descent* only - not able to pass
her citizenship on to her children, but still able to hold a NZ Passport.

Brian Harmer wrote:
Children born after 1978 must be registered with the NZ embassy, or
consulate.  The fee is NZ$100 per child and must be accompanied by the
(long form) birth certificate, marriage certificate (where applicable) of
the parent through which citizenship descends.  This must be done before
age 22, otherwise they would not qualify as citizens.

Mike Dowling responded at great length.  Permission to repeat it here has
been given.  I'm no longer working on it.  I think it's beaten me...

-----

Health:
Facilities are good.  No special precautions necessary.  No vaccination
certificates are required to enter New Zealand, but if illness occurs
within three weeks of entering the country, consult a doctor.

Customs are generally more formal than in neighbouring Australia.

Duty Free quantities:
Alcohol;
 3 x 1.125l bottles of spirits
  - total value can't exceed NZ$700
  - must declare 2 bottles
 4.5l of beer and/or wine
  - equivalent to 6 x 750ml bottles of wine or 1 doz cans of beer
Cigarettes;
 1 carton

For more information see the section on Overseas Offices of the NZ Tourism
Board.

-----

Richard Turner offers:

"Well, I've just had the experience of moving back to New Zealand after
spending ten years in the USA.  Since there are oftentimes a number of
enquiries about moving companies on this newsgroup, I thought I'd pass on
my experience - in hopes that it may help someone else.

"The cost of getting a moving company:

"Quoted Rates from Iowa (Midwest USA) to Wellington, New Zealand ranged
from US $160 to $225 per 100 pounds of goods.  depending on the company.
Also, an insurance cost of $25 per $1000 of goods values was also added.
(This was door to door - other rates are cheaper if you go door to port or
port to port)

"In my experience, I got a number of quotes, I decided to go with a company
(I won't name them - but think of Pilgrims and Plymouth Rock and the ship
they came on) - Anyway, we were all set for them to come and get the stuff
2 weeks before we were due to fly out - a couple of days before the movers
were to arrive, they called up and said that they could come and pick the
goods up, but that they would have to sit in the Des Moines Warehouse for 3
months.  I then requested that they not even bother to show up the next
day.

"The next company I went with was Allied Van Lines - the agent I dealt
with, and the company were quite good to deal with.  Between the time they
picked the stuff up till the time I will get my stuff will be less than 6
weeks.

"Also, the NZ agents for Allied, seem to be quite competent, but you should
be aware that when your goods arrive certain forms have to be delivered to
the company.  These are quarantine forms and customs declarations, along
with these you need to send your passport, and if you have been away more
than 21 months - some proof of your extended absence from NZ - such as Tax
forms and financial records (all of mine - were packed aboard the boat) -
or a letter from your foreign employer.

"As for moving a car - it would cost about $4000 US to ship a mid size car
such as a Camry (weighs about 3000 pounds)

"Also, if, at some point, you wanted to sell it in NZ, you would then have
to convert it to right hand drive - this can get VERY expensive."

-----

Frits Schouten adds:

"It's not really a followup on Richard Turners experience, but it's
certainly related.  Five years ago or so, I had to move my household from
The Netherlands to New Zealand and using movers is not the cheapest way to
go.

"Here is my experience.  Note: all prices are in US dollars unless
otherwise stated!

"Various big international movers quoted me between $7000 and $9000 for
door to door moving.  Basically what they do is, pack your goods in a
container (20ft for a normal household) and ship it for you.  This is an
easy way of doing it but not cheap.  Also, if anything is broken on arrival
the insurance will pay for replacement.  The insurance is in most cases
based on an itemised list of the contents of the container and is not
cheap.  Normally 6% of the contents value.

"If you like a bit of challence in life you could do it my way.

"I went to a shipping company (NEDLLOYD) and asked them what it would cost
me to hire a 20ft container (you know the same one the movers were using)
to ship my household to New Zealand.  Answer: $2500 from Rotterdam to
Auckland.  I had to pay an aditional $150 for the truck to bring the
container to Rotterdam and agreed to have the transport in New Zealand
organised by their agent in Auckland.  Here was a cost risk I was prepared
to take.

"The insurance is quite different.  You can only insure the container for
total loss.  You agree on a contents value and the premium is normally 1.3%
to 1.6% of that value.  If the container goes overboard or is dropped from
a crane etc.  the insurance pays out the value you have agreed.  This means
that if, on arrival, you find lets say your beautiful mirror broken that is
then to bad.  But that is not a problem because this will not happen you
know.  You've packed it yourself :-)

"The people from NEDLLOYD gave me heaps of help and excellent information
on how to go about packing a container to get it flawless through customs
and MAF inspections.

"Bottom line is: 
- Have a very detailed list of the contents of the container, like box
 numbers and content lists per box.
- Very inportant is to state how everything is cleaned!!!
 
"The container arrived at the worst possible time of the year.  The week
before Christmas.  Anyway the local agent for NEDLLOYD worked out to be of
great value too (for the really keen ones, check out www.nedlloyd.com).
That was btw International Forwarding Co Ltd.

"We got a phone call from them telling me that the container had arrived
and if I could come to Auckland to organise the paperwork.  I dropped in
just before lunch and the guy said: give me your passport and consignment
papers and I'll take care of the rest.  Bit scary but.  Come back after
lunch, please.  So I did and guess what, everything was organised after
lunch.  The only thing left was to pay an additional few hundred NZ dollars
to get the container to Papakura.  The cost risk wasn't really there.

"Two day later the container arrived and within a few hours I had several
people asking if I had a garage sale.  My whole household was on the front
lawn :-)

"Moral of the story is: take that challenge, it's exciting and it might
save you a lot money."

--------------------

B4.1.2  Agricultural Restrictions

NZ's isolation has kept its free of many animal and plant diseases.  To
maintain this, restrictions are imposed on the importation of certain
animal and plant material.  Before arrival you will be asked to complete a
declaration stating whether you have food, plant or animal material with
you or in your baggage.  Aircraft cabins are often sprayed before
disembarkation to ensure there are no foreign insects imported
accidentally.  You may ask to be removed if you have respiratory problems.

----------

B4.1.2.1  Animal Quarantine

Gloria Williams wrote:
"I've seen this query from time to time in this news groups so thought
there might be some interest in the latest policy on animal importation
into NZ as documented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.

"The main changes are: quarantine for dogs and cats can now take place
within NZ instead of outside the country (Hawaii for instance) and the
quarantine period is 30 days instead of 6 months.  Your animal needs to be
microchipped and there is a very stringent set of tests and treatments for
diseases such as rabies, heartworm, parvo, distemper etc.  which must be
administered and verified by an accredited veterinarian.  Travel to NZ from
the country of origin must be in an IATA approved container which is sealed
with a government approved seal.  Animals must be from countries which have
declared themselves rabies-free, or countries which NZ recognises as not
having urban rabies or it is well contained.  (Canada and US fall into this
latter category)

These are the basic changes.  To see if your animal will qualify for the
new procedure, obtain the complete information package and the import
health permit application from the Chief Veterinary Officer, Ministry of
Agriculture and Fisheries, P.O. Box 2526, Wellington.

Ex-pats overseas can obtain the information package from their NZ
consulate.

--------------------

B4.1.3  Overseas Embassies In NZ

AUSTRALIA:
Union House
32/38 Quay St.
Auckland
ph 0 9 303 2429

72 Hobson St
Thorndon
Wellington
ph 0 4 473 6411

GERMANY
52 Symond St
Auckland
ph 0 9 377 3460

90 Hobson St
Thorndon
Wellington
ph 0 4 473 6063

GREAT BRITAIN
151 Queen St
Auckland
ph 0 9 303 2971

2 The Terrace
Wellington
ph 0 4 472 6049

JAPAN
37 Shortland St
Auckland
ph 0 9 303 4106

Cnr Victoria and Hunter Sts
Wellington
ph 0 4 473 1540

USA
Cnr Shortland and O'Connell Sts
Auckland
ph 0 9 303 2724

29 Fitzherbert Tce
Thorndon
Wellington
ph 0 4 472 2068