New Zealand - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

[Wayne Potgieter]

3 hours ago, patches said:

The good...

I finally applied for my citizenship...

...sadly though, my Aus visitors visa has expired and I was hoping that I would have a little black passport by the time I head across the Tasman again (therefore not needing to renew said visitor visa), but alas, citizenship processing times seem to range from 5 - 15 months. So I won't hold my breath.

@Wayne Potgieter, how long was the processing time frame for your citizenship, and how long after that for passports?

 

Applied for Citizenship 11 January 2021

Approved for Citizenship 30 November 2021

In order to apply for a passport, you must have received the actual certificate which you obtain at a ceremony. Because of Covid, we could not have a in person ceremony, so they couriered our Citizenship certificates to us they arrived 23 December 2021

We applied for Passports on 13 January 2022 and they were issued on the 19th January 2022.

So all up, a year! But Covid staffing had an impact on that timeline.

[Saag]

I kinda forgot last year in August that I could apply 😆, so only applied on 22 Dec 2022, got approved on 19 Jan 2023, and the Ceremony was at the end of March.

Passports were in hand last week of April, so all up, seems to be very quick currently.

[patches]

17 hours ago, Saag said:

I kinda forgot last year in August that I could apply 😆, so only applied on 22 Dec 2022, got approved on 19 Jan 2023, and the Ceremony was at the end of March.

Passports were in hand last week of April, so all up, seems to be very quick currently.

That's pretty darn quick!

I'm hoping that as my forms were submitted online, there's only me on the application, and I've been a model resident 😅, the process will be pretty smooth sailing.

That said, government has changed immigration ministers about 5x since you applied 😂

[patches]

In other news... I'm not going to be the first kiwi citizen in the household.

About 4 weeks ago, we gained a house-mate. She's noisy, messy, late on rent and doesn't pull her weight around the house...

...but Mum and Dad are smitten, so she can stay for the next 18yrs or so!

(Too young for Kids DIY class, but never too young to go to Bunnings with Dad)

[DJR]

8 hours ago, patches said:

In other news... I'm not going to be the first kiwi citizen in the household.

About 4 weeks ago, we gained a house-mate. She's noisy, messy, late on rent and doesn't pull her weight around the house...

...but Mum and Dad are smitten, so she can stay for the next 18yrs or so!

(Too young for Kids DIY class, but never too young to go to Bunnings with Dad)

Already heading for the KIDS DIY section I see.....👍

[patches]

13 hours ago, DJR said:

Already heading for the KIDS DIY section I see.....👍

Teach 'em young, raise 'em right!

[Wayne Potgieter]

On 8/8/2023 at 8:49 AM, patches said:

In other news... I'm not going to be the first kiwi citizen in the household.

About 4 weeks ago, we gained a house-mate. She's noisy, messy, late on rent and doesn't pull her weight around the house...

...but Mum and Dad are smitten, so she can stay for the next 18yrs or so!

(Too young for Kids DIY class, but never too young to go to Bunnings with Dad)

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

[hayleyearth]

On 8/7/2023 at 7:53 AM, patches said:

The good...

I finally applied for my citizenship...

...sadly though, my Aus visitors visa has expired and I was hoping that I would have a little black passport by the time I head across the Tasman again (therefore not needing to renew said visitor visa), but alas, citizenship processing times seem to range from 5 - 15 months. So I won't hold my breath.

@Wayne Potgieter, how long was the processing time frame for your citizenship, and how long after that for passports?

 

My citizenship was approved within a month from applying, I only have my ceremony in Oct though.

 

Congrats on the other parcel of news, now you will see money disappear into thin air! 

[Wayne Potgieter]

2 hours ago, hayleyearth said:

My citizenship was approved within a month from applying, I only have my ceremony in Oct though.

 

Congrats on the other parcel of news, now you will see money disappear into thin air! 

Wait until they are 14 year old boys that have an insane ability to hoover up twice the food a normal adult will consume and also don't know how to switch off lights when leaving rooms. Bye Bye Money.

[patches]

3 hours ago, hayleyearth said:

My citizenship was approved within a month from applying, I only have my ceremony in Oct though.

 

Congrats on the other parcel of news, now you will see money disappear into thin air! 

 

41 minutes ago, Wayne Potgieter said:

Wait until they are 14 year old boys that have an insane ability to hoover up twice the food a normal adult will consume and also don't know how to switch off lights when leaving rooms. Bye Bye Money.

My power bill is already up by $120 this month (convection heaters and heat pump running 24/7).

As for the lights... I remember my Dad going round turning lights off if we forgot to... I've now lived long enough to turn into him, hahaha

[patham]

On 8/10/2023 at 10:15 AM, Wayne Potgieter said:

Wait until they are 14 year old boys that have an insane ability to hoover up twice the food a normal adult will consume and also don't know how to switch off lights when leaving rooms. Bye Bye Money.

I can confirm. Son ate like a bird for the first 14 years. Over the last few months it’s supper, second supper, first snack, second snack…

The calories are all getting converted into height, growing 1cm per month. As a result he has plotted his forecast growth so that his dream forever bike can be ordered so it arrives just in time for it to fit him.

A Propain Tyee Al 6. Bye bye money indeed, but it’s the last bike we ever plan to buy him. 

 

 

[patham]

On 8/8/2023 at 6:49 AM, patches said:

In other news... I'm not going to be the first kiwi citizen in the household.

About 4 weeks ago, we gained a house-mate. She's noisy, messy, late on rent and doesn't pull her weight around the house...

...but Mum and Dad are smitten, so she can stay for the next 18yrs or so!

(Too young for Kids DIY class, but never too young to go to Bunnings with Dad)

Congratulations and strap in to enjoy the ride. Hopefully she learns some better habits over the next 18 years, but with teenagers - no guarantees!

[patches]

On 8/12/2023 at 9:55 PM, patham said:

Congratulations and strap in to enjoy the ride. Hopefully she learns some better habits over the next 18 years, but with teenagers - no guarantees!

We're already dreading future disappointments... like what if she starts vaping, or wants to become an influencer 😅

[davetapson]

On 7/16/2023 at 10:00 PM, ByronH said:

Hey there Dave. I'm pretty keen to try a ride around this Puhoi area. Would you have any gpx files, previous rides which i can follow? Or even a road name?

Thank so much, Byron

Hi Byron

Try this as a start?

https://www.strava.com/activities/5070686274

Braam does a lot of riding on the shore - have a look at some of his tracks...?
https://www.strava.com/athletes/39332328?oq=bra


 

[davetapson]

On 8/8/2023 at 8:49 AM, patches said:

In other news... I'm not going to be the first kiwi citizen in the household.

About 4 weeks ago, we gained a house-mate. She's noisy, messy, late on rent and doesn't pull her weight around the house...

...but Mum and Dad are smitten, so she can stay for the next 18yrs or so!

(Too young for Kids DIY class, but never too young to go to Bunnings with Dad)

Ha - Congratulations!!

Best thing ever...

[ByronH]

12 hours ago, davetapson said:

Hi Byron

Try this as a start?

https://www.strava.com/activities/5070686274

Braam does a lot of riding on the shore - have a look at some of his tracks...?
https://www.strava.com/athletes/39332328?oq=bra


 

Thank you I will do so!