Visa approved and reunited with the family

Craig 0:00

I got back to New Zealand and it was it was just like back to normal. Go into a shot and there's people everywhere no restrictions, no lockdown, no anything. Go to the pub, watch rugby test, watch the All Blacks and stuff with crowds and it felt a little weird you naturally binded yourself keeping the distance and it's like that everyone's hugging and friendly and shoulder to shoulder. No problem at all.

Daniel 0:30

Hi, everyone, and welcome to the Emigrant's Life podcast where we share stories of people who left the country to chase a better life. I'm Daniel De Biasi. And in this episode, I sit down with Craig and we catch up on his immigration journey. Craig moved with his family from New Zealand to the UK, but his visa got rejected. And last time I spoke with him, he was getting ready to leave the family in London to go back to New Zealand and reapply for his visa. If you haven't listened to that episode, Craig is originally from New Zealand. His wife is from the UK and their kids are on a UK passport. So when they decided to move to London, Craig was the only one that needed a visa to stay and work in the country. In that episode, we talk about the immigration process and the frustration when your application get denied. It can be very challenging when that happened, and the plans you made your life goes out of the window. But this time his visa got approved and he reunited with his family in time for Christmas. If you haven't listened to his episode, you can find it on emigrantslife.com or on your favorite app. It was episode number six from July 7 2020. And now please enjoy my conversation with Craig. Hey, Craig, welcome back to the show.

Craig 1:37

Thank you Daniel. Nice to be back. Nice to see you again.

Daniel 1:40

Yeah, it's good to see you. And I think it was last time we spoke was last June. And you're getting ready to leave the UK and move back to New Zealand because you needed to reapply for your spouse visa your like partnership visa.

Craig 1:54

Yeah, yep, that's it. It was couple of weeks, just a month before I had to go. Flights got bumped a bit with COVID. And mucking around when I was leaving. But yeah, been a big few months since then.

Daniel 2:06

Yeah. Now you were hoping to be back by Christmas. So you can celebrate Christmas with your family. And you actually you managed to do it. You got your visa in what September?

Craig 2:15

Yeah, I got my visa in mid September. So yeah, it was a bit quicker than last time, I think 12 weeks processing time. And it was back in about week nine, nine and a half, checking the letterbox and counting every day while I was away. So it was good.

Daniel 2:31

Sweet. It didn't take long at all, especially with COVID You don't know how long that's gonna take because there are sources of less than usual. So we're trying to live, we didn't even know what to expect. Even the website says two months, whatever. But in Covid it can be a bit longer, but in your case was actually pretty sweet.

Craig 2:47

It was I guess maybe they don't have many people applying at the moment or in this situation. Because Yeah, when I left, it was really up in the air still and couldn't get any details from the consulate. And one minute, the New Zealand ones were closed for some reason, even though New Zealand was pretty much clear. And and the ones here was still closed, just going back in the UK, just sort of that June time looking at returning to work from the shutdown when they were in lockdown. So you know, you read the website, and it still says up to 12 weeks processing time. But you know, COVID box there said things can change and that sort of thing, depending on who can work and that sort of thing. Yeah, it was really it was really up in the air, whether it was going to be three months, or more or, or what but luckily, it went the other way. And it came through pretty quickly. Okay, so

Daniel 3:36

just to refresh the memory. You know, you're originally from New Zealand, your spouse, your wife is from England, and you decide to move with the family to England, or when you move there will be just before he moved there, your visa got denied. So in order to reapply for your spouse, visa and stay in the UK, you have to move back to New Zealand. First of all, why did you have to move back to New Zealand? And where did you apply to?

Craig 3:58

Yeah, well, I was feeling the layout and trying to contact them because my visitor visa expired during COVID. But they obviously kept saying you know it won't be hard again to show and we keep extending while there was no travel options and stuff through sort of you know, April May when everything was in lockdown to keep extending that but I couldn't get a straight answer for a long while and then finally they said no, the rules still apply, which is always the standard you have to apply from out of the country couldn't change your visa status or you know anything from within the UK. You had to return home to do that. So that was the first part of it. So I knew I'd have to leave the family and do that. So yeah, once I knew that and had some flights booked Yeah, I applied through New Zealand again. Last time I was in Christchurch. Did Christchurch this time I had two weeks because there are only flights going into Auckland. I had two weeks quarantine in a hotel in Auckland. You know plenty of time to go through the paperwork in thick and all the bits and pieces they want and insurance and mortgages and rates and to prove everything and yeah, plenty of time to go through that. And I managed to get appointment the day I got out. I walked out of the hotel that morning in Auckland and got a rental car and went straight to the consulate in Auckland and did my, had to redo. It was just over 12 months to redo the biometrics. So, you know, just your fingerprint and photos and stuff they wanted at the end and signed off and got it away that day.

Daniel 5:30

So your application, you actually did it in Auckland, you didn't have to send it away to the UK?

Craig 5:34

Well, it still goes back to the UK. So yeah, so they just contract the New Zealand consulate does the biometrics and stamps it. And then yeah, it's sent off as a third party that you send it to in Auckland, and they scan it all through, you either pay a fee, their scanning fee and checking fee, or they just are it takes a few more days, whatever they do it and scan it all off and take your passport and send it it's all processed in the UK. Just knowing that process in New Zealand, but the consulate does it for the UK embassy.

Daniel 6:08

Sweet. So even though UK wasn't doing well, with COVID, they've actually managed to do that in a reasonable time.

Craig 6:15

Yeah, that's- To clarify, that was my issue. When I was leaving here, when COVID was pretty bad that they were still shocked, I was going on the whim of not knowing how they'll be working or if they were gonna receive it, or if it was gonna sit in their inbox till I got back to work or what was going on. Because when I left and started July, it was still pretty locked down here in the UK. But luckily, they've gone back to work. And obviously, maybe we're too busy. So that's probably.

Daniel 6:44

Exactly because I don't know in the UK, but I guess it will be very similar to a year in Canada that most people, especially people from the government, they work from home, they don't go to the office. And if the paperwork reach the office has to be somebody needs to pick physically pick it up and take it home or scan it or whatever. So yeah, I'm glad glad they actually went through pretty quickly. Yeah, I was actually afraid it will take much longer than but least longer than usual. But it didn't. So I'm really glad that it was quick.

Craig 7:12

Yeah, me too, because two sides of it, because that whether they're working and then the immigration or I talked to him that was like, last time it took the full 12 weeks and said don't expect it any earlier. Because once you failed once they go over with a fine tooth comb, and it'll take the full length of time again, as well. So I was looking at the three months minimum to maybe more if everything wasn't going the right way in the world. So anyway, it worked out within my timeframe that I was looking at head sort of in my head was good.

Daniel 7:44

Sweet.

Craig 7:45

Yeah.

Daniel 7:45

So how was the the life in New Zealand because you went to New Zealand and probably when you were back there, the situation was back to normal. There was no COVID people were back to a normal life, which we haven't seen here since the beginning of the last year.

Craig 7:58

Exactly.

Daniel 7:59

Did you find the job when you were there? Were you working? So what was the situation there?

Craig 8:03

Yeah, yeah, got back to New Zealand. And it was so funny after the intense lockdown here. You know, still face masks and everything just walked out after a pretty funny experience the old quarantine in the hotel and that 14 days and stuff and walked out and it was just like, back to normal. Go into a shop and there's people everywhere. no restrictions, no lockdown, no anything. Go to the pub, watch rugby test, watch the All Blacks and stuff with crowds and it felt a little weird, you naturally find yourself keeping the distance and it's like that everyone's hugging and friendly and shoulder to shoulder. No problem at all. So yeah, barring missing the boys in the family and stuff. It was quite a nice break to get back and see friends and have normality. And yeah, I just fell back into work the agricultural, my farming background and was driving some tractors and doing some stuff was screening out for work because a lot of the guys we get are in New Zealand, but some of our seasonal work. And they're they're some of the Canadians, the Irish and Welsh Baylor's and rappers and tractor drivers. And that, obviously, none of them could get over. And that's anyone with a bit of experience in that department as Yeah, clocking out the hours and worked for a couple of friends and guy used to work for and had as much work as I wanted, which was great to make up for the last year and keep busy while I was away from the boys and that Yeah, I just buckled down and worked and pretty much paid for the visa and my flights and bit of the downtime and save that back. So yeah, it was positive in that way. Sure.

Daniel 9:43

Oh, totally. I mean, just the financial side and also keep your mind busy.

Craig 9:46

Yeah, yeah, exactly. That caught up with some family and did that and yeah, that was it. Still just the same story. There's no communication there not knowing how long or planning anything down with friends and just waiting by the letterbox you know After about the two month mark and waiting and waiting, but yeah, I could keep on working and keeping busy and talking to the boys every other night. And yeah, let's time it went reasonably smoothly and all worked out.

Daniel 10:13

And because then you were there during winter in New Zealand. Did you manage to go skiing? Because you are like a ski instructor right?

Craig 10:20

Yeah, yeah, I spent. Yeah, a decade ago now. But yes. 10 or 12 years doing them skiing Between the States and Canada and New Zealand and Europe and stuff. So, yeah, but no, I didn't, I didn't take any of that gear with me. And I was working a lot. Rental gear and pay for a lift fast. And the snow was up and down. And I don't I didn't. I was tempted a couple of times. But I had a couple of good weed dumps, you could see on the mountains where I was driving tractors and that but now I didn't go unfortunately.

Daniel 10:52

Okay. I thought it could be like a good opportunity, especially like being in a normal situation. And chance to because when I was because even right now in Italy, they have like a huge dump of snow, like a massive there. The mountains are beautiful. But there's nobody's allowed to go nuts. Everything is closed, there is no ski resorts open. There's just so much snow that nobody can enjoy.

Craig 11:15

That clearly. Well, those big seasons why people can't get there. So like, yeah, here's a couple of parts of Europe have opened for some somehow, haven't they? In some parts of France that have opened? I mean, no. No shops or cafes, or rentals and one on a chair or whatever. But if you had a season pass or you live there, it'd be pretty nice. It'd be not many crowds. That's for sure.

Daniel 11:36

Yeah, absolutely. And I have to ask you, when you were in New Zealand, everything was back to normal. Did you have the thought maybe it would be better if for my family to move back here? Go back to a normal life or it never crossed your mind?

Craig 11:49

Oh, yeah, absolutely it did Anna and I even talked about it. And, you know, if it hadn't been for this, if there was the opportunity to put it on hold, or they're a bit more flexible and let you leave it for a year, you know, had plenty of work and things were normal. And I don't know, I think immediately the things you hear he, you know, sitting in New Zealand makes it sound so bad. And then every time I talk to Anna and the kids in there, they're like, Oh, yeah, it's bad. But we're doing our own thing. kids are in school or out walking, and it's not too bad. But yeah, go back and forth. But I mean, you know, the situation, we've just come so far, and spent so much money to throw it all away, because they're not just gonna put it on hold for you and go, Oh, yeah, you can just come back in 18 months or something, it'd be the whole process again, and the money in that. So yeah, it was I mean, bittersweet, I guess, you know, in a way, they're coming back, I thought when I left in July, things would move on. And I'd come back to normal not to another lockdown. It just went into another lockdown about a week or so. Before I got back, they went into a hard lockdown to try and ease things for Christmas. And, you know, trying to job hunt and do things when you can't go anywhere or do anything and set up is a small negative, but being back and the welcome I got from the boys when I met them after school and you know, hugs and tears and the Christmas we had and yeah, it's it's good. We're got the right mindset on it. And we'll make the most of it. Hopefully, it'll improve. So if it drags on for another year or two, maybe we'll go back because it is. It is really quite another world over there. That's for sure. They are very lucky. I don't think they realize, you know, they had a couple of weeks of lockdown and a handful of cases and shut the borders and they've never experienced it. Just trying to explain, you know, to other Kiwi friends in there, how different it is and how bad it is. I don't I don't think they really understand over there how lucky they are.

Daniel 13:51

I think it's even hard for for us to understand the situation because he kind of doesn't know if his brain can just tricks us. But it kind of feels unreal. And you don't even realize everybody's wearing a mask and it becomes becomes a normal button you start realizing I knew I was having this thought the other day I was driving in downtown and everybody wearing a mask. And it's real if you actually stop for a second and think about it or the situation then everybody on the street wear a mask. It's real. It's something from a movie it's totally crazy

Craig 14:23

You do if you stop and look at it.

Daniel 14:25

And yet it's just not the norm. everybody wears masks. Everybody has to wear masks. Yeah, it's it's crazy.

Craig 14:32

Yeah, and people leaving gaps and shops and you know those yellow lines everywhere you see don't come within this and yeah, it's funny, isn't it what we get used to you're right if you stop and look at it, and break it down is like a movie. But it was terrible just coming up too close to people as soon as I got back now welcome back and try and shake your hand and get and it's like my three and a half months away. You forgot you went back to normal.

Daniel 14:58

The new normal yeah.

Craig 14:59

Yeah.

Daniel 15:00

Which is not normal.

Craig 15:01

Not normal right.

Daniel 15:03

Hey, Daniel is here. Would you like to receive new episodes, articles and updates from us directly to your inbox, you can visit emigrantslife.com/newsletter and sign up for our weekly email. It's completely free. You can cancel at any time or you can tell me what I'm doing wrong. My goal is to give you all the help you need to succeed with your emigrant's life. And we have big plans for this year. We're working on a better way to help you in your journey as an immigrant so if you want to stay updated on what we're doing and be part of emigrant's life family, visit emigrantslifecom slash newsletter. I'll see you there.

So you got your visa in what's a late September or something like that?

Craig 15:41

Yep, yeah, something of September the envelope came a courier bag I've never been so nervous as to like school results are worse than that. You know, this courier bag arrived this time and the butterflies when it was really nerve racking but yeah, got that but then the stamping isn't valid for another month. So came then but I wasn't it wasn't activated and I wasn't allowed to enter the country till the 23rd of October or something so I didn't never told about it didn't know about I don't know why that was in the current climate and the work was good and getting myself organized and trying to find flights and that that you know knowing you had it going forward and that it wasn't really a problem took that long to say my goodbyes and see some friends and try and nail down a flight cause there's not many flights leave in New Zealand and stuff and then yeah, then you've got 90 days from that time to enter the country.

Daniel 16:37

Okay, so you'd have to go back right away? Only three months to get back in the country is not even like a year?

Craig 16:42

No 90 days from the time that letter was issued.

Daniel 16:46

So you only have two months window?

Craig 16:48

Yeah really two months yeah.

Daniel 16:50

Other visa usually have a year to from the time it's been approved the time you have to enter the country.

Craig 16:55

No that's that's that's all the stuff they don't really tell you and yeah like it's why we did that first time got ready to go and because we need the window was short but.

Daniel 17:02

I mean your case wasn't a problem you were looking forward to go back but in some other cases maybe other no you find a job but you have a contract for six months or something like that that you have to stay there for that amount of time. It's something that it's nice to know when you applied and no one you actually make your plans.

Craig 17:18

Yeah, exactly. That's information very useful especially if you had a whole life to sort out or house to sell on this or that then you'd be in real trouble.

Daniel 17:26

I guess yeah, there's no really plans would you deal with the immigration all the plans get out of the window you have to kind of about their mercy.

Craig 17:32

Play by their rules that's for sure.

Daniel 17:34

Yeah, I was a flight back I mean, I guess you because you were coming from New Zealand there was no quarantine or anything when you move to the UK I guess?

Craig 17:42

No, I was good. Yeah, some countries were about year we were in the corridor the window of countries that were fine and it was a good trip back. Emirates were one of the few that were flying regularly and that I could get with so you know there were maybe 25, 30 people on my flight from

Daniel 18:02

Wow super comfy.

Craig 18:03

Yeah, so plenty of seats for three or four rows yourself for more continue by and a few more from Dubai over I know we were supposed to be the ticket and all the information said we're supposed to be in a separate lounge and have temperature checks and this and that in about six hours in the Dubai I just said now you find just go wandering and stretch your legs and it was pretty deserted there were plenty of lounges and places to chill out and rest and London was no problem and then in back to it

Daniel 18:33

So it must have been surreal like flying and getting to the airport almost empty.

Craig 18:37

It is again it's like a movie like I can say it's just walking through what you expect to be busy and that is no one all the shops and Louie Vuitton flash shops and this and that everything's closed. Nothing open in there. It's just a big shell.

Daniel 18:51

And so how was delighted back to London? How did you did you get settled? Did you find a job was the situation?

Craig 18:59

Yeah, I am. I am luckily working at the moment. Fell into something pretty quickly. So yeah, I had 10th of November, or something arrived back and yeah, we went straight into COVID and the boy schools that a couple of days they're in school for one week. And then we had a COVID incident. So two weeks of homeschooling. So I had two weeks with them and sort of half looking and got a couple of people came back to me But yeah, I've just got some farm improvement work, a place not far from here that I can drive to just on the edge of this village in the country and rundown on farm and I'm just taking care of some farm improvements on there and I got a lot of rundown gear on servicing and fences and this and that sort of a bit of farm handyman stuff and it's great, you know, to have work before the new year and in lockdown and stuff as we are and to fall into something in this climate and won't be long term or a dream job but It's good to have kept busy and money coming in. And yeah, so we can get on the other side of this. And in the new year when the weather starts to get better here and the days get longer and more farm work, hopefully some more stuff comes up,

Daniel 20:11

Totally. I mean, you'd be lucky that even though there was a problem with COVID, you actually have time to spend with your kids a few months you've not see them. So it was pretty good.

Craig 20:20

Exactly. Yeah, it was.

Daniel 20:21

Like working in the farmer now in middle of nowhere, with a natural is probably the best and safest job right now. It's not a dream job. But atleast it's safe. Do I don't have to wear a mask all day long. You don't have to breathe the same air other people.

Craig 20:35

Now I will come home and take whatever out and about on the farm and doing that and yes, you know, essential services, the farming and that I can work where other people have been stopped again, now that we've gone back to tier four and not working and yeah, I feel Yeah, lucky with that. So it's good.

Daniel 20:52

Awesome. So even though it wasn't a challenging year, because it wasn't definitely wasn't easy emotionally and everything has just been like really frustrating. But wasn't wasn't too bad. Because at the end of the day, you will get your visa approved in like in a short amount of time. You go back before Christmas, you manage to celebrate Christmas with your family, you found the job and everything seems going seems going well after all.

Craig 21:14

Yeah, yeah. The second time around with you know, first time nothing going right. And you know, just feeling like you're banging your head against the wall this time. Yeah, it took less time. New Zealand was a good break. Got back for Christmas. Got work in this current climate and all? Yeah, you know, I've got days earned with the family. And yeah, confident we can go forward and make the most of it no matter what the world throws at us and that sort of thing at the moment. So yeah, reasonably positive.

Daniel 21:44

Yeah, hopefully now this new year, that vaccine is out there. And hopefully now with the good weather and better weather, the forefinger is gonna go back a little bit more back to normal. Because you're now having going to good weather you had a long winter, because you had the winter in the UK and then winter again in New Zealand and back to winter when you come back to the UK. So it's been a long winter for you this year. Now it's some spring.

Craig 22:07

Exactly. It will be nice to see some good weather. That's why I wanted to go to Aus and see my family on the way back, but that didn't work out. But yeah, like I say, luckily, I've been a ski bum and done back to back winters plenty of times. But yeah, it has it's been a lot of short days and dull weather as well with back to back winters. So yeah, not moving forward, moving forward this year. And yeah. When it gets better, things will go right. And we'll sort ourselves out.

Daniel 22:36

And hopefully, I mean, last summer in Europe was pretty much back to normal. Yeah. So hopefully this year will be even better. Hopefully, it will be the last time that we go back to normal,

Craig 22:45

I think. Yeah, I think when the weather gets better, and cases get less and more and more people get this vaccine and that if works. And I'd like to see Yeah, I can see it hopefully improving by the time summer comes and it'll be good.

Daniel 23:00

And you said that you were trying to see your family in Australia and didn't didn't work out? Why were you able to see your family?

Craig 23:07

Just because the borders were closed getting to know one was putting flights over there. Queensland has been real stubborn, where my family is. The they premiere there keep the borders shut even to the other States and Australia. And that so who New South Wales Sydney and that opened up but I get a flight to there but then couldn't get into Queensland. Or if you did you have to do the same 14 days and and pay for it yourself 14 days isolation they put you in a facility in a hotel or whatever and cost you three or $4,000 and two weeks for longer away from the family and that to weigh it up to see to see my family for a week. And on the way back just just didn't make sense after last one I did when I got to Auckland, it was pretty hard work. Yeah, didn't want to do it again. 14 days stuck in hotel rooms. Yeah, it was rough. I just done one of those two months ago and as much as I'd love to see my mom and brother and that not knowing when I'll get back Yeah, just the money and time and time I'd been away you know, and I mean, just ended up be another month away from the kids and the money. It's just not not really worth it at that time.

Daniel 24:17

No, absolutely. I thought maybe you can because you come from New Zealand everything is normal. And you know, you don't have COVID do not do quarantine yourself it will be pretty straightforward but.

Craig 24:26

Yeah, if they were that forward thinking but just the government's like no one's allowed into New Zealand. So the rules just stay reciprocal, even though New Zealand was COVID free. And it's like New Zealand borders are shut to Australia Australia's borders are shut everyone else in the world just too hard to make an exception for New Zealand. So it was just across the board. So borders was shut, even to New Zealand anyway.

Daniel 24:52

Yeah, that's the other thing too. Like even myself, I'm planning I'm actually not planning I'm hoping to go to see my family this year by then going there. You have to quarantine when I get to Italy and quarantine back when I get back to from Italy here to Canada.

Craig 25:05

It takes a month.

Daniel 25:06

Just a month go into quarantine. It's just it's it's not worth it. Yeah. And also, I don't know, even just being in Italy and being quarantined, I'll be able to see anybody. There will be even like even worse with, I'd rather I don't know it will be like so frustrating that you're in Italy you can see anybody. Exactly. So I'm just hoping that by the time I get to hopefully September when I'm planning to go see them, hopefully by the end, it will be back to normal because it will be frustrating.

Craig 25:31

Yeah

Daniel 25:32

You're in the country and not be able to see them.

Craig 25:35

Yeah. Is that worth having? Two weeks? Two weeks here two weeks, it's a month in hotel rooms to to see family and yeah, it is it's it's tough being locked in that room when you can't go anywhere. Meals delivered to your door three times a day. It's very much like prisoners. In the morning, 12. And yeah, the hours take on my first week was was good. It was just recovered, you know, from few long nights for the boys sleep over that before I left in the travel and being tired a couple of days of that into the visa application and going through all that. And that was fine and kept busy. And then few movies. And then the second week, this last sort of five or six days is really just dragging on and looking out the window. And I'm ready to get out of here now.

Daniel 26:29

Because you are not allowed to leave your room?

Craig 26:30

No

Daniel 26:31

Oh, wow.

Craig 26:33

Some have some have a wee area, you can go limited numbers, you can go down and exercise for half an hour and walk around, totalizing didn't really have anything. So there was a big conference room. And a few like Swiss balls and this and that you're allowed down and blocks stretch out and walk around 20 square meters sort of room and do some stretching or something if you wanted but it was for 45 minutes a day but not fresh air or not allowed out anywhere or anything.

Daniel 27:03

Really sounds like prison.

Craig 27:06

It was a nice it was a nice hotel was nice enough, but yeah, it was the staff were good. try their hardest. And we're good. But yeah.

Did you pick the hotel or they picked your own? I just get to the airport. He puts you on a bus and send you the way you go. And you know, it's it's quite funny. Something you probably won't do again. That's for sure.

Daniel 27:29

Though, I mean, imagine doing that with a family.

Craig 27:31

Yeah, there were some there are some there with babies and little kids. And that would be really tough. It would be horrendous has been not much sleephead and keeping kids occupied. And it would be tough. If you're returning home with a family.

Daniel 27:45

I can't even imagine there could be two weeks stuck in a room with even like if you have a family a couple of kids even like older kids, maybe like being stuck in a room for two weeks with your partner and two kids. It just drive each other mad. Yeah, definitely no matter how much you love them, but you always in the same room.

Craig 28:03

Need that time apart.

Daniel 28:05

It's like a Big Brother. The shopw that film everybody and they do a TV show.

Craig 28:09

Exactly. Like I could yeah. It'd be a lot of screaming going on. That's for sure.

Daniel 28:16

Sweet. So what's the what's the plan for the future for that for this year? Have you have any plan?

Craig 28:21

Or just I mean, we're still everything's coming together. Like I said, Just get out on our own. We're still at the in laws living with family here. It's I got back and stuff. So yeah, keep that job and go and try and find a farm job with a house or something as nice as it's been and that you get out on their own and do their own thing again, is the only first and main main goal for this year really.

Daniel 28:47

Sweet. Okay, the first will be the goal will be find a place for you guys.

Craig 28:51

Yeah, yep, definitely.

Daniel 28:53

You think you're going to be like in the countryside?

Craig 28:55

Yeah, I think so. We, you know, from where we were in New Zealand, and when the kids now and we're more rural people than, again, what we can afford city wise and that and yeah, the farm work and that I think we'd like to get to a smaller rural town rural village in that. Try and find a nice one and set ourselves up.

Daniel 29:12

Sweet.

Craig 29:12

Yeah.

Daniel 29:13

Best of luck of that. Keep me posted.

Craig 29:15

Yeah, we'll do that Daniel thank you very much.

Daniel 29:18

Alright. I'm really really glad everything worked out and and especially that you managed to celebrate Christmas and the holiday and everything with the family. So yeah, it was great.

Craig 29:27

Me too here. So I guess it's you can get there. Eventually. If you keep persevering and just play the game and let the system plug away at it. But yeah, yeah, it's all positive for us and going forward now, hopefully.

Daniel 29:40

Okay. I'd like to think that the process went pretty quickly because the immigration listened to the first episode, but I don't think that that was the case. But I'd like to think so.

Craig 29:50

Who knows, maybe they've got to listen. It sounds like this change is coming to light for me, but I keep reading and getting these emails on things and the process of doing so. profile with a case with this Brexit, a lot of Europeans and different things and they understand they have to make it, I guess more affordable and easier for people that qualify.

Daniel 30:11

Maybe even because the COVID people have to work from home they have to change the system how the process get deliver or even like has to be more digital.

Craig 30:18

Yeah

Daniel 30:19

Even that could be a way for them to force them to move forward into the 21st century and be more digitalized. Instead of like a paperwork in which the letterbox it's just

Craig 30:29

Exactly.

Daniel 30:30

It is crazy.

Craig 30:30

Yeah, it is it is it should it could be made a lot simpler. And yeah, keeping people informed in this day and age, we get messages for everything, but they don't tell you anything, you know, hang up data, where your processes and stuff like that.

Daniel 30:44

Yeah, you order a pizza on Domino's. You can see wherever the making them, when it's in the oven when it's been delivered. And you can see the little guy on the map where he does exactly,

Craig 30:53

But for this. Send the passport away and not know anything for three months. Yeah.

Daniel 31:01

It's crazy.

Craig 31:02

It is. It is slow to change governance, that's for sure.

Daniel 31:07

Yeah, absolutely. Awesome Craig. Thanks. Thanks a lot for taking the time and to do this follow up. And as I said, I'm so glad that things work out and hopefully for the best for for this year for the 2021.

Craig 31:19

Yeah. Thank you Daniel.

Daniel 31:20

This is the year.

Craig 31:21

I appreciate your support. Thanks a lot mate, you too.

Daniel 31:23

Okay.

Craig 31:24

Cheers.

Daniel 31:24

Oh, it was good to see you.

Craig 31:25

Alright. Bye.

Daniel 31:27

Cheers. Bye. Thank you so much for tuning in this week. You can find the show notes at emigrantslife.com/episode 21. There you can find everything we discussed in this episode and the old transcript if you want a radio conversation. If you scroll all the way to the bottom, you can find a comment section. Let me know if you've been in a similar situation where your visa denied. I look forward to hear from you. And if you enjoyed this episode, please share with your friends you think you will enjoy it as well. And consider leave us a review on Apple podcasts or pod chaser. The links are in the show notes. Thanks again for listening. Talk to you in the next one Ciao.

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