Preparation Before Leaving for New Zealand

Careful planning can save a lot of headaches, making this new part of your life an adventure rather than a nightmare. Make lists for everything that needs to be done before leaving and enjoy the satisfaction of ticking off tasks when they’re completed.

Documentation
When you arrive in New Zealand, you’ll obviously have no credit history, insurance history, in fact no history at all. So, it’s important bring documentation with you from various institutions in your home country.

• Banks – ask you bank/s to provide you with letters stating your credit rating and your payment history. For example, they could say that you’ve always paid your mortgage on time and have never been overdrawn.
• Insurance – ask your insurance company to provide proof that you’ve got a good driving record and so secure a cheaper insurance rate. The same goes for household and contents insurance.
• Landlord – if you have rented and intend to rent in New Zealand, ask you previous landlords for references.
• Personal documents – such as birth certificates and marriage certificates
• Driving licence – take your driving licence but also get an International Licence which is valid for 12 months. You can then drive in New Zealand for 12 months before having to get a New Zealand driving licence.

What to take
This is always a difficult decision and a very personal one. Some people like to ship their whole house, others like to use the move as an excuse to buy new. Many people rent out their houses in their home country and leave them furnished. It’s a personal choice.

New Zealand allows you 12 months to bring in your used (note ‘used’) personal belongings, so, if after arriving in New Zealand you find you can’t live without Gran’s dresser, then you can still ship it duty free. If you’ve got receipts for your belongings, then bring them so you can prove they are preowned.

Look online and see what sort of electrical appliances, furniture etc are out there and find out the cost of purchasing. You may find it’s much cheaper to ship your own belongings rather than buy when you arrive; although there’s an active second-hand market for household goods. Another point to consider is that the massive sofa that sits in your lounge which you love, may not fit in your next home.

Schools and Jobs
If are certain of the area in which you’re going to be living, you can book your kids into appropriate schools. If you are still job hunting, then you may have to wait a while.

Furry Friends
It’s a relatively easy process to take your family pets into New Zealand but remember you need to apply for your pet import permit at least 6 months before you intend to import them. They must be: –

• Microchipped
• Be over 3 months old
• Be disease free with a Pet Passport
• Have lived with you for 6 months or lived in an acceptable country for since months prior to arriving
• 10 days quarantine on arrival in New Zealand

Flights and Shipping
Book your flights and arrange shipping of your goodies well in advance of your move to ensure you get the dates you want at affordable prices. Remember that New Zealand has very strict policies on what you can bring into the country.

Dismantling your Life

• Utilities – cancel all utilities well in advance of your move to ensure you don’t pay penalties. For example, some medical aid companies, ask for three months’ notice.
• Subscriptions and memberships – cancel subscriptions (magazines etc) and memberships, such as the gym.
• Mail – get your mail redirected to a new address, or if you don’t have one, get it redirected to a friend or relative and they can forward it to you.
• Power of Attorney – it’s wise to give someone you trust Power of Attorney before you leave, just in case there are some loose ends to tie up which need your signature.