Around 9:30am tomorrow I will be satisfied that I have done all I can to ensure I get my ancestry visa for the UK, with zero back-and-forth. It hasn't actually been so bad getting everything together, but it does take time!
What I am including:
- My birth certificate (NZ)
- Mums birth certificate (NZ)
- Mum's marriage certificate (NZ)
- Grandma and Grandad's marriage certificate (NZ)
- Grandad's (Mum's side) birth certificate. Ordered a copy from Births Deaths and Marriages in the UK, took 10 days to get here - not too bad!
I was able to get all the NZ stuff really quickly, took an hour. I had originals with me which made it easier, but it was just a question of going in to the office across the road from work, filling in four forms, waiting twenty minutes while the guy typed them out for me, there and then. And $100.
The UK birth certificate, Grandad was born in 1910, I thought that'd be more work - but it wasn't so bad. You can use what you know to look up names in a free index online, and that gives you the index numbers in the registries over there. Then you order the certificate using that index reference. Was cheaper than the NZ certificates too, 9 pounds I think!
Other stuff I'm including:
- Proof of income, in the form of my invoices since January. Bit messy when you're a contractor, so I thought I'd just chuck them all in there.
- My degree. - I don't have a specific job lined up, so I want to make sure it's solid that I've got the skills!
- Both my contract engagement documents - steady work etc.
- My passports: current, and my old one.
- And a photocopy of everything, except my invoices, which I don't care to have back.
- The biometrics appointment confirmation sheet (as requested)
- The printed copy of the online application
- A passport sized colour photo of my good self (if anyone wants a keepsake, I have 3 more! Put me on your desk at work! My cold stare will warm your heart)
- A self-addressed international post pre-paid envelope w/ customs declaration for the return of everything
- A letter from the bank, stating how much money I have easy access to. This will be the amount I am ahead on on my mortgage. I guess other people could send statements, but my statement says -60k since I've got a bit of my mortgage floating in my current account, so I figured that wasn't a great look!
So I'm getting that letter from the bank tomorrow morning, then I shall send it all off!
It looks like a lot, but it hasn't been that bad. Still, bit easier to go to Australia isn't it!
Other stuff:
Flights
My travel agent says it's only going to cost me another $400 on top of the credit I already had with Singapore Airlines to get to the UK, and I'll be able to go on the 12th of August if I so desire - which is the current plan.
Packing it up
Broke the news at work today, they were keen to keep me on, but excited for me about my trip too. I'm only hearing good things! Anyway, might get an extension to the 2nd of August (currently I finish up on the 24th of July) - that'll leave me a week to pack the house up, then it's adios! Or should I say, in the local vernacular, piss off!
