Russian police cert

Surprise, surprise!

The Russian police cert has arrived to my husband's office today.
We were so worried that it will never happen, and keeping all the receipts and stuff as an evidence of application.
Well done, Russia.

Japanese police cert

While we were waiting for our medical exam, I've got a ring from the Japanese Embassy in London that our Japanese police certificates are ready for picking up.

We nominated each other for collecting the document, hence this time we don't have to go all of us.

I hope I'll be the one to go pick up the document - so that I can enjoy a bit of London just by myself!

Medical & X-Ray

Rearranged the appointment, and we went to Birmingham for the medical and x-ray certificate.

Radiologists and doctors are usually in different clinics in this country, but if you search on the panel doctor list, you can find some clinics where they have both radiologists and doctors.

Adult = ￡305 x 2
Child = ￡50 x 2
+17.5% VAT
Total = ￡875.23

Children didn't have to do the blood test and x-ray, and the little one (3yo) didn't have to do the urine test.

Our certificates will be dispatched within 12 days. Hope everything works fine.

UK police cert

Sent off the applications for the UK police certificate. Hope everything works out ok.

Radiologist

We were to go to the radiologist in Cardiff this morning but had a major argument with my husband on the way and we cancelled the trip. I've re-arranged the whole thing and decided to go to Birmingham instead. There, they'll take care of x-ray and medical exam on the same day in the same facility. It is so inconvenient that doctors and radiologists are usually in different clinics (meaning we needed to make 2 trips).

Australian police cert

The bank draft arrived on Friday, so I sent off the application form together with the draft to Australia.

Paid extra £3.50 on top of £1.20 international postage so that the letter will have priority to reach the destination. I got the track number so I can check how it's doing on the way to arrive to the QLD police.

Now I'm getting to worry about how I can pay for the application fee. I need to check the limit of my credit card.

police cert and bank draft

I was getting to worry that our police certificates wouldn't make it before the deadline to lodge the application of residence visa. I've contacted the Immigration NZ office in London - we might receive an extension. All those small details make me feel so nervous.

Today I finally made an appointment for the medical examinations. More than ￡900 is to be paid just for this procedure, and we will have to make 2 trips to Cardiff. It takes 2.5 hrs to get there. Thinking about the petrol price nowadays, we should have made it with the hospital in Wrexham where the medical and x-ray are done in the same facility on the same day, but my husband can't make it on the day the medical is available in Wrexham.

Because now I know that extension is possible (hopefully), I started preparing the international bank draft to pay for the police certificate from Australia. Surprise, surprise. The bank charges me ￡18 but they can only send me the draft to me by post after 5 business days. I guess the 21st century hasn't arrived in Britain yet. All businesses here are unbelievably slow.

EXP08 @ Leeds

Drove 3.5 hours/way from Wales to attend a job fair in Leeds.
It was a 2-day event therefore we were planning to stay overnight to attend both days - and then realised that 1 day could be enough.

Indeed, it was enough to stay for a couple of hours. I spoke with 2 potential employers but after attending their seminars and talking to them personally, I drew a conclusion that this event was mostly meant for THEM to promote what they want to sell.

We spent ￡15 per person for the Expo ticket - just to let them promote. I suspect exhibitors might be serious about finding some particular professionals (mostly doctors and nurses etc), but other professions like ours were not meant to be their serious target.

I am disappointed with the event, but the good thing was that I got to speak with some people from the Immigration NZ. They've answered some small queries in my mind. Otherwise, it was not worth visiting spending petrol and time.