An emigration update

We've been in New Zealand just over two years now. With that two-year anniversary came the expiration of our returning resident's visas (RRVs) - the visas that allowed us to come back into the country if we left for any reason. The expiration is a standard thing; everybody who arrives on permanent residency gets two years to start off with (the residency permit itself is indefinite, but the returning visa is limited).
We didn't like being in a situation where we could find ourselves having to fly back to Ireland for some sort of emergency and then having trouble getting back into New Zealand. So, once we had accumulated some cash again following the Christmas splurge, it was time to apply for indefinite RRVs which do not have an expiration date.
Turns out this is a very easy thing to do. We each filled out a form, added our credit card details (the current charge is $140), and handed it to the immigration office in Christchurch along with our passports. Less than a week later the passports were couriered back to us with indefinite RRVs stuck inside them. We easily met the residency requirement - at least 184 days in New Zealand in each of the previous two years - so it was really just a formality. Now we can leave for a holiday or a visit home secure in the knowledge that we won't have to jump through hoops to get back to Christchurch again. That's a comforting thought.