Dreams

I spent most of last night dreaming about forms, applications, missing deadlines, missing documents, and various other stressful situations. Looks like I still have some residual stress from the ITA process to deal with!

However, I'm happy to report that I tracked yesterday's delivery on the Royal Mail site, and they say the package was delivered before 9am today. We'll be able to see the electronic proof of delivery within 72 hours, which will set my mind at rest for good. We may still have a few hurdles to cross between now and getting permanent residency, but at least the ITAs got there on time.

ITAs submitted

Our applications are in! I can't believe how busy the last few days were, but we got there in the end. Skry's extra blood tests were processed extra fast, thanks to the nice nurse who wrote "URGENT!!" all over them before submitting them to the lab. We got those back yesterday, and thankfully he was fine and has no problems with his liver. What a relief.
Most of my lunchbreak yesterday was spent rushing to the solicitor to get certified copies of our passports, then rushing to the doctor's surgery to get Skry's medical results, then rushing to the post office to use their passport photo machine there. I had blisters on the soles of my feet by the time I sat back down at my desk! And Skry spent a large chunk of the morning getting his work references from previous jobs printed out. But by last night, we were able to sit down and finalise the application forms, put everything into envelopes, and leave out to be posted today.
The whole process has been very expensive. Here's the breakdown for the two of us (roughly, as I can't remember some of the exact figures):

• initial Expressions of Interest £200
• x-rays - can't remember, think it was about £60
• medical deposit £40
• medical £142
• blood tests £152
• Skry's extra blood tests £31
• copy of Skry's university degree, (which still hasn't arrived) £25
• copy of Skry's birth certificate £11
• solicitor £20 (lower than normal as it was a personal favour)
• application fees £1170
• postage £18.90

There could well be other expenses too that I have temporarily forgotten. That is a very scary £1869.90 between the two of us, and we will have still more to pay if we actually get our visas. And if our application is declined, we don't get a penny back...
Hopefully that won't happen, though! I can track the package online, so I will hopefully be able to see that it has been delivered tomorrow morning. After that, the waiting game begins in earnest!

Medical woes

Skry got a phone call from the doctor yesterday. His results for the liver function test aren't good enough. This is worrying, because we only have another week before the ITAs have to be in the post and en route to London. That doesn't allow enough time for a second run of blood tests. He is waiting to hear back from the doctor again today, to see if the doctor will say he passed, and let the NZ immigration folk decide if the results are just too dodgy, or if the doctor won't say he passed. If it's the latter, we could be in big trouble, as I don't know how much leeway we'll get for going past the deadline for the ITAs to be in.

We're trying not to panic about it, as that won't achieve anything, but it is certainly a bit worrying...

Mr and Mrs!

The wedding was fantastic. I am now Mrs Skry. Hurrah!