Exactly a year today
By Sunrise Fan
@sunrisefan (28524)
Philippines
March 12, 2021 1:23am CST
Today marks one full year of our stay here in New Zealand. We left our home country on March 11 last year and arrived here on today's date. Just 4 days after we left, our borders were locked down because of the pandemic. Had we left booked a flight 4 days later, we would not have been here. More than a week upon our arrival here in New Zealand, the borders were also closed to incoming flights.
Our visa expired on September 12 but we were given automatic interim visa for 6 months just like the rest of visitors stuck because of the pandemic. Our interim visa expires tomorrow and for several days, my wife and I were anxious that we might be staying here unlawfully. For 2 days this week I've called the Visa Verification Service and was told that we seem to be qualified for the 2-month extension. Not good enough answer so I called Immigration again today and was told that we are covered by the automatic extension.
I was somehow relieved but I would be more confident when I receive the confirmation email.
20 people like this
18 responses
@LadyDuck (458091)
• Switzerland
12 Mar 21
@sunrisefan I am glad that you had such a good assistance for the extension of your VISA. New Zealand is a great country, I had a hard time for the renew of 1 week in the Caribbean years ago.
2 people like this
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
12 Mar 21
Yes, it is indeed very stressful for us as we have not purchase air tickets yet because our country's airline has not yet returned its NZ route and airfares are almost triple. I think my daughter will let us leave earlier than May 12 which is the 2nd birthday of our grandson. We have not celebrated his 1st birthday last year because of the lockdown. His mom and my wife have excitedly prepared well for a party which did not materialize. I received an email from Immigration tonight informing us that we have been approved for a new 6-month visitor visa and that they have waived the requirement for police clearance certificate from our home country due to the current situation. That was very kind of them.
2 people like this
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
12 Mar 21
@LadyDuck I've read an article this morning about a British actor who got stranded here in NZ for a year with his family (his parents, wife and children). They have just finished their movie shoot when NZ went into lockdown. He said he has no regrets having been caught in the lockdown here because he was with family and also, the great hospitality and kindness that they experienced from New Zealanders.
2 people like this
@rsa101 (37952)
• Philippines
23 Mar 21
It is like a piece of good and bad news to you. Good news because you are not illegal aliens in that place the bad news is that you are not able to go home anytime soon since the pandemic here is getting worse again. I guess it is far safer staying there in NZ than here in the Philippines as the virus is quite active and still spreading sporadically now that the government loosened its lockdown protocols.
2 people like this
@rsa101 (37952)
• Philippines
23 Mar 21
@sunrisefan I think that would be a good time to extend it till June and see what is the situation back here. I know you also need to attend to some matters here in our country but the situation is just not good at this point in time. They say we are in our third wave of infection and I feel bad about this situation. If only we could switch places with you there I would.
2 people like this
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
23 Mar 21
@rsa101 Just don't keep your guard down. Always observe the proper health protocols and stay away from people as much as you can. Just read a while ago that the supermarket nearby has been closed for deep cleaning. A worker from a quarantine hotel had gone there to shop at 3:00 to 3:15PM last Saturday. She was then found out to be positive. We went to the same supermarket on Sunday morning after mass to shop for groceries for the week.
2 people like this
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
23 Mar 21
We planned to go home in May because my wife and I both have very important things to attend to but because of the current quota being implemented from March 22 to April 21 at NAIA and the two other airports, out daughter suggested that we postpone our trip to June. There's only one PAL flight in May and another one in June going to the Philippines. My daughter will still make arrangements with her travel agent. Keep safe my friend.
2 people like this
@jobelbojel (34729)
• Philippines
14 Mar 21
You can stay there first while the virus is still in the country. I heard that New Zealand situation is normal there.
2 people like this
@jobelbojel (34729)
• Philippines
17 Mar 21
@sunrisefan Stay there until this thing isn't over. Request to extend your stay/visit there. COVID cases are rising each day.
2 people like this
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
17 Mar 21
@jobelbojel Thanks for the advice. We’ve been given a new visa for 6 months but we hope to go home by the middle of May.. Stay safe there too as the infection has gone up to over 5K in a single day.
2 people like this
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
14 Mar 21
Yes it’s safer here and I hope we can have the vaccine before we go home.
2 people like this
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
12 Mar 21
We're torn between going home and staying because we're worried of our grandson who is still very young and will be awakened at dawn so he can be conducted to the day care center early because his parents work at 7AM. We're worried about home too. My wife is worried about her 95-year old mom, a brother who had a mild stroke last December and her stranded sister who had just been operated on the shoulder. My older sister has gall bladder problem too and was advised for operation. Another sister had just been from a procedure on her eye cataract.
2 people like this
@rakski (112925)
• Philippines
12 Mar 21
@sunrisefan I hope they are all okay and taken care of. I guess you have a reason to be there still is because of your grandson
2 people like this
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
12 Mar 21
I am relieved now of the worry of being here unlawfully the day after tomorrow because I received an email tonight from Immigration granting our application for a new visitor visa. We were given 6 months to stay and the required police clearance from my home country was waived due to the current pandemic situation.
2 people like this
@dgobucks226 (34369)
•
19 Mar 21
You must miss your country very much being gone for so long. Hopefully, when many are finally vaccinated you can return. Glad the government understands your situation and has extended your visa.
2 people like this
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
19 Mar 21
Yes, I miss my country and my home so much. We've been for a year already and because of the worsening situation there these past week, our daughter wants us to go home in June instead of May.
2 people like this
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
20 Mar 21
@dgobucks226 That would be sweet indeed but we’ll probably spend a few days cleaning the house and probably the car too. Hope you’re enjoying a nice weekend.
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34369)
•
20 Mar 21
@sunrisefan Sorry to hear about the extended return. When you finally return it will be some sweet homecoming 
1 person likes this
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
12 Mar 21
We got 6 instead of 2 months because I received an email from Immigration last night informing us that we were granted a new visitor visa for 6 months.
2 people like this
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
12 Mar 21
@CarolDM Yes. Two would have been good enough but six is much better :)
2 people like this
@CarolDM (203454)
• Nashville, Tennessee
12 Mar 21
@sunrisefan That is even better news.
2 people like this
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
27 Apr 21
We were given a new visa up to September but we really hope to go home by June. We have not been vaccinated yet though our daughters want us to have the vaccine before we leave. They are following a priority grouping. Our nurse daughter had her second dose last Saturday and her older sister bought her to the ER past midnight last night because she was itching all over her body and had red rashes. She was already starting to have this on Friday but when she asked if it was okay to have her vaccine she was told that it was okay. She's still on antibiotic because she had sore throat last week and was even swabbed and told not to report for duty. The result was negative though. She thinks her itch and rashes were reactions to her antibiotic. My wife and I only had our free flu vaccine because seniors are on the priority for the annual flu vaccine. The rest will have theirs starting on May 17.
@DaddyEvil (137145)
• United States
12 Mar 21
You've long been away from home. I am glad to know there was an automatic extension to your visa but am sure you'll be more relieved when the confirmation email comes through.
2 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137145)
• United States
12 Mar 21
@sunrisefan That is great news! I was worried about you and your wife. I was hoping something would happen but didn't have any idea what was really needed, so just kept the two of you in my thoughts... 
1 person likes this
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
12 Mar 21
@DaddyEvil Thank you very much for your concern. We're now relieved of the anxiety.
1 person likes this
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
12 Mar 21
I got the email from Immigration last night granting us a new 6-month visitor visa and waiving the police certificate. We won't be here for the full 6 months. We just wanted to have more time for things to somehow settle down at home so we can fly home. There's been a recent spike of the virus in the metropolis there.
2 people like this
@mom210 (9036)
• United States
2 Apr 21
@sunrisefan nothing like cutting it close huh but glad it worked out.
1 person likes this
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
28 Mar 21
Thanks for your good wishes. I received the email confirmation the night before our visa expired.
1 person likes this
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
19 Mar 21
Yes, I'm glad too. We were already planning to go home in May but covid has gone up again back home and they have limited the entry of incoming travellers to 1,500 per day total for all airlines. Our daughter suggested that we move our going home to June.
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
28 Mar 21
Thanks Ms. DianneN. I was indeed relieved when I received the confirmation email for a new visa.
1 person likes this
@just4him (306239)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
13 Mar 21
@sunrisefan That's great you got the confirmation.
1 person likes this
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
12 Mar 21
Yes, I received the email from Immigration last night giving us a new 6 months visitor visa. I am now relieved :)
1 person likes this
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
24 Mar 21
@thelme55 We will defer our going home, Ms. Thelma, but we cannot keep on extending because Immigration might not allow us anymore beyond the second extension that they have given. Thanks for you advice and concern. Appreciate it very much.
1 person likes this
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
24 Mar 21
Yes and our daughters want us to go home in June instead of May because of the current covid situation in the country.
1 person likes this
@thelme55 (76476)
• Germany
24 Mar 21
@sunrisefan I would stay with your daughter if I were you.
1 person likes this
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
13 Mar 21
Yes probably. Besides, with the number of people stuck here, it somehow helps their economy. Those stuck need to pay rent for housing (for us, we're staying with our daughters), buy food, spend for transportation, and buy goods and pay for services as personal grooming (haircut and the like).
2 people like this
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
14 Mar 21
@porwest Our visa conditions do not allow us to work. We babysit our grandson and that is still work. Only there is no pay but we get free board and lodging. I would have chosen to go home right now if not because we worry for our grandson and the risks of travel. There’s a lot of work waiting for us back home.
2 people like this
@porwest (78761)
• United States
14 Mar 21
@sunrisefan There are better ways to help the economy. lol I assume you have to work there too, and that will take a job away from a local New Zealander. So there is a cost as well.
2 people like this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
16 Mar 21
@sunrisefan It;s a good job you are staying with family - imagine being stuck in a hotel for all that time.
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
15 Mar 21
We intended to stay only for 3 months. We arrived March 12 and our return flight was for June 25 last year but the airline cancelled their flights to NZ including ours.
1 person likes this
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
16 Mar 21
@jaboUK That would have been very expensive.
1 person likes this
@cacay1 (83223)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
28 Sep 21
Hello my friend? Miss yah here in Mylot. Are you still there in Auckland?
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
4 Oct 21
Hi Ms. Erly! Am home now. We arrived August 15 in Cebu and August 25 here. Been very busy cleaning the house and garden and with meetings for our hotel construction which is almost finished but we're putting up another building for 21 more rooms for family and executive suites. This will run for another 720 days. Hope you're fine. Stay safe!
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
12 Mar 21
Yes, I got the email from Immigration last night.
1 person likes this
