Hectic Week

The below post was what was supposed to go up last Sunday but I wasn't able to post it in time as I had to go and help in the shop! It's been a week now and Har and I have been doing a lot of running around for our tax clearance and RBF approvals for withdrawing all our funds (we haven't finished the RBF bit yet). In fact, I've been thinking about writing up a step-by-step manual for migration to Australia based on our experiences but I've probably forgotten half of what I had to do when initially applying! Anyways, even when you get approval you still have to do a lot of running around. Here's the summary (in case anyone else gets their PR) :

~ visit the FNPF office in Boulevard and apply for transfer of your funds to your deposit a/c. You'll need a travel itinerary (just get one printed out from your travel agent, no need to actually buy a ticket), plus some other stuff which I forgot already (getting old I guess) - but all that's needed is on the form which they give to you. By the way, once they've transferred your funds to your a/c, you might as well ask for a withdrawal letter - you'll need it for when you go to RBF for clearance.

~ go to the FIRCA office and let them know you want forms for your tax clearance. They'll give those, and ask for your deposit a/c statement for the past 2 years (not the old ones but a new statement), and photocopies of your passport, visa approval, and company acceptance of your resignation (these copies don't need to be certified by a J.P.). Part of the forms they'll give you are tax returns for the beginning of year to date, and a form which your company has to fill out and return to you. You'll also need to ask your company for some details to fill out your tax return (like tax paid, benefits, etc). And one more thing - on your a/c statement, you'll NEED to explain details on every deposit made apart from salary deposits!!! Especially the cash deposit ones - even as low as $100 or less, they'll ask. Of course, it's going to be hard recalling why you deposited $300 2 years back but you can be inventive... maybe it's your workmate paying a debt back? Tax returns and clearance only take a few days; in our case it was done by the next day!

~ Visit RBF (level 2) and ask for the form for withdrawal clearance for migratory purposes. You'll need your passports, air ticket (a real one this time), and that withdrawal letter from FNPF. They'll give you a great big green form to fill out. What happens after that I'm yet to find out, as we're just up to that step!

Will update the rest later... Fiji Finals finishes tomorrow, and my bet is on Marist to win the boys division! Yeah, and go ACS too for the girls!

Tim Lee's Bakery

Well, today is the last day that I get to server the counter at my in-laws' Nasese shop, Tim Lee's Bakery. I don't know if I should be relieved or sad, but it certainly wasn't boring! I've spent about a month staying here as my father-in-law and bro-in-law have gone overseas to Oz/HK/China and are due back today. So after dinner I'll be off to Nausori airport to pick them up, then tonight I'll be staying back at my own place in Namadi.

It's been an interesting month while I've been here. Not relaxing like most would think, but a lot of hard work. The shop opens at 6am every morning and closes at 7.30pm~8pm. I'm used to getting up at 7am then getting ready for work, but here I have to get up at 6.15am and be down in the shop by 6.40 at least. Actually, I have to be up earlier but it's so damn hard getting up at 6am! And I still sleep at around 11pm, lol.