My first gripe is the lack of detail requested – and given in return. I was always taught at school and uni that any factual argument needs actual facts to back it up, e.g. test results. So when the MA requests clarification on XYZ, one might suppose that he could also state what would constitute adequate proof that XYZ is of no concern. But no… and my consultant didn’t see fit to include any such evidence either (paternalistic old-style doc who thinks another doc will respect his esteemed opinion without question… despite having already been questioned..). Instead I throw in as many seemingly relevant test results as possible (obtained from the hospital for a £50) and pray that this will be enough.

Gripe the second is that you then hear lovely things from either your CO (“the MA is on holiday for 2 weeks” or “the MA is off next week”) or on the forums (“just heard from my CO that three of the London MAs have been on leave for the last 5 weeks”). Everyone’s entitled to a holiday – apparently my CO is back from his today – but either those MAs have been catching bugs from the medical forms or there’s a manager in need of torture by impatient would-be immigrants.

It almost makes me laugh now, when someone says, “but you’re married to a Kiwi – surely they’ll just let you in?”

Yeah. Right.

(I don’t mind them checking – I just want to arrive in NZ before I’m old enough to draw a pension..)