A British family whose lives in New Zealand have been hanging in the balance for nearly two years are reeling at the news their residency has been approved.
''We're just dumbstruck. It's been such a long battle. This has come out of the blue,'' Deanna Dovey (42) said.
Deanna and husband Joseph (46) told the Otago Daily Times yesterday they were on the verge of losing everything after being unable to get confirmation of their residency application.
''We sold our house, had lined up jobs elsewhere.''
But last night, after the newspaper had called the Immigration Department, the family received an email from Associate Immigration Minister Nikki Kaye granting them residency, subject to the completion of paperwork.
''Our boy was in tears of joy since he heard. Our phone has been ringing red hot.''
The couple and their two children Amber (10) and Archer (8), moved to Dunedin from Southampton six years ago with the promise of becoming New Zealand residents.
Mr Dovey was recruited by a Dunedin transport company to work as a qualified truck driver and, based on the company's work to residency (WTR) accreditation with Immigration New Zealand, they believed they would be able to get residency and live permanently in New Zealand within two to three years.
They took out a mortgage, bought a house and moved all their assets from the United Kingdom to New Zealand.
However, the transport company lost its accreditation soon after.
So, in 2010, the couple hired a Dunedin lawyer to help them sort their immigration problems.
But the lawyer gave incorrect advice, they said, and after 16 months, the couple lost $3500 and were no further ahead.
In May this year, the couple wrote to Associate Immigration Minister Nikki Kaye to request special consideration for New Zealand residency because of their extenuating circumstances.
However, Mrs Dovey said all they got was a generic reply, which basically acknowledged receipt of their letter.
''We haven't heard from them since.
''We would never have immigrated, sold all of our assets in the United Kingdom, and set up our new life in New Zealand if we had not been offered the security of the WTR.
''The transport company losing its accreditation and the 16-month process we went through with the lawyer caused us significant distress, as does our current situation regarding the uncertainty of our future.''
Mrs Dovey said she and her husband had sold their house because truck drivers would be coming off the skills shortage list early next year, and they could not afford to have a tie in New Zealand if they were unable to renew their work permits before next June.
Instead of the prospect of returning to England and rebuilding their lives, they could now look at settling in Dunedin.
''We love New Zealand and are immersed in the Dunedin community.
''My partner and I have been in steady employment since we immigrated, we have health insurance ... our children have been in New Zealand kindergarten and school for six years ... our visas are current and we are committed to, and I do not say this lightly, our country, New Zealand.
''Our kids only know the New Zealand national anthem, in both Maori and English, and they look at us strangely if we sing the British one.
''Our kids are Kiwi kids through and through.''
Mrs Dovey has been working for Rentokil Initial for the past five years and Mr Dovey is now working for Dunedin Carrying Company as a logging truck driver.
Company manager Campbell Gilmour said he was 100% behind Mr Dovey and would continue to employ him because it was extremely difficult to find and keep logging truck drivers.
''It's an industry-wide problem across the country,'' he said.
The couple would be heading to work as normal today, but would celebrate at the weekend.
