Premium line to New Zealand immigration

IF it's not enough that you have to pay hundreds of pounds to apply for New Zealand residency, they charge you a pound a minute for calling for help.

"Tel within the UK: 0906-9100-100 (National callers please note: calls cost £1.00 per minute)."

Perhaps this wouldn't be such a drag if all the forms they asked you to fill in were self explanatory, but they are not. If you plan to stay in New Zealand on anything other than a visitor visa the likelihood is you will need to call, and then the pounds tick away like water on the Cuba Street bucket fountain.

But there is another way. Bear in mind that many new arrivals apply for residency or work permits while already in New Zealand and you'll realise you can call the country direct instead of going through the UK-tired high commission. Call Auckland on +64 9 914 4100

And the real beauty of it is that it's not a premium line so only your normal international call charges will apply. Better still, call from a VoIP phone or via Skype and it could be free or just a few pennies a minute.