Fiji the move!

May I ask where you would be moving from?
There is a great blog I have been reading called
"Seattle to Suva" and the author she really puts things into
prospective. The allure and romance of it all sounds so appealing.
I had given this very same topic serious thought, brought the kids over there for a "visit" did research on moving with the animals etc...I realized the phases an expat goes through, honeymoon, etc...
I even had an freehold house picked out which at that time was around (us)  $50K. From what I have learned from these pages and others expats is that it's really hard to find work there unless that is not an issue.
One of the biggest things I love about Fiji is the fact that the people are always smiling. My body feels at home there and one of the biggest things that I don;t like about Fiji is the garbage that is all over the country.
Best of luck to you and on your decision.
Barbara

In response to Barbara; I am currently living in Fredericksburg, Virginia USA and plan to move to Florida in August of this year. That will be a trial run sort of before the move to Fiji. The trial being the change in weather can be done in two stages. There are no time frames set in place; I am just winging it so when it feels right... The idea of work like you say if you need to; the last I did any checking there some shortages of professionals. The medical field is one but I am sure it would be very competitive. What did you mean the garbage all over the country? Are you talking about the growth, the commercialization of it all? That as I see it may be now if not in the near future be a problem.

I think you will find it take a long time to get citizenship there. Getting employment will be hard too. 
Fijian passports are not the best one's to travel on ever since General Situveni Rambuka decided to have a coup and take over the country. 

Money wise you would not be earning much even with a lot of qualifications. There a many Indians there with qualifications who are cheaper to employ.

Have you considered Vanuatu or the Solomon Islands. Maybe New Zealand as it is only a stones throw away from the islands and you can have Permanent Residency status then get citizenship ( dual allowed )

I strongly suggest you visit first... The photos you have fallen in love with are likely to be from the outter islands... If you plan on working, you will most likely be based in Suva or Nadi... Neither of which have 'postcard' beaches (instead you will get brown sand & murky water).... Fiji is a developing country, so it is very different to any first world country... Maybe not so different when you're staying in a resort (fake Fiji) as they tend to cater for the tourist... However, living in Fiji (real Fiji) is very different to living in a first world country... I have been living in Suva for 2 years (moved from Australia) and comparing living in the two countries is like comparing chalk & cheese.... Having said that, I love living in real Fiji!! But there are many expats who absolutely hate it as the change is just too much from their first world life... You will either love it or hate it.... As its such a big move, I strongly suggest you visit first and spend a minimum of a few weeks in the area you plan on living in.... Citizenship is extremely hard to get... And if you do get it, you will get paid local wages (minimum wage is FJ$1.60 per hour!!! Yes approx US$0.85c per hour!!)... If you have some sort of professional qualification (and you will need the paperwork to prove it) you may be able to find an expat job, which is usually a 3 year contract... After 10 consecutive years of expat work you can then apply for citizenship... Without citizenship or a qualification you will not be able to find work... I'm not saying it will be difficult, I'm saying it will be impossible.... In order to work without citizenship, you will need a working visa... To obtain a working visa you need a company to employ you... In order for a company to employ you, you will need a qualification suitable for the position, you will need to pass a medical test & you will need to have a clean police record (you will need to provide copies of these reports).... If you can not provide or have failed any of these 3 things, then you will not be eligible for a working visa.... I'm not saying don't move to Fiji, if I could live here forever I would in a heartbeat!! But you really do need to do a lot of research, talk to people who live here, visit and be realistic about what Fiji really is (it's not all pretty postcard beaches)... Good luck with it all!!
P.S - Barbara is referring to rubbish... Littering seems to be accepted in Fiji, burn offs are the norm, there are very few household rubbish bins (rubbish is just left in the streets on rubbish days) etc... Garbage/rubbish problem is only one of the many things that will blow your mind in Fiji

Thanks guys; any and all comments welcome appreciated. Like I said I am flexible in time and destination. Lol, I may end up staying Florida but it is worth the trip to visit and when I visit I try to get the big picture of the good and bad. Yes; with most of the resort areas you do not get a true picture of what is really there. Smoke and mirrors; maybe not but they will keep you away from the spots that reflect badly. Thanks again for the input. Bob

You do NOT need to give up your foreign citizenship to become a citizen of Fiji.  Fiji recognizes dual citizenship. However, the country one is coming from may not recognize dual citizenship.  For instance, you can be a dual U.S. & Fiji citizen, but a German citizen gives up their citizenship if they become a Fiji citizen.

Expats are eligible to become a citizen of Fiji after being a resident (in country) for at least 5 years.  It costs approximately $6,000 FJ single, a few hundred $ more for a spouse, and a clean criminal record.  See bottom of this page: http://www.immigration.gov.fj/index.php … ional-aids

As an earlier reply recommended, visit first.  An American can visit for 4 months on a visitor's visa, easily extended for 2 more months.

Hi Bob,

Well good luck on your move to Florida. My husband and I are at crossroads. We have a bigger house (attempting to sell) as the kids are now out AND also a business. My husband would move to Florida in a heartbeat. I don't think I could live in Florida year round.
There always seems to be tradeoffs with moves. For example. like Vanessa mentioned the Rubbish/garbage in Fiji. It really is disheartening but that might not be an issue for others.
We have really high Littering fees and taxes are high in MN.
But it's a beautiful state, if you can deal with the long winters. lol
Barbara

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