Crown Relocations is NZ’s leading moving company.
Let us help you plan your relocation and discover everything New York has to offer. Crown are an international relocations company, specialising in international removals, storage, overseas moving, movers insurance, relocation services and lots more. We will even relocate your vehicle and pets!
If you are thinking of moving to the Big Apple, we have some helpful hints that can assist you with your decision making and shed some light on what to expect. Click here to read more.
Our team is available to answer any relocation questions you may have. They can be reached between 8:00 am and 5:30 pm from Monday to Friday on 0508 227 696 or email [email protected]
New York, or ‘The Big Apple’ as it’s fondly known, is one of world’s great cities and is home to such iconic landmarks as the Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park, Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, the New York Stock Exchange and Times Square. The city is made up of five boroughs: Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island, with Manhattan being located at the city’s centre. New York is internationally recognised as a centre of art, culture, fashion, theatre and finance. It is also home to the headquarters of the United Nations.
Also known as the city that never sleeps, it certainly lives up to that name., With an estimated population of some 8,500,000 living in a land area of only 305 square miles, it is the most densely-populated city in the United States. It is estimated that there’s as many as 800 languages spoken within the city limits making it the most linguistically-diverse city in the world and a genuine ‘melting pot’ of international cultures.
Broadway is the artistic centre of New York with many theatres and shows to delight every type of audience. And there’s many, many other attractions as well, such as there’s multiple world class zoos, The Museum of Modern Art, Coney Island amusement park, The Empire State building, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Yankee Stadium and many more. For more details of the city and its attractions, a good place to start is the official tourist website at www.nycgo.com.
New Zealanders need an Immigrant Visa to be able to live in the USA and details of how to obtain one can be found at the United States Diplomatic Mission to New Zealand’s website.
The official currency of the United States of America is the US Dollar, shops and service providers will only accept the US Dollar. Coins come in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50 cents, and notes in $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100 bills.
Many migrants who have relocated to NY have found it helpful to set up a US bank account before moving to the country. This makes it easy for converted money to be transferred straight in to your account, as well as minimising the need to carry cash while travelling. There are many banks in New York who offer an on-line sign-up service.
The best way to convert large sums of money is through online transfer companies, who provide a much cheaper rate. Crown has entered into a partnership with OFX to provide an easy, reliable and cost effective solution for clients who are moving their funds internationally. The deals offered by OFX are at super competitive exchange rates and in most cases there’s no fee. The cost structure is so good that the saving you make may even pay for the entire cost of your relocation. To register and for more information visit OFX
New York’s roads are congested, with very limited parking, so visitors are recommended to use the extensive public transport system. The city has an excellent public transport system, incorporating buses, ferries, trains and the New York City Subway, one of the most extensive metro systems in the world, with 468 stations, details of all these options can found at www.nycgo.com/transportation.
For those planning to live in New York, then a car will still be useful, as whilst there is resident’s parking available in most suburbs, it is limited but when it comes to commuting, the public transport system is again recommended.
When choosing to drive in New York, the first point to bear in mind is that in the US, they drive on the opposite side of the road to drivers in New Zealand.
You can drive in the US on a NZ drivers licence, but only for a short period, and the US Embassy in New Zealand recommends that you apply for an International Driver Permit, and if staying in the US, you should definitely apply for a US driving licence.
New York has three international airports: John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport and Newark International Airport and as a result you can be confident that most major cities of the globe have direct flights to and from New York.
There are over 600,000 students across the city’s 120 higher-education institutions, and in terms of the local schooling system, there are both private and public education services available for children in America. Most expatriates choose to enrol their children in private or independent schools, this is because state schools are generally based on ‘catchment areas’.
The school year begins in September and ends in June, typical school-days run Monday-Friday from 8.30am to 3pm, although this can depend upon the age of the children. Students generally travel to school by car with their parents, or in some cases, take the school bus (the bright yellow ones you see in the movies), others will cycle or walk.
Crown can arrange an appointment with a Specialist Education consultant who can provide an in-depth explanation of local education systems, the curricula available and arranging interviews, as well as assist with enrolment requirements. Please contact us for information and rates.
America has a public health-care system, called Medicare, but most people take out private insurance as well. If the insurance company you were with in New Zealand is a member of the International Federation of Health Funds, you may be able to transfer your policy to the USA without penalty – at a similar level of cover. Check with your insurance provider for details, or visit www.ifhp.com.
When choosing where to live in New York, the deciding factor for expats is normally how close you need to be to your work or your children’s school. The cost of accommodation and commuting to work are also significant considerations.
Rather than purchasing a home house (and apartment) prices in New York are amongst the most expensive in the world – most expatriates choose to rent, at least at first, as this can be a daunting task. We can advise on rental accommodation or purchasing properties we also frequently arrange for temporary accommodation.
New York‘s diverse, multi-cultural population means that you are bound to meet people from all walks of life. Expatriates commonly assimilate into the community through the sports and hobbies they are interested in. The hectic environment that New York is justifiably famous for provides numerous opportunities to meet new people. Social media is also a great way to get to know like-minded people.
Crown Relocations has 55 years of international moving experience relocating individuals and families to New York and throughout the USA.
To arrange a quotation call our office for an obligation FREE quote on: (NZ) 0508 227 696 or you can use our online quote form.
For more information read our blog: Why you should choose Crown for your move to the United States.
To convert your money to US dollars the cheapest and most reliable way, check out our guide for Moving Your Money.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Crown Relocations has made every effort to present accurate information. However, regulations, rates and other variables are subject to change and Crown Relocations cannot accept responsibility for the errors that might result. Should you have any questions or need additional information, please contact your local Crown representative.
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