[Graham Cross]

We are here again asking questions. We put our application in Hamilton on May the 8th and had to have second medicals (well Graham did) and sent them in with two weeks. We still have not heard anything apart from when Graham rang to see if the letter had gone astray in the postal strike. They said that we were in the tray awaiting a case officer and our medicals met with the requirements needed. That is over 5 weeks ago and we still haven't heard anything. We want to send an email but haven't got the address. Does anyone know how we can obtain it for Hamilton. It seems that it takes longer from New Zealand to get a case officer than if we had applied over here in the UK. We have put the house on the market so that when we get word we won't have to wait as long (that is if we sell it LOL) We are getting really frustrated now with the whole thing and just want to get over there

[M&J]

Hi Graham

I went into the Hamilton Office in Friday to drop off our passports to get the blue stickers and they said it would take up to 4 weeks. Our application got transferred from London to Hamilton once we moved and we were contact by e-mail by the person on reception, I'll PM you her e-mail address.

Jo

[Timbo]

We put an aplication for a new work permit into Hamilton office on 30th July, and were told it could take up to 60 days to process. Our curent permit is due to run out next friday, 21st sept, and we have heard nothing yet. I was told when I chased them by phone that we were in the system.
It seems we dont even have a case officer any more as our original one was transferred to another dept. It is partly her (case officer) fault that we are in this position, as when we rang her way back in May to discuss some points, she told us not to rush with the aplication as it was a formality and would take a few days.

[StevieD]

Good luck Graham and Jan. Jani D says it takes longer this end than if you do it at UK end. Sure you'll be ok if you have the patience :laugh

Jan sends her love, hope to see you when you get down here again, says you can visit us in our new house :nice1

Steve and Jan xxx

[Graham Cross]

Great Stevie, so you have got the house then. fabby. I think that we have sold ours (well they have put an offer in) and the for sale sign had not even gone up ...just with they would get their finger out in NZ

[Graham Cross]

Hi Jo
I got an email back today in answer to the one that I sent the other day. (via my son in NZ) and they said that it is taking over 12 months to process and they couldn't do anything for us as it wasn't fair to other applicants so we would have to wait. I can't believe it!! I hope to goodness it doesn't take that long or we will miss the house, the pension that my husband is hoping to get and the house that a friend is keeping for us to rent. If it is going to take that long I feel sure that we should just go over there. and take the risk......I just don't believe them that it is taking so long to process anyway

[Timbo]

Well, Hamilton have failed to process our work permit renewal in the time frame that they quoted, and have not replied to our faxes. Have been told by the "helpline" that we are in the system and it will get sorted.
The punchline is.....as of yesterday, we are overstayers.

[Graham Cross]

I just wish that we had waited and applied in London now although they did tell us that it would be transferred to London but it hasn't/ All the paperwork goes to our son's in Katikati and he emails them through to us. I really don't think that they are going to take as long as they say. But is is still frustrating. Have been told to go over there when the house sale is complete anyway as there is no reason why we shouldn't be accepted but it will be difficult with banks, pensions, etc. Just wish we could though

[constablechuck]

Well, Hamilton have failed to process our work permit renewal in the time frame that they quoted, and have not replied to our faxes. Have been told by the "helpline" that we are in the system and it will get sorted.
The punchline is.....as of yesterday, we are overstayers.

Not to upset you, but I read a story from someone on this forum a while back that was very similar to yours, even though they applied for a work permit before the current permit expired the new one was still being processed when the current one expired, the application for the new permit was then denied because they were then considered overstayers, they had to leave NZ and reapply for a work permit from outside NZ, having been flagged as overstayers they had to face a lot of obstacles before finally getting approved for another work permit.

If it's possible you may want to consider leaving NZ until your new permit is issued, maybe spend a few weeks in Australia.

[Timbo]

It would be an option if immigration in Hamilton didnt have our passports.
We have just received a letter in post this morning telling us that on the basis of the imformation that they currently have available, they will be refusing a permit.The letter was only typed/sent on the very day our permit expired, and I believe, was only done in direct responce to our fax to them.
The office that we are dealing with havent even bothered to give us a direct e-mail contact, instead reffering us to the national help line.
Suffice to say, they will be hearing from us and our employers first thing Monday am

[constablechuck]

I don't see how they could penalise you for overstaying if you can't leave because they still have your passports, however once you get your passports back I imagine they could turn up and "remove" you at any time, sounds like a real nightmare, you may want to hire a lawyer that specialises in immigration law to try to get you some kind of legal status while you appeal, otherwise you could get deported and be forced to leave all your belongings behind.

[Timbo]

A real nightmare indeed. I have already got in touch with our local MP, and will be looking at hiring a lawyer first thing Monday.
Close up on TV 1 have also been put in the frame as they covered a similar story to ours very recently, and managed to get the ruling overturned temporarily.

[britchik]

Hi

Just to throw in my story on things.
My brother and family are in NZ awaiting news on their Work Permits, they had similiar trouble with a case officer (ChCh) who apparently is now no longer involved in their paperwork and it has actually been forwarded to another totally different Branch.
Their current Visa is due to run out next month and they were told by Immigration they would become Overstayers as the paperwork would not be looked at for AT LEAST another 3 months - and as an Immigration officer said. "We have your passports so you wouldn't be able to leave anyway " (?!?!)
We have also got our local MP involved who I have to say has been fantastic. Immigration really seem to stand up and listen when someone with a bit of authority gets involved.
With that, they got a Case manager the same day and have been told to expect a reply in 2 weeks.

Good luck with everything :)

[Timbo]

Thanks for the moral support.
I have been told that at least some of the current delays in processing times is directly due to the massive numbers of student visas going into the system.
I guess that NZ needs students more than it needs skilled workers.

[LesleyS]

Tim my friend......didn't think it would go this way - are they completely bonkers? :mad:

Will pm you later - you can use me as the proverbial 'punchbag' get those gloves out...... ;)

[Jo Jo]

Tim, what a nightmare. I hope it all works out quickly.

We'll be over in the middle of October - if there's anything we can do to help, let us know.

[Belmont Babes]

Hope you manage to get it all sorted Tim. All the best with it

[jubjub]

A real nightmare indeed. I have already got in touch with our local MP, and will be looking at hiring a lawyer first thing Monday.
Close up on TV 1 have also been put in the frame as they covered a similar story to ours very recently, and managed to get the ruling overturned temporarily.

Blimey mate, you are in a pickle .... good luck, hopefully it all goes well, and gets sorted... you REALLY dont need this stress. I think you deserve a relaxing bit of fishing tomorrow.... sounds like they are covering their backsides for being so slow with the paperwork.

[Lupin]

Will be thinking of you Timbo- keep us posted, sounds awful :(

[StevieD]

Timbo, good luck mate, sure it will all work out in the end, can't believe how incompetent (or maybe I can... hmmm) immigration is. As you said it could be down to the sheer number of Asian students applying to study here. Auckland is crawling with them! But fingers crossed for you. Sit back, take stock and don't take it. Sure the MP will move things along for you.

Jan and Graham, sorry, will pm you with our latest news. See you soon.

Steve and Jan xx

[Kim39]

Tim, what can i say, but i am rooting that all this will end as soon as your local MP wades into the idiots at immigration. I'm glad i didn't take the renewal route on my permit back in Feb otherwise something tells me i would be trawling the 3 lanes of motorway back home now for a living instead of the peaceful lanes of NZ. Glad Elaines employer came to the party with WTR for her.

As others have said, it seems they have more time for the drop kicks who fancy educating themselves here rather than recruiting the skilled workforce that would bring this country out of the dark ages and into the 21st century.

Good luck with it all mate. Am sure it will work itself out soon enough.

Kim

[sizzlingbadger]

Hope it all works out Timbo, what a nightmare situation. I'm glad we managed to get PR when we did as it seems nigh on impossible to get PR let alone a work visa at the moment :no

[Timbo]

I have been walking around singing "I`m an alien,an illegal alien" all day.

[Timbo]

The latest from the powers that be, is that they are going to try and get us a new work permit by switching to using me as principal applicant rather than Sarah. It seems there is a bit of a hidden agenda within NZIS to get, in their own words, citizens or resident workers, to take up positions within the healthcare sectors. The fact that there simply are not the required skills available in areas like our`s, is in their opinion "not relevant".
Oh well. Fingers crossed.

[Timbo]

A sudden change of heart by Immigration today, with them phoning me at 4pm to say that BOTH work permits are 99% sure to be issued in next 48 hours. :confused: :confused: :clap

I have not yet managed to find out what changed their minds. We have had amulti pronged attack going on for the last few days, involving both of our employers, local MP, Sarah`s union rep. and a specialist immigration lawyer was on stand by.

[jubjub]

Phew, what a relief.... :nice1

[LesleyS]

Tim......this is no good at all for my stress levels in the UK...........!!!!! :wah :wah :wah

Sounds like a good sign tho my friend - everything crossed for you both - let me know xxx :yes

[wiki]

I'm so relieved for you both - blooming NZIS though! They could have saved you so much hassle and worry by showing a little foresight in their priorities!!

[Timbo]

Well, passports turned up with the courier this morning. We have been granted 3 year permits, with visa.
I bet you could hear our sighs of relief in Auckland.
Just goes to show, that if you kick up a fuss, you can get things sorted. As my boss puts it, "the squeaky door always gets oiled first".

[Mickstim]

:cheers :cheers

Well done Timbo!

[LesleyS]

Tim and Sarah...... :cheers

Hey we get to do that for real soon :exit

[StevieD]

There you go Timbo, guess you won't have to offload all that beer to my fridge :laugh

Relief mate, guess we will get to meet up soon eh..... :nice1

[Graham Cross]

Gud on yer Timbo and I am really chuffed for you. We sent a fax through to Hamilton to the manager last Thursday asking to transfer our application etc to London. We got that advice from someone in Auckland and we rang London to see if it would be worth our while as the processing is much shorter in London. We haven't heard a thing from them since so we don't know what or where we are at the moment. We will ring tomorrow to see what the crack is. We don't need permits for work etc as we are just going to retire. We have got two people waiting for our house and can't do anything yet. It will happen I guess when it happens but we are going to ring again tomorrow whether they like it or not

[Timbo]

I suggest you make yourself ablooming nuisance and ring them EVERY day Graham. They will take notice if you make a bit of fuss.
By the way, sorry for hijacking your original thread.

[peebles16]

Just caught up with this one Timbo well done!!

[constablechuck]

That's good news :cheers

[Graham Cross]

WE rang and asked if they had got our fax and if they would send the stuff to London and they said that it was all sent on the 28th in a Diplomat Bag. why couldn't they let us know that they were doing it duh.......should be there soon so we will ring London and see what the crack is there.........but we will be spending Christmas here now it seems

[lockstock]

Phew Timbo, I bet you could have done without that sort of stress. well done for hanging in there and fighting - and thanks for the squeaky door quote. Will defo use that one in the future. Best of luck for your future