[yossarian]

hi all! just a simple question. if you were given the residency (via skilled migrant), does it have an expiration date that you have to activate the visa and go to nz prior to that date?

thanks!

[Kim39]

With PR you have to activate it for it to be valid. If i'm correct you will have a date when it was issued, and i think, but don't quote me but the time frame maybe 2 years, but may be less. Am sure someone will give you the correct time frame over the next hour or so. I'm here on a WV come WTR so my info isn't 100% i'm afraid.


Kim

[IanW99]

Once you have your blue stickers in your passport, you have 12 months to activate them i.e. you need to visit NZ within this time.

You do not have to become resident in the 12 months, you can come to NZ on holiday (or even just for the day).

Ian

[Rusty]

Slightly different question.
How long is the residence permit valid (my checks say 3 years?) and how do you renew it after that time?
thanks

[Helsandfamily]

PR visa is valid for 2 years, when you get one, (blue sticker in the passport) they also provide you with a returning residency visa (another blue sticker also valid for 2 years) after the two year period you can apply for a Indefinate Returning residency visa (IRRV) which should be granted as long as you have satisfien NZIS with certain conditions such as being in the country for 184 in each of the preceeding 2 years.

hels

[Rusty]

PR visa is valid for 2 years, when you get one, (blue sticker in the passport) they also provide you with a returning residency visa (another blue sticker also valid for 2 years) after the two year period you can apply for a Indefinate Returning residency visa (IRRV) which should be granted as long as you have satisfien NZIS with certain conditions such as being in the country for 184 in each of the preceeding 2 years.

hels

Thanks

[yossarian]

thanks all!
follow-up question: so say i got the blue stickers now, and only transferred to nz after 6 months (because i have to activate within 12 months), my PR visa then is only valid for 1.5 years? or the 2-year PR validity counts right when you physically move to nz?

thanks.

[Helsandfamily]

Not quite.

You don't activate the PR visa Until you enter NZ. Then you have a further two years from that point.

So if you got your blue stickers today and entered NZ for the first time in 6 months, then you have a further 2 years before you get the IRRV. ie 2.5 years, from now or 2 years from the time that you entered NZ.

Does that make sense ?

Hels

[migratory birds]

...after the two year period you can apply for a Indefinate Returning residency visa (IRRV) which should be granted as long as you have satisfien NZIS with certain conditions such as being in the country for 184 in each of the preceeding 2 years.

hels


So after activating the PR visa (that needed to be activated in the 12 mos after receiving it)...you need to live there for 184 days within each of the next two years to be eligible for an IRRV? Which would mean you would need to be living there within about 6 mos after making that first trip (if you weren't interested in making that grueling trip any more often than necessary)?

What if you arrive, say, 9 (or 21) months after activating the PR? The possibility of obtaining an IRRV is not awash at that point, is it??

[IanW99]

So after activating the PR visa (that needed to be activated in the 12 mos after receiving it)...you need to live there for 184 days within each of the next two years to be eligible for an IRRV? Which would mean you would need to be living there within about 6 mos after making that first trip (if you weren't interested in making that grueling trip any more often than necessary)?

What if you arrive, say, 9 (or 21) months after activating the PR? The possibility of obtaining an IRRV is not awash at that point, is it??

If you can't meet the rules to get an IRRV then you would just be issued anther RRV instead. This can be repeated until you are eligible to get an IRRV.

Ian

[Helsandfamily]

Im not sure actually, perhaps someone else can confirm this. In the leaflet we recieved when we had our blue stickers, it said something about only being able to renew the rrv once......

hels

[yossarian]

Not quite.

You don't activate the PR visa Until you enter NZ. Then you have a further two years from that point.

So if you got your blue stickers today and entered NZ for the first time in 6 months, then you have a further 2 years before you get the IRRV. ie 2.5 years, from now or 2 years from the time that you entered NZ.

Does that make sense ?

Hels

makes sense! thanks

[Leccy-Lee]

You can come to NZ on holiday (or even just for the day).

Thats one hell of a day-trip :p

[IanW99]

Im not sure actually, perhaps someone else can confirm this. In the leaflet we recieved when we had our blue stickers, it said something about only being able to renew the rrv once......

hels

The actual rules for getting a new RRV are very complicated and would be best for the individual to check for their own circumstances, but from the NZIS guide it clearly states 'second or subsequent returning resident's visas' and there is no indication that it can only be renewed once.

For example, if you were seconded overseas then you can renew every two years for up to eight years in total.

It should also be noted that it is not always necessary to have been in NZ for at least 184 days or more in each of the 12 month portions of the 24 months immediately preceding your RRV application, this is just the most common reason.

Ian

[dugdug]

What happens if I get a WTR instead of a PR. ?

I would like to ask a relevant question here. How does NZIS actually decide to grant a PR or WTR to a prospective immigrant.?
Is it true that if one does not have a job offer he/she usually ends up with a WTR...

Sameer

[migratory birds]

How does NZIS actually decide to grant a PR or WTR to a prospective immigrant.?

Is it true that if one does not have a job offer he/she usually ends up with a WTR...

Sameer

I can't tell you how NZIS makes that decision but I could safely say that I was probably granted PR because my occupation is on the skills shortage list and I had enough years of experience to fulfill point requirements (and perhaps look like a strong candidate for contributing successfully to the country).

I did not have a job offer but was still granted PR. What a relief that was!

[Rusty]

What happens if I get a WTR instead of a PR. ?

I would like to ask a relevant question here. How does NZIS actually decide to grant a PR or WTR to a prospective immigrant.?
Is it true that if one does not have a job offer he/she usually ends up with a WTR...

Sameer

My recomendation is that you get a copy of the 'operations manual' which can be found on the NZIS website - quite a large download, but it gives the rules by which the whole process works.
My understanding in answering your question, if you have a skilled job (or offer) you get PR, if not there is an interview to determine how well you will settle and contribute.
After the interview they decide if you have 'high potential' to settle =PR.
If they think you have not demonstrated the highness yet, but still could, you get WTR.
This is paraphrasing a LOT, so please read the manual as well.
Hope it helps though.

[dugdug]

Hi Rusty,

I have the manual with me. However it does not talk about the RRV option for people with WTR.

The manual states the protocol which NZIS officers are expected to follow while granting Visas whereas my post was tailored towards the usual practice which NZIS adopts these days (like a general trend).

Thanks,
Sameer

[ourquest]

I have the manual with me. However it does not talk about the RRV option for people with WTR.

It won't because an RRV is a returning resident visa, and I think a WTR is classed as a work permit, after all it leads to residence, but is not residence itself. I think you'll find that the WTR has multiple entry status?

[migratory birds]

And isn't the WTR just a short term gig where you have (what used to be 3 mos and I believe is now) 6 mos to prove your ability to settle into a well-paying full-time job? And if you don't do it, that's it, you're out of there? And if you do, you've got PR (and the RRV with the IRRV coming later)?

That's why it's music to our ears when we hear we've been granted PR rather than WTR)

[IanW99]

And isn't the WTR just a short term gig where you have (what used to be 3 mos and I believe is now) 6 mos to prove your ability to settle into a well-paying full-time job? And if you don't do it, that's it, you're out of there? And if you do, you've got PR (and the RRV with the IRRV coming later)?

That's why it's music to our ears when we hear we've been granted PR rather than WTR)

There may be different types of WTR(?) but for us and many others on the forum we were granted a 30 month WTR and at the end of 2 years it is meant to be straightforward to convert it to PR (we didn't wait though).

It should be noted that we applied for a WTR and weren't given one instead of a PR.

Ian

[dugdug]

It won't because an RRV is a returning resident visa, and I think a WTR is classed as a work permit, after all it leads to residence, but is not residence itself. I think you'll find that the WTR has multiple entry status?

I don't know if a WTR can have multiple entry status. I hope it does :uhoh
as I am supposed to give my interview to NZIS next month. !!!

[dugdug]

I can't tell you how NZIS makes that decision but I could safely say that I was probably granted PR because my occupation is on the skills shortage list and I had enough years of experience to fulfill point requirements (and perhaps look like a strong candidate for contributing successfully to the country).

I did not have a job offer but was still granted PR. What a relief that was!


Yes, I agree and thanks for the info. I was just waiting to hear this form members. I am in I.T - 8 years experience so does that place me in a similar position .... Let's see I have my interview coming up next month !!!

[IanW99]

I don't know if a WTR can have multiple entry status. I hope it does :uhoh
as I am supposed to give my interview to NZIS next month. !!!

From what I remember there is an option to have a single entry or multiple entry WTR visa, certainly we went for the multiple entry version.

But then we did actually apply for a WTR and not given one instead of the PR. If you are offered the WTR instead of PR then I would check with NZIS that it will be suitable for multiple entry.

Ian

[dugdug]

Yes, that make a lot of sense. Thanks Ian.

Sameer