[Roper]

Hi all. Can anyone clarify the following regarding visas:

1. How long is a visa valid if it is issued with a job offer? Is it 3 months? I know it is a year otherwise.
2. What is a returning visa and why would anyone apply for it?
3. How long does it take to be able to apply for citizenship?
4. How long does it usually take from submitting the EOI to getting the visa itself?

Thanks - hope to hear from those in the know.....

[IanW99]

Hi all. Can anyone clarify the following regarding visas:

1. How long is a visa valid if it is issued with a job offer? Is it 3 months? I know it is a year otherwise.
2. What is a returning visa and why would anyone apply for it?
3. How long does it take to be able to apply for citizenship?
4. How long does it usually take from submitting the EOI to getting the visa itself?

Thanks - hope to hear from those in the know.....

1. A visa is valid for as long as it states on the visa, there are lots of different visas and they have different lengths of validity e.g. a WTR is normally valid for 3 years, a RRV is valid for 2 years, an IRRV is valid indefinitely etc. Maybe you can say what visa you are interested in?

2. Anyone who wants to leave NZ e.g. to go on holiday etc will want a returning visa otherwise they won't be allowed back into NZ.

3. Current rules it is 5 years after getting PR (used to be 3 years)

4. Depends on lot's of factors e.g. job offer, location, qualifications, medical issues etc so you should be looking at anywhere from 1 - 12 months (and possibly even longer).

Ian

[Roper]

Thanks Ian. I am looking at PR visa with an offer for employment.
Does that mean I could not leave NZ on a holiday and return unless I had a return visa? How does one go about getting a return visa? Can you apply when you apply for PR?
Difficult to plan with such a varied time-line...... What si the average one can work with?

[nickydwuk]

When you are awarded your PR visa you are automatically given a RRV in your passport too. If you leave the country within the first 2 years you have to apply for another RRV.

[IanW99]

Thanks Ian. I am looking at PR visa with an offer for employment.
Does that mean I could not leave NZ on a holiday and return unless I had a return visa? How does one go about getting a return visa? Can you apply when you apply for PR?
Difficult to plan with such a varied time-line...... What si the average one can work with?

Hi again, so if you get an PR then it will be valid for two years.

For a PR you will be issued with an RRV which is a returning residents visa so you won't need to apply for one and yes you will be able to come and go as you please.

There are a lot of 'bits' to the timeline you are asking for e.g. from submitting an EOI you have to wait for it to be selected, then you have to wait for it to be checked and then and ITA to be issued, then you need to satisfy the ITA requirements and then return this which is then checked and then you have to wait for this decision etc.

Just the ITA stage alone, you are given 4 months to get the documentation together to submit it, so it depends on if you are organised and can turn this around quickly.

Once you have submitted the ITA then expect 1-4 months as a reasonable timeline.

Another thing you can do, is look at various posters signatures as many members list the times taken for each stage.

When you are awarded your PR visa you are automatically given a RRV in your passport too. If you leave the country within the first 2 years you have to apply for another RRV.

Sorry, this isn't true, it is your permit that expires (not the visa) when you leave the country (you will be given a new permit when you return). The visa remains valid for the two years.

Ian

[Roper]

Thanks again. I calculated 195 points with the job offer. Have got most of the paperwork sorted...just a few things left. EOI is all ready to submit...just need to believe finances will be ok.
Time for bed this side of the world.... thanks again!!!

[nickydwuk]

Sorry, this isn't true, it is your permit that expires (not the visa) when you leave the country (you will be given a new permit when you return). The visa remains valid for the two years.

Ian

Visa's/permits - they all confuse me. All I know is I have a RRV visa in my passport and if I leave NZ before my 2 years are up I need to apply for another one if I want to leave again during the first 2 years.

[dharder]

Visa's/permits - they all confuse me. All I know is I have a RRV visa in my passport and if I leave NZ before my 2 years are up I need to apply for another one if I want to leave again during the first 2 years.

AFAIK, it is a multiple entry visa, so during the first two years, you can come and go as many times as you want. After the two years are up, you apply for either a new RRV or an IRRV.

Daniela