[MB]

Am I right in gathering from recent posts that the average actual wait time for some personal contact from case officer, after receipt of application and documents, is about 1-2 weeks?
We have received the standard letter and credit-card receipt. Our app was received on Feb 14th, and no e-mail or phone call from any case officer yet (it's been 10 days, so no sweat I think).

What was the sequence or nature of contact when it came (especially USA applicants)?

Cheers,
Matt.

[adamsat]

Hi Matt,

I'm from the UK not US but first contact with a case officer was by email about a week after submitting the ITA.

Hope everything goes well and good luck.

Andy

[xanctus]

Matt,
when we submitted our ITA the officer said it will take sometimes between 1-3 months duration time. However, we got quite lucky I think, the officer contacted us within 2 weeks after the application received stage.

so you'll get it sooner or later I guess.
good luck

[shagen]

Many people here seem to get PR approved in principle after that initial contact. Is that right?

Shagen

[Moorf]

We were advised we could get PR in principle 1 week after our submission and full PR on receipt of the migrant levy.

[MB]

Helen - cheers (and to everyone else for replies). I wonder whether, like our exchange a couple of nights ago, this is an NZIS-location-based thing. Looking at some London timings, the turnaround seems to be 1 week to 1 month average.

Cheers,
Matt.

[Moorf]

I agree.. plus Chch is the smallest of the 3 main NZ offices so I am able to just ring up and arrange meetings the next day with my case officer. It's also cheaper to do the process here :P

[MB]

Yep. It also makes me speculate as to the rate at which ITAs are being returned by applicants with all their documents. A glance around forum comments makes me think that the average time folks keep hold of their ITAs before returning them is about a month.
I'm sure the volume of apps and docs received by NZIS will increase, particularly as we approach April 4th (new medical standards).

I guess that, just on the level of document management, NZIS are pretty respectful of an application once all someone's vital documents are in the NZIS building. In other words, they want to keep track of them and get them back to you sooner rather than later to prevent papers going astray or being damaged.

Cheers,
Matt.

[MB]

Heard from our case officer for the first time this morning (two weeks after application receipt), via e-mail. Documents seem fine - phew! - and we now wait for an interview with a Washington NZIS officer.

Matt.

[xanctus]

good news Matt,
good luck with the interview and I am sure you will be fine with that.

[xanctus]

Matt, I just realized that you are in northwest...I don't think you will need to fly to DC to do the interview. Maybe on northwestern applicants, the interview would be with 3 marketing reps.
nonetheless good luck :nice1