[dharder]

Not sure where to post this, but thought this might be helpful to someone.

We just returned from Europe after a three week holiday, and I had real problems convincing the airline to take me on board, as I didn't have a return ticket.

There was six of us, all with suitcases, ready to check in (the girls and I had been up and running for 8 hours at this point already), and the woman just kept staring at my passport. She then disappeared, muttering somthing like 'can't take you without return ticket, but I'll check'.

I have PR, and like everyone else, a returning resident's visa issued at the same time as the PR Visa. I got the residence permit stamped in my passport when I arrived here last December, the residence visa of course has since expired as it is only valid for a year from date of issue. So in theory, my returning resident's visa is valid till December 2009.

This cut no ice with the guy, who was on the phone to immigration in Auckland (or so he said), and then came back to me and said my visa has expired, and I would need to buy a return ticket (refundable, he assured me). I told him that wasn't right (and got rather stroppy, I'm afraid), to which he replied 'I just talked to Immigration, they are the law', and I responded they got it wrong. He thought that was amusing, but did give them another call. He wouldn't let me talk to them ('secure line'), and I couldn't even stand next to him, he made me stand back from the counter. Did I mention that six people were still blocking one check in counter and two of the little people had to pee quite badly by this time?

Anyway, backwards and forwards, he finally agreed that I might be right, but then started fiddling with some visa information (I did point out there was no need, all my visas were in perfect order). And he did let me on the plane. Of course at the other end, in Auckland, there was then confusion as to why my visa didn't show up on any computer, even though they obviously were all in order... But they let me back in.

Sorry to go on for so long, but the guy in London told me that I was the second one that day with the same 'problem', and they had to go an buy a return ticket. So just in case you encounter this, stick to your guns! I'm sure there was no ill will on anyone's part, just a lot of confusion about the terms 'visa' and 'permit', but it took ages to sort out, delayed us and didn't make for a very friendly atmosphere at all.

Daniela

[Bruckner]

Interesting. We went to Sydney last month for a weeks holiday and upon check-in the agent would not accept that my RRV was valid. He spoke to his supervisor who then called Immigration in Auckland to confirm we could enter New Zealand. I can't remember all the specifics but they weren't that familiar with the RRV and found the visa vague.

Emily

[Sam B]

What a nightmare for you Daniela. This must happen all the time, you'd think they'd know what to do. Did you have a good holiday?

[dharder]

Did you have a good holiday?

I did, yes, thank you. It was weird to be in Germany with my mother as we are every year, the only difference was that it now took us 36 hours instead of 12 to get there (we used to drive from London).

We just got here this morning, I have to go back to work tomorrow morning, and am still trying to find out how I feel about the whole thing. It was more difficult to leave my family this time, as I know it will be longer till I see them again.

Going through Heathrow again was difficult for me (but I had no problem with Terminal 5, btw, everything worked a treat), and while I was arguing with the airline guy, I was thinking 'what are you doing??? you don't even want to go back'. I felt like in a movie where they have a person say one thing, but subtitling their 'true' thoughts underneath.

Now we all have to settle back into work, school and kindy (who decided to let the girls stay), we'll see how that goes.

Daniela

[JandM]

Sympathies, Daniela. (((())))

I've seen it said several times that it could well be that people from NZIS read this board. This is a thread they REALLY need to take notice of.

[Jo Jo]

What a pain. Who did you fly with?

[mic'n'sj]

No problems for us once we were back in NZ however I very nearly got left in Fiji....wouldn't that have been a shame! All sorted very quickly as the guy had just hit a wrong button.

[Philip10]

How very strange

[dusk]

Glad to hear you all made in back together safely, that is very odd news about the visas!

Good news that you enjoyed your holiday, hope you settle back in OK - going back to work after a holiday is always difficult though! :D

[Potato]

When I flew out of Noumea to Auckland, the check-in staff took a long time fussing over my visa, one of them disappeared for 10 minutes with my passport, presumably phoned NZ immigration and then came back and all was fine. They never said anything to me about what they were doing or what the problem was, just surprised me that it took so long for them to confirm everything was in order.

[Caroline and Dave]

We had the same problem with Singapore Air.
We had one way tickets but because the visa had already been activated the previous time they were not happy with letting us through.They had difficulty getting through to NZIS but after half an hour they got through and we were given the ok.It makes me laugh when you have PR but still they get like this. There's no problem when they sell you the ticket.

[dharder]

We had the same problem with Singapore Air.

Yup, ours was with Singapore Airlines as well. I think the issue once they actually got someone from Immigration on the phone was that they didn't describe the problem properly, so I kept hearing him say 'the visa is valid till 12/06/2008', and of course they have to go on what the airline person tells them over the phone. That was why it was so frustrating that he wouldn't let me talk to them myself...

Maybe someone should contact the Airline and mention this, and once I've got over the jet lag (I'm off to bed now...), I'll see if there is someone to get in touch with.

Daniela

[benandclare]

Yup, ours was with Singapore Airlines as well. I think the issue once they actually got someone from Immigration on the phone was that they didn't describe the problem properly, so I kept hearing him say 'the visa is valid till 12/06/2008', and of course they have to go on what the airline person tells them over the phone. That was why it was so frustrating that he wouldn't let me talk to them myself...

Maybe someone should contact the Airline and mention this, and once I've got over the jet lag (I'm off to bed now...), I'll see if there is someone to get in touch with.

Daniela

Have PM'd you with some contact details that might help :nice1

[Potato]

I suppose they are very careful and overly strict because it's the responsibility of the airline to fly you back out if your visa turns out not to be in order?

[urban78]

Yup, ours was with Singapore Airlines as well.

Glad everything turned out to be ok in the end Daniela.

As a side note, Singapore Airlines outsource their staff in Heathrow to a contractor named Aviance.

I experienced something similar when I left the UK to emigrate back in 2005, with my visa and baggage allowance. I had written confirmation of double allowance but no one would actually budge at check in, forcing me to send part of my stuff with an excess luggage company. The staff seemed completely cluless when it came to what a NZ PR visa was and did not know what an RRV was :confused:

I wrote a "polite but upset" letter to Singapore Airlines who apologised unreservedly, admitting it was contracted staff there and sending me a cheque to cover extra expenses of having to send stuff to NZ :roll:roll It might pay off to contact them in writing, you never know what might happen.

Jen

PS: I went back to Europe last year and everything was fine, and flew with Air NZ...United Airlines take care of their check in in London, and the staff did know what an RRV was, so I'd be cautious when it comes to "non airline" contractors ;)

[Pebbles]

We had a similar experience when we flew to NZ from Amsterdam via Heathrow on our PR Visa. We had booked one-way and changed to Air NZ at Heathrow. There, oh got his boarding pass no problem. I on the other hand (with the exact same visa in my passport) was at first not allowed on the one-way ticket .... Fortunately a phone call to INZ sorted it out in the end but it does give a lot of extra stress that you don't particularly care for at that point.
A few months after that I checked the INZ website, logging in on our personal details there. Much to my surprise I only saw details about my passport number, not oh's who is principal applicant. What's even worse is that it says that I am on a 3 month visitor permit (!). We gave INZ a call and (after the usual confusion between visa and permit) were assured that all was fine and to just ignore the online information ...
Well, I am more than prepared for further hold-ups next time we try to board a flight to NZ ...

[timeanzbound]

Sorry to hear that you had to go though that, I'm glad it got sorted out and you made it. :-)