[Jock_Tamson]

If I was to apply for residency in NZ in the future, would I be able to head back to the UK whenever I wanted and work there (I am a British citizen)?

My plan is to probably get residency, but then not long after head back over to UK with my (Kiwi) girlfriend and stay there for a couple o years or so, which will effectively be here 'overseas experience'.

Sorry if this sounds like a stupid question!! :D

[dilanium]

In order to get Permanent residency and keep it you need to be in NZ for a certain length of time after receiving it. I think it's a year or two.

I'm sure someone will be along soon with more specifics.

[Mrs Pony]

Yes you can... That is what most of us here are attempting or have already done

[Jock_Tamson]

In order to get Permanent residency and keep it you need to be in NZ for a certain length of time after receiving it. I think it's a year or two.

I'm sure someone will be along soon with more specifics.

Hmm, interesting.

In that case, does anyone know how many 'temporary' work permits you can get. I am sure I read it was 24 months maximum but I have seen others getting 3 year work permits for example. Not sure if it being Family Stream makes any difference?

[dilanium]

Here's the link to the page on the indefinite residence visa:
http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/stream/alreadyinnz/residents/returningresidents/canireturn/whatisrequired/amieligible-general/indefinitevisa.htm

Am I eligible for an indefinite Returning Resident’s Visa?
To be eligible you must:
have been the principal applicant in your original residence application, or be included in a Returning Resident's Visa application by the original principal applicant.
have held a residence permit at a time which was a minimum of two years before you apply.
met any requirements previously imposed under section 18A of the Immigration Act.
and
you have spent a lot of time in New Zealand already – 184 days or more in every year for the past two years

or one of the following ways:
you have tax residence status here - you have spent 41 days or more in each of the two years in New Zealand and you are assessed by the Inland Revenue Department as being a resident tax payer for the past two years.
you have acceptable investments here either as a Business Investor or in another residence category.
you have successfully established a business here that has been trading for at least 12 months.
you have established a base here – this depends on the time you and your family have spend here, whether you own a home, whether you have a fulltime job

[Jock_Tamson]

Here's the link to the page on the indefinite residence visa:
http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/stream/alreadyinnz/residents/returningresidents/canireturn/whatisrequired/amieligible-general/indefinitevisa.htm

Thanks for the link.

This bit seems to suggest I need to have been here for 2 years AS RESIDENT - have held a residence permit at a time which was a minimum of two years before you apply.

Am I reading that correctly? Not really the news I was looking for, but I'll think of something, it's still a couple of years away :D

[dilanium]

Yes I believe it's as a resident. You can leave and come back on a normal residence permit, but once it expires if you're out of the country you may not be able to get another one.

[BkyMonster]

Yes, once you apply for residency you need to meet the above requirements for an indefinite returning resident visa. At that point you could presumably return to the UK indefinitely as well as be able to return to NZ if you chose.
Not sure on the laws in the UK but I'd imagine that being a citizen you could return to work at any point with little issue. Generally you can be a resident of one country and a citizen of another (or several others).

[welsh_italian]

AFAIK, you will have every right to return to the UK to work. The only problem you may have is accessing healthcare. I understand that after a UK citizen has spent a certain amount of time out of the country, they have to remain in it for another length of time before they can use the NHS. This (again, AFAIK) doesn't apply to emergency services though.

"Access to the NHS and patient charges

Except for set charges applying to most adults for prescriptions, optician services and dentistry, the NHS is free for all patients "ordinarily resident" in the UK at the point of use irrespective of whether any National Insurance contributions have been paid.

Those who are not "ordinarily resident" (including British citizens who have paid National Insurance contributions in the past) are liable to charges for services other than that given in Accident and Emergency departments or "walk-in" centres.

NHS costs are met, via the PCTs, from UK government taxation, thus all UK taxpayers contribute to its funding.

Exemption for missionaries who work abroad for a UK based organisation

In England, from 15 January 2007, anyone who is working outside the UK as a missionary for an organisation with its principal place of business in the UK will be fully exempt from NHS charges for services that would normally be provided free of charge to those resident in the UK. This is regardless of whether they derive a salary or wage from the organisation, or receive any type of funding or assistance from the organisation for the purposes of working overseas. This is in recognition of the fact that most missionaries would be unable to afford private health care and those working in developing countries should not effectively be penalised for their contribution to development/other work.

Exemption for others

There are some other categories of people who are exempt from the residence requirements such as specific government workers and those in the armed forces stationed overseas."

I don't have the link to hand for the above but there's more information here:

http://www.nhs.uk/Movingabroad/Pages/Livingabroad.aspx

The relevant quote is in a small box to the right:

"Moving outside the EEA: You will not be covered for healthcare paid by the UK if you are going to live permanently outside the UK."

Many expats can get treatment in the UK readily but I think most simply don't tell the NHS that they're no longer a UK resident and just appear at their GP's surgery.

[JandM]

Not sure on the laws in the UK but I'd imagine that being a citizen you could return to work at any point with little issue. Yes, you can. Some of my Kiwi family are NZ-born but have British citizenship because a parent was an immigrant, and have come to the UK and had full entitlement as a matter of course.

[rizjunior]

In NHS you dont have to show passport to get the services. When it comes to access social security, thats where you will loose. Many people have dual nationalities.

[Jock_Tamson]

Thanks for the advice all. The 2 year thing is a bit annoying. Perhaps I will go back to the UK and then apply for residency while I am there. Does create another issue but that's something I will need to think about...