[sizzlingbadger]

We've just heard that my OH's parents would like to come to New Zealand :nice1

We're going to sponsor them, we've been here with PR for 4 1/2 years now :exit Not sure where that time went !

Just wondering here on current timelines of when people put applications how long it's taking, just looked at Moorfs thread which was informative but it would be good to know some updated info/timelines.

One question I have is when do they put the medicals with x rays in ? If you put it in at the beginning with all the documents and it takes a year for the CO to look at it would you have to redo them ? As they're only valid for 3 months.

Any other pointers, tips would be greatly welcome :clap

[JandM]

Well, a less than wonderful recent change to the system for means that all parent sponsorship applications are now in the same queue, wherever in the world they are lodged, and it has been officially said that none of them will be passed to a CO to be processed till two years after they're submitted. And then it takes as long as it takes for them to deal with the details of your particular case.

So - They/You put in the application to sponsor/be sponsored.

Two years go by.

A CO starts looking at your file.

X amount of time goes by.

And then, you hope - blue stickers!

The thing about the medicals is that have to have been done within the last three months when you submit them (which is, with the application). They don't ask you to resubmit every three months! I believe that up till now, they've been saying medicals remain valid for two years while in the system - this 'two year wait' thing with parent sponsorship is so recent that I don't think anyone yet knows how that will pan out.

[Trendynana]

:yesHello

I am my husband have applied for a Parent Visa - our son is sponsoring us. He lives in New Zealand with his kiwi wife and 2 little baby kiwi's (not the feathered kind).

Our daughter also lives there too. they are both residents.

We handed in our application by hand on 20 March 2009 to the London Branch. In the application were our medical reports and police checks and sponsorship form from our son and everything else that you need to show you are in a stable relationship (we have been married 40 years but still have to send in utility bills, bank statements etc.,).

We asked if we could have our passports back as we wanted to go abroad on a holiday and we had taken the precaution of scanning them on a colour scanner of the page where your photo is and passport number - after the Visa Officer had checked the scanned pages were correct she signed the copies and gave us our passports back there and then. We will have to send them back when the time comes for our Blue Stickers (Residency Visa) to be put in them.

A few weeks later we received a letter from Immigration New Zealand saying it could be up to 2 years before we are allocated a Case officer and a further 4 to 6 months before we hear anything else!!!

The rules changed in February 2009 - they are read in strict date application order regardless of where in the world they are sent to. Which I think is very fair. Its just a pain that we will have to wait up to 2 years before we hear anything else. There is just one ray of hope, it does say up to 2 years (it donesn't necessarily mean it will be 2 years). We know of another couple who handed their application in August 2008 and heard in August 2009 but that was before the rules were changed and their letter did not say "up to 2 years".

I asked about our medical reports and police checks and was told that they will still stand as they are within the 2 year time frame. So worst case scenario is 2 years and then your parents will hear something one way or another.

I have decided to keep myself busy, working full time and hubby is busy getting the house up to scratch - lots of painting and decorating going on. We think that when we hear something and have been allocated a Case Officer we will probably then put our house up for sale and then fingers and toes crossed all goes well.

Its just like being in a time wharp - but there are other 'posters' on this site in the same situation as us - some infront of us and some a bit further behind us - and with their support we will get through this together. Your parents will find this site invaluable in every respect to help them on the journey.

Good luck to you and your Mum and Dad. Keep us posted. ;)