[barryjames]

We are currently looking at applying for a residence permit, but we don't want to move out to New Zealand without employment confirmed. Can anyone explain to us if you are granted a residents visa, if you come over to New Zealand for a job interview can you leave again or do you have to take up your visa and then go through getting a returning residents visa etc. to come home again. We are trying to decide if we should just apply for residency and then for a job if we get it, or try for a job and then apply for residency. Can anyone shed any light?

[Simon & Emily]

Hi there - Welcome to the forum!

We've just been granted our visa, and the paperwork that came with it stated that we will be given an automatic 2 year returning residence visa. This means that you can come and go (I believe) as much as you like. After the two years is up, you need to apply for another RRV, and the length of time they grant you depends on a number of things, one of which how many days you have spent in the country. The following should be a link to the page on their site.

http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/stream/AlreadyInNZ/Residents/ReturningResidents/#top

The question of job first or visa would I think be best decided on your personal situation. If you have enough points to be selected out of the pool without job offer (currently 100 but looks set to rise soon) then this would be the most practical thing to do, as it gets the wheels in motion without having to actively job search. If you need the points that a job offer brings, then you would (probably) be better off job hunting first to enable your application to proceed as quickly /smoothly as possible.

Does that make any sense?

BTW, we have a meeting set up for this Sunday afternoon in Salisbury for those of us from this area to get together for a general social. If you are able to make it, it's a great way to get information from those further along the process.

Hope this helps - once again welcome on board and good luck!

Emily

[barryjames]

Thanks for the info - that was really helpful and has answered a big question for us - think we are just going to go for it now!

Congratulations on getting your visa - just as a matter of interest - how long did the process take for you?

[jo b]

Barry

I can't answer for Emily but I will give you our timings.

end of Aug 2004 EOI application submitted on line.
Sep successfully pulled out of the pool for further assesment.
Nov recieved Invitation to Apply.
End of Feb after police checks and medicals done submitted ITA.
on 9th March Application for residency approved in principle.
We now have to pay our migrant levy, our passports were retuned on the 7th March due to us going on holiday to NZ). we have up to Sep to pay the migrant levy and get the magic stamp in the passport.

Hope this helps

Jo

[Simon & Emily]

There is a table somewhere (sorry, I don't know where :oops: ) that gives you more info on timings (I must find it to update it). Ours was delayed to start with after we submitted our EOI because Simon's qualification was not entered correctly by us. Once that was clarified, it went quicker.


Our EOI was selected 13th October 2004, and we waited until after Christmas for any contact. This was an e-mail declining us as the qualificaitons were not valid. After informing them of the correct details, we got the ITA on 4th Feb 2005. We then raced to get everything needed together before the supposed 1st April deadline for change of health guidelines and submitted 31st March. We had a request for some additional information in mid April, and a for a phone interview booked for 9th May. This went OK, and despite being told it would be 2 weeks, we had a letter dated 11th May offering PR. It all went pretty quick; it's just the stress of not knowing that gets to you - the limbo state of do they want us / don't they want us.

Where do you stand on your application? Are you able to make the meet on Sunday?

Emily

[Simon & Emily]

Found the link for the table. Just scroll down.

http://www.emigratenz.org/immigration-application-timings.html

Emily

[barryjames]

Hi - sorry not to have got back to you before. We have now posted our EOI so just sitting and waiting now!

We can't make Sunday I'm afraid as we are already meeting some friends who are moving out to Hong Kong - seems like everyone is off!

Will look out for any other meets though, hopefully next time we will be a bit further down the line!

Thanks for all the info so far - been really useful

Barry