[Lilly]

Hello everyone,

Well we just returned from a two week holiday during which time we went to visit the people at New Zealand Immigration in London.

I really was hoping for some good news but all they could tell us was that we still havent recieved a case officer.

We sent in our application for PR through partnership at the end of July, the time frame then was 1-3 months, two months later nothing has happened!

I really thought that by now we would have a decision!

I have emailed london to ask for any information possible, its really driving me nuts.


We fly out on 29th of October, so we really need some kind of answers.


In the meantime though does anyone know what happens if you leave for New Zealand before a decision is made? Is it worthwhile applying for a work visa? And do you have to buy a return ticket?

What really bugs me is that when I called NZ Immigration in London to ask when we should send in our application they told us it only takes three months. If we had known that it was going to take so long to even be allocated a case officer I would have sent it in long before :mad:

Does anyone know anyone nice in the London office that I could call?

Has anyone been or is in this position? It is the not being able to get any information that is the hardest on my nerves.

Would love any comments,

Thanks,

Lilly

[Trigirl]

the thing is that once you get a case officer it will probably only take a few days unless there is a problem with the application. so if they expect it to take 3 months it would only take a few days less than that to be allocated a case officer?

i know its difficult not to worry but there's still time before you go for this to happen.

do they know you have a job to go to - long shot on a partnership application i'd say but it might speed them up?

[GeordieLass]

Lilly

Solidarity post only, no helpful advice I'm afraid but we are still waiting to be allocated a case officer under the partnership category too. I've been torn as to whether to email and ask what's going on as I don't want to bug them. The letter we received shortly after submitting the application said it would take up to 8 weeks to get a case officer and that ends this week. It's very frustrating.

Hope you have some good news soon (not least because I am likely to be behind you in the queue!)

[Greenday]

HI

I know how hard it is, it is absolutly nerve racking! We are waiting for our work visas to come through. Orrigionaly they said 80% are done within 5 days - great we thought. However we got a letter saying they are really busy, and are taking 2 - 3 weeks! We are going nuts waiting, its just over 2 weeks today. So i wouldnt imaging applying for a work visa is going to get you there any quicker.

We have to give 1 months notice on jobs and house, sell everything, have our good bye party, book flights all in less than 1 month.

Only advice I can give is keep busy and pray!

[Pip]

Hi Lilly,

hope this helps as of NZIS website today:

"For the week ending 6th October we are allocating files lodged up to and including 28th July 2006".

therefore you should be getting a call any day soon, and Trigirl is absolutely right, once you have a case officer, everything moves very quickly, case officer being assigned to PR was about 2 weeks in our case!

Hang in there.. not long now :)

[GeordieLass]

Cheers for that Pip. Can you post a link? I can't find that page.

[Lilly]

Wow guys, thanks for all your postings!!

It has made my day. :nice1 I have emailed twice to NZ immigration in London, I recieved one reply, but barely any of my questions were answered. I emailed again last thursday and am still waiting for a reply.

I am glad to hear about that announcement made today, I would like the link for it also.

Thanks to all of you,

I will let you know if and when I get a reply from London,

Lilly

[Lilly]

Well I got all excited about the applications up to 28th of July being allocated this week until I read our letters from Immigration London.

Our application was tendered on 2nd August but wasnt accepted for consideration until 31st August which means we are far behind in the allocation timeframe. :(

So therefore I guess we will be waiting quite a while longer until we are allocated. I am so annoyed as it states two months for allocation.


So GeordieLass you may be in front of us! Good luck!

[Lilly]

here is the link for the quote on pips post

http://www.immigration.govt.nz/branch/londonbranchhome/tipsandprocessingtimes/skilledmigrantprocessingtimes.htm

Not too sure if it applies to ours tho as it is for the skilled migrants catagory.

[GeordieLass]

Is 31st the date on your letter? Mine says 11th August so I guess I can expect my letter within a week or so, but I remember it was much later than that before I actually received it. I wonder why yours took so long? How did you pay the fee? I took a bankers draft as they don't have to wait to clear (on the basis that the bank is bound to be good for the money). Maybe that would account for the delay.

Ah well fingers crossed it comes through soon. Whereabouts in NZ are you heading?

[beano_bill]

Evening,

Seems that there are a number of us that applied at the same sort of time. I've been checking the NZIS website recently and I've only found this:

http://www.immigration.govt.nz/branch/londonbranchhome/tipsandprocessingtimes/familystreamprocessingtimes.htm

Not sure that it's good news for Lilly, but it does tie into what they told me in my letter when they finally accepted my application (sent the wrong amount - another story that :mad: ) there's also a bit on there about travelling before your PR has been issued.

Heigh-ho, such is live :wah :wah

[SarahEDH]

Hi all -- this is my first post. I wanted to share my experience with the process. My skilled migrant ITA was received on 14 July and actually was allocated within the processing times indicated on NZIS' website. My CO emailed me on 29 Sept. & we did the interview this week (2 Oct.) Was told I would likely hear back within 7 -10 days, which makes me nervous -- I hope this doesn't mean they've already decided not to approve. Oh well, no point in speculating . . .

bye for now,
Sarah

EOI submitted 12 Jan '06
EOI selected 1 Mar '06
ITA received 17 Mar '06
ITA submitted 14 July '06
Interview 2 Oct '06

[Jameelka]

We had a tight schedule from returning from NZ in June, with my husband being offered 2 jobs,but the condition was he started 8 weeks later.In that time we had to get everything sorted,flights,visas,dog and house,although the house has just been sold subjet to contract for the 3rd time now!
In the end after applying on line with our EOI, we ended up getting work visas and student visas for the kids, which was the quickest route.
The longest time for us was getting the police checks back as they took 40 days to the day! and then the waiting for the medical results too.
We applied for the work visa on the Wednesday,the following Monday had it all returned back as they needed more info! We were flying the following week,with Pickfords in as well!!! sent the stuff back to immigration in London the next day and Friday we got our visas!!! i cried with relief when i opened that parcel!
I had booked flights,Pickfords and Golden Arrow weeks before as if we had n't we'd never have made it in the time,but it was a big risk, and stressful!
But we did it in 7 weeks in the end,and no regrets!
We were invited to apply for PR since being here, and Auckland immigration now have all our paperwork for the application, so fingers crossed now,but we have been told it will take 3-6 months!!!
I tried to apply for a job today with Air New Zealand, but because we have 3 yr wk visas and not PR they won't even look at my application! gutted! so looks like i'll be at home for a bit longer!
Good luck everyone going through the process,it is worth it in the end! :exit

[GeordieLass]

Blimey Jameelka! Glad it all worked out!

[Jameelka]

so were we!!!!!

[GeordieLass]

I have heard from NZIS today after enquiring about my application. They apparently have a backlog of Family Stream applications and I will have to wait up to two more weeks before being allocated a case officer.

They also said that they are not currently contacting people to let them know when a case officer has been allocated. You will only hear from them if your application has been approved or if they need further information.