[sarahw]

OK, I'm getting a bit confused about visas.

We've had our ITA and I'm just waiting for our blood test results to come back before I take our completed application in :P

However, when I spoke to our case officer she said that the standard time they have to give is up to 3 months (it could be through in a couple of weeks & it could be 3 months!) Having seen some of the timings and with Xmas being soon, I'm expecting that we're not going to get PR before we go. :no

All is not lost - she has said that we could get visitors visas and take a one-way ticket?!?. Although went off on a bit of a tangent when I mentioned that my partner had to start work on 25th January about work permits but did not make herself very clear.

I've got both the forms for work visas for us and the forms for visitors visas.

Anyone know what we should be applying for? - or can we arrive on the 6 month visa & get a work permit for Ian when we get there over the counter until we get PR? (at Welly NZIS - they told us we could get one in a day providing we had all paperwork) :? :? :?

Very confused and getting buried under a pile of NZIS forms & paperwork :laugh

[JohnnyBravo]

I have the same kind of situation and the same questions as you. Looking forward to a reply ...........

Waiting for police clearance.Need to start employment early in Jan. Also the kids need to start their school.

[veronica]

Right from what I can gather from others on the forum it would be a good idea to get your pr application into NZ house as quick as poss. then do as Moorf and Warren have done and get yourselves over here on a holiday visa. Once here get yourselves a work permit. If you work on that plan and your PR comes through quickly then its a result. If it doesn't you still have plan B to fall back on. A couple of things to take into account would be where you would be going to for the work visa. Christchurch can be done over the counter in a day but it seems that it can take up to 3 weeks in Auckland and has to be posted in. Wellington, well you've answered that already. The other thing is that sometimes....not as often as perhaps thought....the customs and immigration people at the airport can be a bit sticky about coming over on the holiday visa with a one way ticket, so you could see if your case officer would write you a letter or email saying this is what she advises (try going thru and only offer if needed) or buy yourselves an onward ticket to somewhere in OZ and have a mini break there later on in the year or just chuck if not required..... good luck

[Phil&Shell]

Sarah, we are in exactly the same position. We got our bloods back last week and sent the application - special delivery, fingers firmly crossed for a result before xmas.

Our case office said that she'd try to get it done in time for our flight on 30th Dec. but if not then she would organise work visas for us. My job is on the POL and the application is pretty standard so we're hopeful.

As Veronica said, get your form in as soon as you get the bloods.

Good luck


Phil

[sarahw]

Veronica - you should already by a Guru! That's put my mind at ease! Thanks!

Phil & Shell - I really hope that we all get PR before Xmas! Our problem is that our case officer is going on holiday for 4 weeks!!!!! at the end of this week - I asked who would be handling our case in her absence and she said just phone my number or send a mail and someone will be picking up my messages - hmmm :? not so happy with that - going to hand in our application by hand as soon as bloods are back as someone might take ownership of our case :angel

On a happier note :mrgreen: just booked our first week's accommodation at the B&B we stayed at in Welly before and I'm soooo excited to see the people we met again!!!!! :cool

[sarahw]

Yay, Yay - the blood tests have arrived (glad noone can see me - I'd be locked up!) - I've been dancing around my house singing "the blood tests have arrived!" - can go to NZ House tomorrow and hand in our PR application! :nice1 :nice1

Sorry had to share feeling of elation! :mrgreen:

[Diny]

Don't apologise ...... it's good to hear your news.

Good luck for tomorrow - hope it all goes well for you.

Diny

[leslie]

i am confused...

if once you submit ita it could take 3 months wouldn't that make irrelevant all medical tests etc?

[JohnnyBravo]

When submitting the application (ITA), do you include the passports or just certified copies?
I would assume sending the passports will speedup the process.

Do you need to provide a prepaid self-addressed envelope or courier pack?

Thanks

[Phil&Shell]

Jonny, You need to send your passports when you submit your ITA but when we received ours, the letter asked politly for photocopies of all certificates etc to be included as well if poss.

They didn't asked for and S.A.E. or anything else and reading previous posts it appears that NZIS will courier the passport/visa to back to us(we haven't had ours yet)

Good luck

Phil

[sarahw]

OK just from a timings point of view from handing in ITA to PR here's a quick update:

Went to NZ House this morning with a very large package of documents in hand feeling a mixture of excitement and sickness (don't know why!)

Got to see my case officer straight away - she was really helpful & went through all of our documents and said that providing they were OK upon checking that we should have PR before we leave on 4th January!!!!! :mrgreen: I asked if we should apply for any other visas just incase (I had completed working visas and visitors visas in my document pack and she said no, took our passports & migrant levy.

I could have jumped up and down and screamed with excitement in the NZIS office, instead I saved that until I got out of NZ House and safely around the corner!

Now the nail biting begins! :hopeso

When I read a few months ago someone describing this process as a rollercoaster I thought, what? looks pretty straight forward to me! Now after going through the stress of collecting all the info/docs the depths of feeling overwhelmed to jump up and down excited in the space of 2 days I know what they were talking about!!! :yes

By the way - if anyone is looking for NZ flags for their leaving parties there's a great NZ shop round the back of NZ house!

[bbq]

sarah said we should have PR before we leave on 4th January!!!!!

well done sarah, and for extra luck 4Jan is my birthday.. You are gonna have a busy christmas and new year!!

cheers

alex :cheers :cheers

[Moorf]

As long as meds and police checks are valid at the time of putting in your ITA you will be fine.....

As for ours, they ran out yesterday so we now need to have them re-done... GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR Needless to say a snotty email is winging its way to NZIS.....