[Juniper]

Hi! I've been reading up on this forum and the NZ immigration site, but a clear picture of the whole process hasn't really fallen into place yet. Too many acronyms and codes to get familiar with :P

I realize everyone's experience is different, but I guess my fundamental question is - how much time should we (husband and three pets) budget to go from self-assesment to flying over there with all papers in order? Is a year long enough? (We are coming from the USA). We are thinking of moving in two years, so I'd like to know how soon we need to make a final decision and get things rolling.

Also, if someone could kindly break down the steps for me (or at least noting the ones that take forever - FBI?), or send me a relevant link, that would be great!

THANKS! :mrgreen:

[Douglas]

Step 1 - submit your Expression of Interest to the NZ Immigration Service.

For Timelines, check out these threads:

The first is specifically from a US perspective:

http://www.emigratenz.org/forums/viewtopic.php?p=10080&highlight=#10080

http://www.emigratenz.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=687

[deebat]

Hi Juniper --

There are loads of folks on this forum more knowledgeable about this than me, but I'll give it a stab and prepare to be howled down several times over. :laugh I was just working this out myself this morning.

Everybody's situation is different. It seems lately that NZIS has been taking a long time between the "EOI Selected" status (when your initial application -- the "Expression of Interest" -- is deemed worthy of further investigation) and the "Decision Successful" stage (when NZIS finally decides to send you an Invitation to Apply [ITA] for permanent residency [PR]). Looking at the "official timings thread" in this forum, you'll see a wide range of waiting times for this time period.

Anyway, that's probably getting ahead of ourselves. Here's what I wrote down after examining this forum and other sites to gauge the time it takes to get the official stuff done. Let's say you submit your EOI on January 1; the rest of the stages may follow something like this:

Submit EOI: January 1
EOI selected: February 10
Decision successful: Anywhere between February 10 and May 10 (!?)
ITA arrives: Sometime shortly after Decision Successful
ITA must be returned to NZIS: Within 4 months (i.e. between May 10 - Sept. 10, depending upon the Decision Successful date)
PR granted: Usually shortly after ITA is accepted (is that right, everyone?)

So, depending upon the backlog and whatnot at NZIS, it seems to me that the time period we're looking at is somewhere between 6-12 months.

As far as criminal reports and medical reports are concerned, I think you can wander around the forum and find information about those things. It appears the FBI is a bit backlogged at this point, so that's something worth considering far ahead of time. Also, if you have any pets that you wish to take with you, you'll need to prepare well ahead for that, also.

OK, everyone, how did I do? Am I getting close to understanding the process, at least a little bit?

Good luck, Juniper,

-Dan

[sarahw]

Hi Juniper,

There are people on this forum that are probably more experienced & can answer better than me & I'm sure they'll fill in the gaps but here goes:

The best place and you have probably visited this before is NZIS website:

http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/

A year should be enough time - it depends on how you want to apply. Firstly you need to decide should you go for Permanent Residency or a Work to Residence visa and if you decide to go to Permanent Residency (PR) whether you will do this with or without a job offer.

Easiest way to get a job is to actually go out to NZ & be face-to-face for interviews but I have heard of a lot of people getting jobs by video-conference interview or telephone interview.

Secondly is to check you have enough points - in our case - originally we needed a job offer in order to get in -but the points came down to 100 passmark & we could have got in without a job offer in the end (we came over to Wellington for a week and my partner got a job offer in his first interview).

Things that take time are getting all the documentation together and sorting out the house - so if you're serious - have a jolly good clear out of all your old junk & a garage sale or 2 to cut down on how much stuff you have. Its not much fun doing it just before you leave in a mad panic rush!! and if I could have this year again I would have been a lot more organised with the house contents early on!

If you're not planning on getting a job then I'd get the Expression of Interest (EOI) in as soon as possible and get selected whilst the points are still low. From then it takes around 3 months to be successful if no job, and then you have 4 months to complete your application with a further 2 weeks - 3 months for the final PR visas to come through.

Good luck! :hopeso

[Juniper]

okay, from what i'm hearing, probably our best course of action is to get our EOI in the system maybe in the spring. that would give us a good 18 months... my concern about doing it too -soon- is that the PR visa might expire at some point?

we're hoping to visit NZ this spring, so right after that we should be well prepared to decide one way or the other :nice1

so basically the process goes - EOI, selected from pool, then we can start on FBI checks/ medical/ pet arrangements while we wait for the ITA? (hey i'm getting pretty good with those acronyms huh?) :yes

[deebat]

so basically the process goes - EOI, selected from pool, then we can start on FBI checks/ medical/ pet arrangements while we wait for the ITA? (hey i'm getting pretty good with those acronyms huh?) :yes

That's my take on it, Juniper. Looks like you're on your way!

The PR expires after 12 months. Click here for details: http://www.immigration.govt.nz/Migrant/Stream/Live/DependentChild/CanIMoveToNZ/AllAboutVisasAndPermits/ResidenceVisasAndPermits.htm

-Dan

[Juniper]

oh 12 months? i was thinking 6...that provides some breathing room! thanks much.

[MB]

probably our best course of action is to get our EOI in the system maybe in the spring.

Ooh, look out: caution might suggest that you get your EOI in asap unless you (or, rather, your prinicpal applicant) is confident that (s)he can score comfortably over, say, 150 points. It may NOT be necessary to be that cautious if the points are going to stay low, but low though they seem to have stayed for ages it's really only 3 months or so, as yet!

Matt.

[Danpoll]

If your one step ahead, know what you need to apply, pay and attend before being asked too then that will speed things up.

Once you have written your EOI online you could be in the pool for up to three months if not selected on one of the fortnightly draws. In March 04 Selection was in the very high 100s it decreased over the year down to 100. If three months passes then you will have to start all over again.

If selected from the pool you should expect to hear back within 1 month though processing times can be longer.

Two to three weeks to hear from your case officer, then it is a case of how quikly you can gather th evidence. 6 weeks for police 20 days for NZQA, getting na apoinment with panal doctor and radioligist.

It took me 5 months 3 weeks from submitting EOI to visa in my hand. EOI was selected two days after posting.

others on the forum have dramitcally shorter or longer experiences

How long is a peice of string.

So the best advice is too learn all you can about the process. I wish had found this forum earlier in my imigration quest.


Cheers Dan

[MB]

To clarify, Juniper: if we're in the bottom of the points trough now - and they're not going to lower the pass mark or selection point any more - it may be only a few weeks or months before it starts going up again. Now, there was never a downward leap of more than 15 points when it was on its way down, but IF (if, if) your family only scores about 100-120 or even a bit more than that you may not want to risk waiting much beyond the new year.

Matt.

[Juniper]

Okay, sounds smart - I don't have 185 points! :no
Thank goodness for forums... :angel

[Juniper]

Just got a reply from the online help at the good ol immigration main site...
thought it might be handy for some people, as the response contains some timeline info.

Here was my question:

"My husband is considering moving his business to New Zealand in about 2 years, and I would be joining him. I was wondering how soon we would need to get started on the Expression of Interest in order to meet the 2-year time frame? Essentially, can we wait a year, or is there a long waitlist?

Also, should I apply as a skilled migrant, or simply join his application as his partner? Would this affect our family quota at all should our relatives choose to join us over the years? That is to say, would I be able to sponser my immediate family if I was not the principal applicant?

Is there a difference in the family quota policy depending on if you are a citizen as opposed to being a resident?

Finally, what would happen if I applied as a skilled migrant rather than his partner, but one of us was selected and approved for entry significantly before the other person was considered?"

And the reply:

"The current timeframes for EOI's all depend on how many points you can gather. If you have 100 points or more, you can enter the pool, however your selection would depend on what the passmark would be. If you do not meet the passmark, your EOI will be kept in the pool for only 3 months. However if you are successful, your application will go through a preliminary verification check, which could take anywhere between 9 - 12 weeks. If all is well with this preliminary check, your application would be assessed by a case officer and could take 3 - 6 months to process. If this final process is successful, you would then be granted residence.

If your willing to pay the extra application fee, you may submit two EOI's. However, whoever has the most points should apply, and the partner be included as an secondary applicant.

To sponsor your immediate family members, you may do so whether you were a principle applicant or not.

Under the Family Quota Category, you may sponsor a family member if
you have been a NZ or Australian citizen and/or the holder of a Residence Permit or a Returning Resident's Visa for at least three years immediately before the date you lodge the registration."

note - according to another thread, they are changing the three-year residency requirement for the family sponsering up to five years after December.