Family Stream - Parent - Processing Times

[JandM]

Existing, managed conditions in a steady, predictable state are fine, e.g. the blood pressure. The bottom line is financial - the authorities want to be able to see that the person is not likely to cost the NZ health sytem more than $25,000 over the first four years. Here's a list from the NZ Immigration Operations Manual of the conditions that are considered prohibitive. http://www.immigration.govt.nz/opsmanual/index.htm

[Duncan74]

Cheers. Still not sure if the bypass or arthritis would rule them out? Ie he's had surgery, but then that's in the past, and doesn't imply that he'll need another bypass in the future. I guess it's something to look into in a few years time, need to get my own visa first.

"Bloody immigrants, as soon as you let one in, then they sneak in their whole family."

[sophiedb]

Originally Posted by baboonworld

At the end of the day we can all b*tch and moan about the timescale - but think about the slack immigration in the UK and one of the reasons we are all so glad to leave!!!

Oh, I don't know

For a while hubby's dad and step-mum wanted to come to the UK. His dad is an emergency planner (ex-fire brigade) and step-mum is a primary teacher with SEN experience. The only way we could see to get them into the UK - both 60 or so - was under the "dependent parent" visa, which essentially requires them to be destitute and without support in their home country (NZ).

Well... neither had work at the time, but they do have a house in Northland (rented out) and 3 other kids between them. That and if they had qualified they would have been able to work, but would need to live with us (part of that "destitute" thing).

In other words, Britain doesn't need productive grandparents

[Duncan74]

Sophie, I assume as 'we' want to keep the jobs available for people that will contribute to the economy longer term.

[JandM]

The bypass shouldn't be a problem as long as he's been stable for a good while since, and nobody can see any reason for any short-term change, i.e. it would count as treatment that worked. Arthritis which is just chuntering along, not causing huge problems, maybe being treated with drugs and/or pain-killers, ditto.

(I've just realized that that link I gave goes to the index page of the Operations Manual. Here's the information about which conditions will be prohibitive.)

Medical conditions

HIV infection
Hepatitis B surface antigen positive, with abnormal liver function
Hepatitis C, RNA positive, with abnormal liver function
Malignancies of solid organs and haematopoietic tissue, including past history of, or currently under treatment
Exceptions are:

treated minor skin malignancies (not melanoma)
malignancies where the interval since treatment is such that the probability of cure is > 90%, e.g.: early stage (I & IIA) breast cancer at 5 years; low risk prostate cancer at 5 years; early stage (Dukes A & B1) colorectal cancer at 5 years; childhood leukaemia at 5 years
Solid organ transplants, excluding corneal grafts more than 6 months old
Chronic renal failure or progressive renal disorders
Diseases or disorders such as osteoarthritis with a high probability of arthroplasty in the next four years
Central Nervous System disease, including motor neurone disease, complex partial seizures, poorly controlled epilepsy, prion disease, Alzheimer's and other dementia, and including paraplegia and quadriplegia
Cardiac disease including ischaemic heart disease, cardiomyopathy or valve disease requiring surgical and/or other procedural intervention
Chronic obstructive respiratory disease with limited exercise tolerance and requiring oxygen
Genetic or congenital disorders: muscular dystrophies, cystic fibrosis, thalassaemia major, sickle cell anaemia if more than one sickle crisis in 4 years, severe haemophilia, and severe primary immunodeficiencies
Severe autoimmune disease, currently being treated with immuno-suppressants other than prednisone
In a person up to the age of 21 years, a severe (71-90 decibels) hearing loss or profound bilateral sensori-neural hearing loss
In a person up to the age of 21 years, a severe vision impairment with visual acuity of 6/36 or beyond after best possible correction, or a loss restricting the field of vision to 15-20 degrees
In a person up to the age of 21 years, a severe physical disability, where they are unable to stand and walk without support, and cannot independently dress, eat, hold a cup, or maintain their stability when sitting.

[Duncan74]

Thanks, I found the list. I guess it depends on what happens over the next 5 years, if they stay stable, or if more things start dropping off / seizing up as they netch up the miles. Does give some hope though, my initial thought was it was a non starter, but on refletion then perhaps I've been a bit hasty.

[JandM]

Oh, yes, don't write them off. We're also having to wait and see what's happened to us by the time we're free to apply - just positive thinking and keeping active.

[Debbie]

OK firstly if this is covered else where I'm sorry I don't have time to read all the earlier posts fully but feel that it is worth me passing on my experiences to date in getting parents to NZ. Sorry I an rarely on the forum these days NZ life keeps me to busy.

We have been here 3 yrs so have sponsored parents but have been told of the long delays in London. London office very kindly suggested that my parents spend the extra 50gbp and apply for a Grand-parent visa at the same time and then they could use the medical and police checks for both applications. The grandparent should be through very quickly and will allow them to stay legally in NZ for 18mth as long as they don't stay in country more than 6mths at a time. (they only have to leave for a day between each 6mths but in reality will do little holidays).
Auckland office (also very kindly) suggested that whilst they are unable to take on my parents case whilst they are in the UK once they are legally in NZ we could ask for their case to be transferred to their office. They are currently quoting 6mths quicker than London.

WARNING - the medical requirements for the grandparent visa are lower then for the full sponsorship so there is a risk that they may pass the medical for the grandparent and then fail for the sponsorship. We have done all the foreseeable medical test up front so that we are not in a position of having to do tests on grandparents that are 18mths older than they are today. Also we have been lead to believe that once here the process will be a lot easier and medical question answered.

Hope this helps someone. Being able to use your evidence for the two applications is a real money saver.

Debbie

[sophiedb]

Originally Posted by Duncan74

Sophie, I assume as 'we' want to keep the jobs available for people that will contribute to the economy longer term.

Definitely It just seemed ironic that experience is only valuable up to a certain age, then you literally have to be on the scrap heap to gain entry.

I can see the point, but it's just one of those things that grates when people at work or in the media complain about immigration into the UK being willynilly. The only people who ever seem to realise that it's not quite that simple (though far from perfect!) are the ones who've ever had to go through the joyous visa process.. We found the same thing in Australia, and I presume that NZ will be much the same.

[Duncan74]

As with all these things, then it's a case of attempting to find the balance, and that normally means including within the policy elements that are less than perfect for anyone. And by human nature, we tend to notice the negatives, not all of the other bits that work in our favour.