Converting kids' visitor visas to citizenship in NZ?

[kmob]

I'm getting myself all confused with regards to the immigration status of my kids.

First a bit of background: I'm returning home to NZ to live in about 8 weeks, after living in the UK. I'm a NZ citizen, my wife is Australian, and we
have three kids (aged 2, 4, and 7) who were born in the UK and hold UK passports.

My question is really about the kids - basically we're wanting them to make it through immigration with us! I can eventually get them NZ passports via the "NZ Citizenship by Descent" route, but we will not have time for that before we have to leave.

What I’m wondering is .. can I turn up at NZ customs/immigration with my three kids on their UK passports and bring them in as visitors then do the "NZ Citizenship by Descent" applications in NZ while they're there on visitor visas?

It would mean we'd be bring them in as visitors which they wouldn't be really.

Anyone got any experience of something like this? Thanks in advance!

[Moomette]

We did this with DD as OH is a Kiwi, but we didn't realize we'd need to get her a New Zealand passport as well as registering her citizenship before our move, and as we didn't have time for both, decided to wait until we got to NZ to do it.

The visitor part wasn't a problem, but we did need to have a return ticket for her for within 6 months time as otherwise the airline wouldn't have allowed her to board. It wasn't an issue for us as we wanted to go back on a holiday within a year's time anyway (we can change the date of the return tickets for a minimal fee as long as it's within a year), and the return flights only cost about 100GBP more each for me and OH and about 5 GBP for DD as she's under two.

OH's brother did get caught out with this though as his DD was on a Dutch passport without a return ticket, and the airline refused to take her on board before they bought her a return ticket (even though both parents had Kiwi passports), which they later canceled.

[NAP]

Hey there

If you they come in under the visitor visa they will need a return flight as mentioned above. How long do you have till you fly? You may, if you produce your flight ticket, be able to get a rush through on the passport and citizenship by decent.. dont know for definate but could be worth it..

Yes you still need to get the passport once the citizenship has gone through..

[kmob]

Ouch. I totally didn't realise I needed the return flight.

We're flying out on 20th August. The citizenship (20 working days) and passport applications (10 days for standard) can be submitted together but are done sequentially...

Realistically I'm going to have change to return tickets.

One of those things I completely overlooked - one of the joys of having foreign kids I guess!

[kmob]

A bit more on this.

Given we've no intention of actually making use of a return ticket - can we just get return tickets for the kids ?

[JandM]

Oh yes - you only have to show return tickets for people in your party who'll be on a visitor's visa. You two have the right of residence in NZ, so you don't need them.

[gorstsmit]

Hi, that's strange - this is the response we got from INZ when we asked about one way flights when travelling with a temp visa - I would have thought that the same would apply when you are travelling with Kiwi passports?
----------------

Dear ,

Thank you for contacting us.


In most cases if a work visa is granted overseas for a long term worker then the requirement to have a return ticket should be waived. The work visa should state "outward passage waived" and this will then apply to your family as well as all of their applications will be based on you being the principal applicant.

You can submit all the applications together but your family will only have their aplications processed once yours (the principal applicant) is completed.

Kind regards

Haydon

Customer Service Officer
Immigration Contact Centre
Department of Labour | Te Tari Mahi
P O Box 3773, Shortland Street | Auckland | New Zealand
Tel: +64 9 9144100 or 0508 55 88 55| Fax: +64 9 914 4119
Web: www.immigration.govt.nz


----- Original Message -----

> From:
> Sent: 25/06/2011 2:41 a.m.
> Subject: Re: Live in NZ
>
Hi,

That's great news, thanks.

Could you clarify something else for me?

I understand we're working with pretty tight time-scales with my job offer starting on 22nd August, and we're waiting currently for confirmation
that our EOI is all right. But, if I can get the temporary work visa arranged before we plan to fly out (roughly 1st August), would I be able to travel
with one way flight tickets - and would this apply to my husband and two children as well? Or would they need to have return flights booked?
I've looked at the partnership based work visa - I'm just not sure if we'll be able to get both sorted inside 4 weeks - or can we submit applications
for both at the same time?

We will of course be submitting a residency application as well at the same time - as long as medicals are OK, and we get our ITA through soon.

Many Thanks,

You might note here as well - no mention of needing visitor visa applications to be submitted for the two kids either.

[JandM]

The OP's children won't be going in on pre-arranged matching visas, as yours were, to live there, nor Kiwi passports - that's what he doesn't have time to arrange. They'll just be like any UK holiday-maker, getting a visa stamped in at the airport on arrival, and those are the people who have to show a return ticket.

[IanW99]

A bit more on this.

Given we've no intention of actually making use of a return ticket - can we just get return tickets for the kids ?

There are a couple of points not mentioned yet...

1. It is my understanding that you can buy a specific return ticket that you can get a refund for the unused leg of the journey and / or move the date further into the future so that you could use the flight later. Not sure if this is available with all carriers and no doubt costs more but worth asking about.

2. Whilst technically you would only need return tickets for the children, they are too young to fly on their own so this may raise some questions with the airline re the return leg of the journey. Personally I would check with the airline to confirm that they will be allowed to board and also would have a 'story' regarding someone flying back with them.

Ian

[Super_BQ]

Have you considered applying NZ passports for your children PRIOR to flying to NZ? You know in 8 weeks time may be enough time from the NZ emabassy in UK. That way all of you could fly 1 way.