Permanent Resident - How long can you be out of the country???

[sunkist]

How long can I stay outside the country before my PR gets revoked? What's the rule? Thanks in advance.

[andrewandjane]

depends how long you have been here!,

once you have been here two yrs on PR then you get an indefinate returning residents visa which lasts as long as you have on your passport so in theory you could get a new passport and go for 9 and a half yrs!. under two yrs and you get a returning residents visa that only lasts two but will have conditions on how long you need to be resident within those two years.

hope this helps

[sunkist]

@andrewandjane: thanks for the info. that is good news that means i can try living in other countries and if it doesn't work out, always have NZ as back-up.

i thought NZIS can revoke your permanent residency status - because you're not contributing the economy of the country/not paying taxes. hehe

[migratory birds]

...a returning residents visa that only lasts two but will have conditions on how long you need to be resident within those two years.

I could do some digging, but if you know off the top of your head what those requirements are, Jane, I'd be interested in hearing what they are.

We've used our "resident's visa" for a trip recently but the date of our move is still up in the air...I may be prompted to move more quickly if I need to be living in NZ for, something like, 240 days/year for each of the two years that the RRV is good for.

I know it's 240 days/year NZ residency in the five years prior to applying for citizenship but wasn't aware of a resident requirement for renewing the RRV (getting an IRRV)

Details...

[nickydwuk]

I believe for the first 2 years of PR you have to be in NZ for 183 days for each of the 2 years. After that you are entitled to an IRRV. I did double check this with INZ as my daughter won't actually be living with us for our first year - just visiting then coming back to the UK to fiish Uni.

[talisker]

depends how long you have been here!,

once you have been here two yrs on PR then you get an indefinate returning residents visa which lasts as long as you have on your passport so in theory you could get a new passport and go for 9 and a half yrs!. under two yrs and you get a returning residents visa that only lasts two but will have conditions on how long you need to be resident within those two years.

hope this helps

My understanding is that if you have an idefinate visa, you can get it transferred to your new passport. i.e. it has no time limit on it.

[dharder]

once you have been here two yrs on PR then you get an indefinate returning residents visa which lasts as long as you have on your passport

I believe it lasts indefinitely, not just as long as your passport is valid.

Daniela

[Croft]

Various ways you can get IRRV - official guide from the NZ Immigration Site here - http://www.immigration.govt.nz/NR/rd...7FA/0/1005.pdf

Also holds details of various RRVs you can get if you don't meet the requirements.