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Thread: Different facts from Different NZIS offices causing headaches

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
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    Default Different facts from Different NZIS offices causing headaches

    I am sponsoring my Malaysian girlfriend on a 12 month work permit under sponsorship. Because of her employment situation, she has to either give her notice to quit her teaching job on 01/11/2008 or resign a new contract for one year that same day.

    Well 2 months ago I contact NZIS Wellington by phone and in person 2 different times to confirm what I need to do by telling them our situation. Our situation is simple. She is applying for a 12 month Work Permit under Sponsorship with the intention of staying here applying for PR after she is eligible for PR under Sponsorship (we need to live together for a year first). So that's how my letter of support reads as well as it's reflected on her NZIS form 1015.

    Now after her Visa application packet and my support documents (form 1146) were received by NZIS Signapore, the shockingly tell me that she needs a Malaysian Police Certificate because she has the intention of staying here for more than 2 year. I already explained the same scenario to NZIS Wellington and reiterated it over a support letter to NZIS Singapore. They both have different assessments of what's happening. I would have instructed her to get a Police Cert 2 months ago if I was told it was needed by NZIS Wellington you know what I mean.

    Now because of this NZIS "left hand does not know what the right hand is doing" scenario, my partner might not be able to join me because it takes 2-3 months or more to process a Police Cert in Malaysia according their government Website.

    Now I live in Wellington, so is there anything I can do shake some heads here to get this sorted?

    Has anyone else been given different "facts" from NZIS Wellington and when compared the "facts" from another NZIS branch overseas?

    I suppose I have the luck of being in Wellington because I will go the top of NZIS to get this fixed.

    Your help is appreciated..
    Thx
    John
    Last edited by skibumwa; 6th September 2008 at 02:31 AM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
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    Napier NZ
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    I found dealing with NZIS here in NZ a nightmare.
    Our original application was dealt with in London.
    When I needed some info, I phoned the NZ 0508 freephone number, and it was like banging my head against a brick wall!!
    They also gave me different info, which caused a heap of hassle, concerning
    converting our WTR into PR.

    In the end I gave up, and used to wait until night, and phone London.
    They got it sorted quickly.
    Biggest problem was our original CO at London left, so we had no specific point of contact.

    Nick,

  3. #3
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    May 2007
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    Sorry, no help either.

    I'm sure that you've already read the following Information on getting a police certificate from Malaysia

    Certainly implies that you don't need the malaysian certificate, but then it would be better to check the legislation to be sure.

    It would definitely be worh trying the part at the bottom - non residents - as it's possible that this may actually be quick?

    Ian

  4. #4
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    Default

    My GF is in Malaysia now and she's a Malaysian citizen too so the bottom does not apply to her. Thanks for the response anyway.

    It sure would be nice is NZIS offices worldwide followed what NZIS Wellington says are the facts.



    Quote Originally Posted by IanW99 View Post
    Sorry, no help either.

    I'm sure that you've already read the following Information on getting a police certificate from Malaysia

    Certainly implies that you don't need the malaysian certificate, but then it would be better to check the legislation to be sure.

    It would definitely be worh trying the part at the bottom - non residents - as it's possible that this may actually be quick?

    Ian

  5. #5
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    Oh John this sucks- I'd get on the police certificate and try to fight with NZIS anyway. :/

    I hope this works out for you two.

  6. #6
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    Hi Liz,

    We don't have the 2+ months to wait for the Malaysian government to process her police check. She has to re-sign a new 1 yr contract for work on 01/11 or put in her notice to quit work (in December) that same day.

    I think I might be going to go to NZIS Wellington's office Monday morning and demand to speak to a NZIS Manager to sort this out. I don't mind following the rules, but when different branches of NZIS play by different rules, well that's when people like me get angry.

    I could even walk down to the Beehive to chat with the Immigrations Minister.. hehe. It's only 3 block walk from my office.
    thx 4 the support

    John



    Quote Originally Posted by dilanium View Post
    Oh John this sucks- I'd get on the police certificate and try to fight with NZIS anyway. :/

    I hope this works out for you two.

  7. #7
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    Christchurch
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    I do think that going in and having a face to face conversation with someone can be beneficial - letters lack the human aspect, which can really make a difference.

    I have to provide a police certificate for my PR application even though I provided one when I came over a year and a half ago and haven't been back to Canada to commit any crimes. It would make more sense for me to get a NZ police check done than a Canadian one -but I'm not really on a time deadline so I'm not too bothered by it.

    If you go in and explain your situation they should be able to come up with an alternative if you still need to get the police check done.

  8. #8
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    Hi Beanz,

    I think I am going straight to the Immigration office on Wakefield Street here in Welly to talk to an Immigration Manager, however I plan on doing this at a time when the NZIS Singapore Office is open. So in essence, I will ask the local NZIS Wellington visa officer to call NZIS Singapore to straighten out there stories and facts while I am present for the call. I have been through the miles of red tape to get both my WTR 30 month visa then onward to get my PR so I am hoping they'll help me sort this NZIS-created mess out.

    I still shake my head in disbelief : as I find it pretty hard to believe that NZIS cannot keep their facts right between onshore offices in Wellington and offshore offices in Eg. Signapore. I wonder how many people's dreams has been ruined because of the sharing of misinformation to potential immigrants.

    I am sure there are special cases where we can bypass a needed police cert in special scenarios...right?

    Perhaps once this issue is fixed for us, NZIS will make their process more airtight for other partner sponsored visa scenarios.

    Does anyone have any other advice for me for this other than what I am going to do?

  9. #9
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    It is very likely that NZIS forgot to mention to you that you need a police certificate and thus greatly inconvenience you for that matter. As far as I know, a police cert is standard procedure during the application process.

    Still getting the cert now even for a 2 month wait is better than finding out during the later stages and then having your gf fly back home to get the cert.

    I made a mistake too when I got my police cert in Singapore. I only got for my stay in Singapore forgetting that I lived for 2 years in Australia. The NZIS Singapore office was nice enough to give me an extension to get my Aust police cert otherwise they would just cancel the whole process and I wouldn't be moving to NZ soon

    A friend of mine who migrated to Australia also had difficulties getting certs becos he stayed for 1 year in the US and another 3 years in India. While he was back in Singapore, he had some difficulty getting documents and certs from India and had to engage an Australian emigrating consultant who charges very high fees to process his application successfully.

    In a way you can count yourself lucky you don't need to get a high-priced consultant to process your application

  10. #10
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    Hi Skibumwa

    We came up against this too. My OH left Malaysia when he was 17 but we didn't realise that he needed a police certifcate til just before we were due to submitt our work visa application. We had to change from a 2 yr visa to a 18 month visa which means that we don't get healthcare entitlement.

    Anyway, OH was told that if you are in KL you can go to Putrajaya and get the certificate in a day. We were in London so were told it would take 2 months. We considered flying out to Malaysia to get one, and then applying for the permit in Singapore, but OH could do that, I couldn't as I'm British. His certificate is now sitting in Scotland but did take several weeks.

    We now need new certificate from London and KL to apply for PR. The timing will be difficult.

    I suggest your girlfreind goes to Putrajaya and applys in person. If they make a fuss, she could try telling them she is seperated from her love... And I have to say a few tears may come in useful. They tend to melt the heart.

    Alternatively, she could have the option of signing a waver but this wasn't acceptable for OH. I suspect things may be dependant upon who you see on the day.

    Good luck. Don't give up hope.

    Julie

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