Applying for PR

[Watna]

Hi all,

I sent in my application for permanent residency 3 weeks ago. I'm applying through the partnership scheme as my OH is a kiwi.

I'm currently on a working holiday visa which runs out next May. I spoke to someone from immigration NZ before I sent my applicaition in and had a mini freak out as she told me my residency would take 9 - 12 months - by which time my other visa will have well and truly run out. Another immigration lady told me if my case was straightforward enough it would be earlier than this. I'd like to think my case is straightforward - there was nothing out of the ordinary on my medical, at all and I put at much evidence in as possible.

I received a package from immigration nz a few days ago with all my evidence of partnership returned to me. This had made me very nervous. It is the only communication I had from the Immigratiion office (I'm applying through Weliington), this letter and a receipt for my $700 (rip-off!)

Just wondering, from other people who have gone through the same thing what is the next step? Will I get assigned a case officer? The letter from Immigration NZ said I would be assigned a case officer in 6 months. I need the visa in 6 months - not a case officer!

Would love to hear from other people who have done this - of how long it took etc? I've asked two people I know - one applied through London and it took 6 weeks another applied through Wellington and it took 5 months. Bit of a difference!

I'm just having a mini panic attack about it after a sleepless night so need to calm down!

[thekiwibarkers]

Hi Watna

I applied (and received!!) my PR thru my OH being a kiwi and we were told the 9-12 month thing as well at the start but from first applying to having the blue sticker in my passport took around about 4mths...

I was also told that it's a pretty straight forward application (altho didn't make me any less nervous!!!!) but it appeared that it was....

Yep, once the stuff gets returned then the next step is a case officer to pick up your file, they then go thru the application and will be the one who will contact you to confirm all is ok.... I actually contacted the officer direct once I knew who it was as we also had a bit of a rush to receive the PR but they were very helpful....

I'm sure all will be fine and I felt EXACTLY the same as you and couldn't rest until I finally saw the PR sticker even tho I was told all along that it should all be pretty simple!

Hang in there and try not to worry!.....

[jpd]

Hi Watna,

I do think the 9-12 months are a bit of an upper limit for anything that's not completely unsual, but then, you can never be sure.
The fastest PR I've heard of so far (friend of friends of ours) were a record 10 days! But I think that was pretty unique.
My own application has been with NZIS in Wellington now for about two weeks, but I'm in no big hurry, as I already have a long-term working visa.

One other thing you might want to look into is I'm pretty sure there are other types of visas you could apply for which involve your partner sponsoring you. I'd have to ask friends of ours who did it that way. Could be that you'd get that faster and it'd keep you in the country until PR goes through.

Good luck with all that,
Jan

[kanatakiwi]

I believe if you have an application in for PR via partnership, you can apply for a work visa under partnership at the same time or down the road if required. Although having a WHV may complicate that, I am not familiar with the rules around that one. You could check this once you get assigned a case officer.

My PR (partnership) took 8 months but that is because I had a medical issue they needed to investigate further. As long as you are able to prove your relationship is a long term one, and you have b een together at least 12 months, you should not have any problems, and I expect you will get PR long before May. If you are getting close to the time when your WHV is running out, talk to them about your other options.

[Watna]

Thanks guys. It always makes me feel better to hear from people who have gone through the process.

I did ring immigration who said I can get a 1 year work permit under partnership. If it looks my residency won't arrive I'll have to apply for that. Unfortunately you have to pay another $300 for that - thank god you don't have to re-do your medical. The whole process has nearly bankrupted me! Work said they would help out too if they could but I'm not sure what they could do.

Fingers crossed that it's not drawn out. I know my there was nothing out of the ordinary at all on my medical so that's a start I suppose! Hopefully I'll get assigned a case officer soon so I have an actual person to bug about it!

[thekiwibarkers]

Hey Watna,

Like you say, as soon as you have the officer you can let the bugging commence!!

I was constantly emailing and calling mine and the reassurance of hearing her tell me that everything looked fine meant I could relax a little bit!!

You'll be fine!!!

[Watna]

Update on this: Application has been in for almost 2 months and the only communication I've had is a letter acknowledging my application and saying I would be assigned a case officer in the next 6 months.

Spoke to immigration NZ and my application is sitting in a pool waiting to be assigned a case officer.

I have a very bad feeling about this.

Im starting to get quite worried about it all. I never though that 2 months in my application would have gone nowhere.

[PonyGirl]

Any updates on this? I am planning to apply for my WHV in the next month (have to wait for my new passport to put that info on the appy) and I plan to enter NZ on the WHV as my hubby is a kiwi. Once there, I'm planning to apply for PR with partnership within 60-90 days of arrival, so hopefully I should have it before the 12 months on the WHV are up. I assume from your post that you did the PR application from within NZ. Did you have your medicals done there? How about your police certificate? Good luck with everything, I am sure it will all work out. Let us know how it goes.

[Watna]

Update is that almost 4 months later my application is still in a queue and has not been assigned a case officer. It's going nowhere. On the plus side my work permit did get approved today so at least I can stay and work in NZ while I wait for the residency. I would have though that giving myself 7 months for PR when I was actually in NZ would be enough but there you go.

My advice to anyone is to apply for the PR before you come to NZ. I knew I was coming to NZ for a year before I did. I should have just got the PR in the first place and saved myself a lot of hassle and worry - not to mention expense. On a WHV you can only take contract work and you're not entitled to a lot of things (i.e. I have to pay extra at doctors and for healthcare as I'm not subsidised at all) so it's made things harder for me. I was ill recently and had to go private for all the tests I needed. They were very expensive. Luckily work paid for them for me. Having a WHV but living a normal life with a 9 - 5 job is a bit like being in limbo. The WHV is not designed for that kind of use (although there's nothing stopping you apart from that fact oyu can only take contract roles).

I did my medical in NZ - it cost about $400 and applied for my police certs from here too. Again - I should have got the police cert when I was living at home. Luckily the Irish police came through for me and got it to me fairly quickly but it was touch and go for a bit!

It is doable to do it the way I did. There's no problem applying while you're here. I just wouldn't reccommend it. I reccommend you get a work visa through partnership (it's a work permit if you're already in the country). That is valid for a year or two depending on what you request and gives you more rights. You can take permanent employment and if it is a 2 year visa you get subsidised health care. It does cost more than the WHV (it's $280 to apply from here) whereas the WHV cost me €65 (about $140). Definitely something to think about.

[PonyGirl]

Thank you so much for the update! I am sorry it has been a difficult process for you, but I am glad you got the work permit to tide you over. Unfortunately, I don't have time to get PR before I go, so I have to stick with my original plan to go to NZ on my WHV (I have it already) and apply for PR once I'm there, probably after 2 months. I do plan to get my police certs done before I go and then get the medicals done in NZ once I'm there. I could see how the healthcare coverage could be difficult. I am planning to purchase international health insurance before I go, so hopefully that will work out. Initially I am not planning to work, at least not full-time, so that will be okay with WHV. Hopefully it all works out. Good luck with your application, I hope it comes through for you soon!!