Grandparents need work visa to babysit their grandchildren.

[IanR]

A Joke? I'm afraid not.. during a discussion with immigration today I was asked why I wished to extend my visit.

"Well" I said "in the school holidays I can look after my grandchildren when my DinLaw's at work".

"Do you have a work visa for that" he asked "Because you need one".

[peebles16]

Gosh my first reaction is 'that's a great way to get my folks in'
However, I presume this is only if you are getting paid and are actually employed to look after you grandkids... Am sure someone else will be along with some more helpful advice and hope you get your visa sorted out soon

Karenx

[IanR]

I'm retired and a visitor and only get paid in tea and biscuits... though I am allowed to cut the grass.

[ellenmelon]

that sounds wierd..what visa did you come in on? the UK is a "visa free" country so you shouldn't have needed one if you weren't able or wanted to work so you could stay 6mths with no problem.

if you've not come in on a visitor visa then i can't help you my knowledge is limited to working holiday visa's and PR (partnership)..maybe if you provide some more info/background people can help you out (if you want).

[IanR]

I'm here on a UK visitors visa - been here almost three months (but I had been here for six months six months ago) - I really wanted to check that I could return after going out on a short cruise but also inquired if I could extend my visit to nine months.

As soon as I gave my name and DoB the immigration officer told me I had to leave in seven days (i.e. after the three months) though he did later inquire as to why I wanted to extend (basically it's because I enjoy life here and the balance of my family are here but had to think of something off the top of my head so, as I occasionally babysit, used that).

Checking my passport later I did find I have a stamped visa for six months from 7th October 2008 (though the small print does say 'subject to conditions of visa' which I imagine I've breached by being here for 9 months out of 18?).

I shall ring again tomorrow and hopefully get a more helpful immigration agent.

Any suggestions welcome.

[tea drinker]

I was told by NZ House Immi that you cannot 'work' on a visitors visa or even be given food as part of 'work' as it is deemed payment.

I asked about volunteering for a charity whilst on a visa and the Immi Officer looked at me and then said I would be OK accepting a cup of tea and they would probably turn a blind eye to a meal but not to accept anything else e.g. accomommodation as part of that volunteering.

In regards to you extending your visa, don't know (sorry ) but I have heard that if you arrive on a visitors visa for e.g. 6 months then go and want to come back on a visitors visa you have to wait for as long as you've been in NZ?
So if your visa is extended to 9 months then you have to be out of NZ for 9 months before you can come back on a visitors visa.

Didn't really take all that info in at the time as it didn't apply to me so I'm sure that someone will be along soon to give you some better advice

[IanR]

Hi, thanks for the replies but I'm still up at three a.m. trying to sort this out.. having to return, unexpectedly, to the UK at such short notice is a problem.

But yes, the rule as you explained it is exactly what I believed it to be... but unfortunately it's not - the actiual rule is apparently that you can only spend 9 months in any 18 in NZ... so if you do six months then return after six months you have to leave after a further three...

However immigration at Auckland airport gave me a visa for six months in October knowing that I had been in for six months just six months previously - which the official I spoke to today has rescinded ... I then, according to him, can't return for another year... no I can't figure the maths either!

As for grandparents having to have a work visa if they baby sit occasionally in the school holidays whilst their DinLaw works !! What can one say?

[welsh_italian]

Hi, thanks for the replies but I'm still up at three a.m. trying to sort this out.. having to return, unexpectedly, to the UK at such short notice is a problem.

But yes, the rule as you explained it is exactly what I believed it to be... but unfortunately it's not - the actiual rule is apparently that you can only spend 9 months in any 18 in NZ... so if you do six months then return after six months you have to leave after a further three...

However immigration at Auckland airport gave me a visa for six months in October knowing that I had been in for six months just six months previously - which the official I spoke to today has rescinded ... I then, according to him, can't return for another year... no I can't figure the maths either!

As for grandparents having to have a work visa if they baby sit occasionally in the school holidays whilst their DinLaw works !! What can one say?

Did you tell the official that you did not receive any pay for this? He might have thought that you did (and I'm assuming that you're not). Either way, it sounds like a bad situation to be caught up in.

Having done some research on the visitors visa situation, I think (in my very humble opinion) that he is right about how long you can stay. You can only stay for 9 months in New Zealand in any 18 month period so it does look like you will have to leave. Also, if you breach the conditions of your visa, they may well never grant you one again which is a serious threat so make sure you leave in time.

One way around this might be to apply for the "Parent and Grandparent Multiple Entry Visitor's Visa Policy" (http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migra...itpleentry.htm) because I noted one question on the page which was, "I have spent 9 months in New Zealand as a visitor and have now returned to my home country. Do you count the time I have already spent in New Zealand towards the maximum entitlement of 18 in 36 months?" and the answer is "No, your previous time in New Zealand is not counted. The 18 in 36 months starts with the parent and grandparent multiple entry visitor’s visa." My understanding is that if you get this visa, then you can stay in NZ for 18 months in a 3 year period as it overrides the stay limits on a normal visitors visa. This may give you time to (for example) apply for something more permanent under the family stream if you wish while staying close to your family. It also makes me curious: why have a special visa for grandparents and then deny them the chance to look after their grandchildren? Perhaps if you said, "play with" instead of "babysit"?

The main problems with this visa are that a) you have to apply from outside NZ so you might have to return to the UK or pay a short trip to Oz (nb, I'm not sure what the processing time is for this visa - if it's a couple of weeks then perhaps you can make a short visit to Oz and apply there?), b) if you stay more than 12 months in one go, you will need a medical cert, c) you still have to spend 50% of the next 3 years outside of NZ unless you can get a more permanent thing sorted out.

I hope this helps you, I really do. Hopefully some more experienced people here can say whether this is a valid idea or not.

[welsh_italian]

The Sydney INZ branch claims to process 70% of work visas in 10 days (http://www.immigration.govt.nz/branch/sydneybranchhome/). Are visitors visas generally processed more quickly?

[napiers]

In regards to you extending your visa, don't know (sorry ) but I have heard that if you arrive on a visitors visa for e.g. 6 months then go and want to come back on a visitors visa you have to wait for as long as you've been in NZ?
So if your visa is extended to 9 months then you have to be out of NZ for 9 months before you can come back on a visitors visa.

Didn't really take all that info in at the time as it didn't apply to me so I'm sure that someone will be along soon to give you some better advice

Tea drinker I have always understood it like you - you need to be out of the country for as long as you were in. Many years ago I went in on my 6 month visitor and extended it for 9 months, leaving mid October. I did go back to NZ the following June (after staying out for 8.5mths!!) and was allowed in! I only stayed for 2 weeks that time and had had to get a new passport too. I wondered whether it was because of the new passport or because I was so close to the 9 months.