partnership visa processing time(u.s.a. to n.z.)

[nikolye8]

my husband and i were married 4 months ago in the u.s.a. we moved here to be w/my family from Australia. (im u.s.a. born, husband is kiwi and our 3 year old was also born in u.s.a.) we've been moving around the last 4 years seeking out where to plant our roots. new zealand my husbands home country is where we've decided we'd be happiest. our move here was to see if it fit for us, and its just not working out.

question: we're now in a uncomfortable living situation, working on my and my sons new zealand family class residence visa for spouses, waiting on our handfuls of criminal records checks from all over. our case is pretty simple, we've been living together for nearly 4 years, have a son together, have traveled the world together, my husband has a bank account in n.z., plenty of family there and he has a degree. our visa is fully put together but my medical and our record checks. once we send in our visa packet we hear the processing times are up to 6 months. the idea that we could be here another 4-6 months is unbearable.
has anyone in a similar situation seen shorter times? we've been told our case is an "open/close" case.

if we do experience a long processing time up to 6 months has anyone ever heard of going as a visitor while waiting for processing? do they allow this? it seems we've been working on this visa for months and months already just prepairing the paper work and sending the background checks off... now another 4-6 months... UGH! we just want to get our life moving forwards!
thank you!
waiting-waiting-waiting

[JandM]

Hello and welcome.

You say 'we hear' - from where? If you want to have the official time estimate, Google 'NZ immigration (whichever) branch processing times'. For instance, here http://www.immigration.govt.nz/branc...ocessingtimes/ London is saying your sort of visa takes one to three months. Of course, there are the possibilities of delays for e.g. medicals or partnership proof. Also, nobody ever says these estimates are a promise.

Everybody here is waiting. Emigration formalities are like that.

[nikolye8]

we are in the u.s.a. not london, id imagine the u.k. processing times would be quicker. i do realize everyone is waiting. im simply searching to see if there are people out there in my situation whom have seen shorter wait times then expected, to give me a small bit hope it will all come together sooner then later. the link you sent me, i looked to see if there was anything like that for u.s.a. wait times, but i have yet to come across a similar site.

[Azkateaz]

Hi Nikolye8'

Applications sent in from the USA are processed in the London office so those are the times you want to review

[Boston]

Hi Nikolye8, hopefully I can put your mind at rest. We are in a similar situation. Im a kiwi, been living in the USA for 15 years, my hubby is from Ireland, we have been married 7 years and our 2 daughters were born here in Boston. We sent off my husbands partnership application (once we finally got the medicals finished) in early June, and we had his passport with his visa back the 2nd week of July. It would have been back early but the dr forgot to check one box on the medical, and they also wanted an extra "migrant fee". So once that was sorted we got the passport back within 2 weeks. So it took roughly 6 weeks total. We applied for citizenship and a passport for my daughter early August (sent everything together to Wellington) and had her passport back the first week off Sep. I hope this helps. Good luck

[nikolye8]

thanks Azkateaz i didn't realize that those times were for me too! and boston, you sound like a very similar situation! my kiwi husband hasn't lived in n.z. for a long time so we thought we may be delayed, but this gives me some hope! my husband said he thought 6 months was crazy, and it still could be possible, but wow would 6 weeks be wonderful! thanks heaps !

[nikolye8]

boston did you have to get medicals for your children? we were under the assumption our son (3 years) did not need one. now we're second guessing ourselves.

[Boston]

Nikolye8, there is no need to get a medical for your son, he automatically gets NZ citizenship through your husband. Just download the citizenship by descent application along with a passport app from the NZ immigration website, make sure you have your husbands birth cert, and send it all in together to Wellington. The hardest thing was having my 18month old photo taken. It took about 4 weeks to get the passort back. So once everything is straight forward with your husbands application there shouldnt be any problems and it def will not take 6 months. Again i think it all depends on how busy they are. I was told it could take up to 3-6 months. Good luck, keep us posted.

[Boston]

Also we sent my husbands application to the Washington DC office and everything was processed there, not in London.

[takazhi]

If your case send to London Branch and with no verification and medical problem, your case should be finalized by 3 months. If the lodgement officer willing to help you, then your case may be able to finalize in 2 months.