Just wondering if anyone has experience of this.
My WTR application has been approved but my husband has been referred to the MA. There is no way his condition will cost the NZ health service more than $25k so we are not concerned on that front, it is just the time delay. We booked our flights a little while ago (on the basis that we could change the dates and pay the fare difference would be no worse off than booking at the last minute) and our departure date is fast approaching. We have been trying to come up with a plan B that allows us to leave on our intended date so I can make my agreed start date with work and save us £££ on not changing flights.
Our thinking is that if his visa is not through, we request his passport back from INZ and depart as intended. We also book him a ticket back out of NZ (probably to Australia) for some point a couple of months after we arrive so he can evidence onward travel (as a UK citizen he can spend up to 6 months in NZ on holiday). If questioned we will be quite open and say that he has come over on holiday to help me look for a house / car etc but will leave again if his visa is not processed - which is the truth. We also have 8 nights of holiday arranged en route to NZ which is another reason why we do not want to go separately.
Clearly he will not be able to look for jobs and he would have no intention of doing so, he also would genuinely leave the country if his visa was not processed in time (we are also applying under SMC so have absolutely no intention of breaching any visa conditions). Once approved, he can either courier his passport back to the UK or possibly get it issued in NZ.
Does anyone have any experience of doing similar and immigration's attitude towards this? We would prefer to be honest and upfront but if they are going to be funny about it, presumably, if he was to go in a different queue to me at the border, they would have no reason to think he was anything other than there on holiday. Providing evidence of funds would not be an issue if they wanted it.
Any thoughts or experiences greatly appreciated.
Thanks!