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Thread: work visa granted->must enter NZ within 3 months

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
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    Default work visa granted->must enter NZ within 3 months

    Hi,
    I applied to a work visa (accredited employer) and received it within FOUR days. Great news on one hand. But in fact I planned to go to NZ in July and the approval letter statesIhave to enter NZ within 3 months. If I do not enter NZ within 3 months I will have to apply for a replacement visa which will only be accepted under exceptional circumstances.
    Has anyone here had the same problem? We have to let our house and it is perhaps notpossiblefor me to resign my current job so quickly. What is considered exceptional?
    (The othersolution seems to be to enter NZfor a weekend trip. But this would be very expensive and time consuming coming from Germany...
    Greetings,
    Anke

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
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    I'm afraid you have to use the visa within the stated time. And issues concerning only personal convenience don't work as an exceptional circumstance to get round this - it would have to be a matter of life and death.

  3. #3
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    If your work start date is not until July then I think you would need letter from your employer explaining that your work start date is not until July and hence your visa start date be altered by INZ. Once you have obtained the letter contact your CO with evidence and explaining your work start date and request correction to your visa entry date. Your CO would advise the best method to get this issue resolved.

  4. #4
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    Thank you both for your answers! I will ask my future employer for advise. In fact they suggested to start my employment in July (negotiable).
    However, I have twomore questions:
    1. I assume it would be sufficient to fly to NZ, have my passport checked there, drink a coffe at the airport and fly back to Germany in order to keep the visa valid. Correct? (My gosh, what a waste....)
    2. Just out of curiosity: Is it written anywhere (in one of the 100 guides) you must enter NZ within 3 months after obtaining your visa? I was not aware of this before I received my visa....
    Thanks

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
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    Scotland to Wellington
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    Does your contract not state when the job starts? I would get in touch with NZ immigration and tell them the job is starting in July and not before and ask what they can do to help. Those talent visas are linked to specific jobs - we had 6 months to enter so perhaps that has changed.
    Don't under any circumstances consider flying to NZ and then returning on the same day!

  6. #6
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    Jan 2013
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    Hi girlwithanewf,
    thanks for your reply! No, my contract doesn´t state a start date.
    Why do you think I should not consider entering and leaving NZ the same day? Because NZ is so wonderful or because this would not be accepted for the visa? I defenitely want to avoid this, but in case it is the only option for me not to lose the visa.....

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by vaul10 View Post
    Thank you both for your answers! I will ask my future employer for advise. In fact they suggested to start my employment in July (negotiable).
    I think it's worth asking INZ if it CAN be altered, but I doubt your employer can do anything unless you want to start straight away upon arrival within three months and they would be okay with it.

    1. I assume it would be sufficient to fly to NZ, have my passport checked there, drink a coffe at the airport and fly back to Germany in order to keep the visa valid. Correct? (My gosh, what a waste....)
    If you have to do an activation-only trip, yes, you can do it like this - but wouldn't you be utterly wiped out?
    2. Just out of curiosity: Is it written anywhere (in one of the 100 guides) you must enter NZ within 3 months after obtaining your visa? I was not aware of this before I received my visa....
    Thanks
    I wasn't a bit surprised to see the conditions that are on your visa, so I thought, 'Yes, it must be stated in something,' but now having searched the INZ website and operational manual, I can't find any mention of it. So I suppose that I must just have heard about this from when other people got their visas.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
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    Scotland to Wellington
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    If you're unlucky flying there and back on the same day is going to raise concerns here - I am sure they will want to know why you are not leaving the airport.
    The simple reason why I wouldn't recommend this is that it is a very very long flight.
    All the best.

  9. #9
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    Jan 2013
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    Hey, just wanted to let you know my visa was replaced. I provided a confirmation of my employer stating my employment starts August 1st and explained why going to NZ in May would cause a lot of issues for me (not able to stop my employment in Germany earlier etc.). I received a new visa within a week. Cost was about 100Euro all (much cheaper than a flight to NZ an back :-)).

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
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    Thanks for updating us.

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