Permanent Residency - timescale/ new passport

[Natalia79]

Hi All,

It's being a long time since I had to ask a question here but I'm struggling to find an old post that matches my problem. So here it goes:

I was granted my residency visa almost 2 years ago. The expiry date of travel is the 13 of July 2013. I have read in old posts that I don't need to apply for the permanent residency visa straight away. In fact as long as I don't plan to leave NZ (i.e. holidays abroad) I don't have a time limit to do this. I just wanted to make sure this is the case.

The passport where my visa sticker is expires in August 2013. So here is my main dilemma:

1.- Get my new passport sorted (this could take up to 6 months) and apply for Permanent Residency after this (sometime late this year).
2.- I am also applying for a passport of a different nationality. This is also likely to take a few months to come through. Will it be possible to get my permanent residency stamp on this new passport? even though is a different nationality to the one holding the residency visa stamp? This will be my preferred option but not sure I can do this.

Many thanks for your help,
N

[JandM]

1.- Get my new passport sorted (this could take up to 6 months) and apply for Permanent Residency after this (sometime late this year).

You're right that it's legal to do this. I'm assuming you're aware of possible problems if something unexpected caused you to want/need to go out of NZ in the meantime, but that's up to you. (Would whichever country allow you to put in for renewal before actual expiry without losing valid time? - I know that, for instance, the UK does, within reason.)

Will it be possible to get my permanent residency stamp on this new passport? even though is a different nationality to the one holding the residency visa stamp?

I can't find any mention of this situation, and haven't heard of it on the threads, so I think you're going to have to put this question to INZ. Please let us know what you get told.

[Natalia79]

I have checked with Inmigration and she said (after holding for what felt like 30min) - obviously not a common question! that I can do this . I will need to submit both passports and a covering letter requesting the new permament residency stamps are put into the other passport (different to the one holding the residency stamps). All sorted...

Thanks for your help...

[JandM]

Thanks for the information.