Work Visa or PR

[vignesh5]

Hi,

My wife is a Resident in NZ and I hold a partnership based visitor Visa as of now (I'm in India currently and travelling to NZ on April first week)

I am strongly hoping that i would be getting an offer letter from an accredited employed in NZ (before i land in NZ)

which is the right visa to apply? partnership based work permit or do i apply an independent work visa as i already hold an offer letter from an acc. employer.?

what would be the time taken ideally for both the cases?

Also as my wife holds a Resident Visa, will i be able to apply for residence straightaway?

Please advise...

Thanks,
Vignesh

[Karen Phillips]

Hi. if you have lived together for more than 12 months in total and can prove this with documents showing shared finances, accommodation etc plus family photos and similar, you should be ok to apply for residence straight away. You would be advised to also include a letter explaining why you have been apart recently. If you apply as a partner, you only have to go through the Limited medical - usually cheaper and less potential problems . Should there be any problems, you are also more likely to get a medical or character waiver. So, depending on the length of your partnership and ability to prove this, you will/won't be eligible for residence straight away. Make sure you get a work visa of some sort before you start work - the partnership one would be the better route if necessary in my opinion. Take it one step at a time. Good luck with the move! Karen

[vignesh5]

Thanks Karen..!

We got married by Nov 30 2012 and she moved back to NZ by Dec 30 2012. I applied for a partnership based visitor visa as she had resident visa at the time of marriage.
My visitor visa got stamped recently and i am all set to fly by April.

Thanks,
Vignesh

[Karen Phillips]

Hi
If you have only livede together for basically one month, you won't get Residence as a Partner. Once you have been living together for 12 months or longer, you will then be eligible. Once you are in NZ as a Visitor (or before if you get an eligible job offer), you can apply to get a Work Visa under the Skills category. All being well, this will be for at least 12 mlonths and give you the time to make you eligible for a Residence Visa under the Partnership Categry. Good luck! Karen