Work Visa to cover until SMC Visa granted.

[Robert Cook]

Hello everyone. This is my first post on here. Apologies if this issue has been addressed elsewhere.

We have received out ITA and are in the process of completing it for our SMC application. My job offer with ADHB starts on 22nd October and our medicals are on September 6th. Optimistically, if we have our medical reports and X-Rays back by September 13th, that only leaves 6 weeks for our ITA to be sent, processed, and SMC visa granted - an unlikely time schedule with the London office I imagine.

Therefore, myself and my wife are applying for a work visa and a partnership based work visa to cover both of us, allowing me to work in my new role, until our SMC visa comes through.

Now the problem is that on the work visa application there is a question that asks:

"Do you intend on staying in NZ for longer than 12 months?"

If we answer 'yes' to this then we need to send medical and X-Rays also, which will leave very little time for the work visa to be turned around.

If we answer 'no' then we are not being entirely truthful, but this is obvious as Immigratio NZ will have our SMC visa which will supersede the work visa when granted twoards the end of the year.

So I'm not really sure what we should do - wait and risk the work visa taking too long, or send it off for a 6-12 month work visa and say no to staying in NZ past 12 months, thus waiting for the SMC to be granted.

Any help would be massively appreciated.

Cheers,

Rob and Maine

[JandM]

You cannot answer 'no' - as you say yourself, it is obvious that you intend to stay longer term. You therefore have to answer 'yes' and supply the medicals.

The visa(s) are the priority here, NOT the job. You HAVE to fulfil the visa requirements (which include telling the whole truth to INZ), even if they're inconvenient, and even if your employer turns out to have to wait past your wished-for start date. In the event, though, the work visas may come through in time for 22/10. If they don't, you certainly wouldn't be the first new employee that ADHB had had to wait for because of issues with INZ. I think you'd find they'd see the situation with more calm than you're expecting, as long as it's obvious you've done everything you could and not sat on your hands about making your arrangements.