Residence visa

[arvin]

Do all family members need to arrive in NZ at the same time to activate the residence visa ?.

What if either parent go there first, and the rest of the family members join later ?.

[ChrisMwn]

No they don't need to arrive together, but absolutely must make an arrival by the expiry date of the visa. No exceptions.

[arvin]

Thanks ChrisMwn.

So let's say I arrive NZ on 01 Jan 2015 and my family arrive on 01 July 2015 (6 months later), then the actual 2 years requirement for permanent residence will be counted from 01 Jan 2015 or 01 July 2015 ?.

[JandM]

From 1st January, 2015 - as it says here http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migra...quirements.htm, "...the principal applicant in your original residence application must..." It's the main applicant who 'earns' PR for the whole family group, regardless of how long each of them is NZ. But like ChrisMwn said, in the first place, everybody absolutely MUST activate their visa by the stated date.

[arvin]

Thanks JandM.

[ChrisMwn]

and remembering too, that its only the principal applicant that needs to spend time if NZ. Having made an arrival, the family(non principal applicants) don't need to spend any time here. As above ,eligibility for a PRV is based solely on what the principal applicant has done.

[darzren]

Hi,

Correct me if i am wrong.

For SMC visa application, there could be possibility of being grant a temporary 9 months job search visa and this visa does comes with expiry date as when the priniciple applicant need to arrive at NZ before? And the 9 months job search visa will begin on the date that the principle applicant arrives?

In the event of being grant a residency visa, can the priniciple applicant arrive at NZ before the expiry date then return to its origin country and back to NZ again after 3-6 months?

[JandM]

When you apply for Residence under SMC, besides refusal and approval there is indeed the third option of being offered the Skilled Migrant Category Job Search Visa. The applicant does not HAVE to accept this offer. It is a granted to the principle applicant ONLY (no partner and family admitted), as a chance to get the offer of a skilled job within nine months of arrival; if s/he does get a skilled job and proves this to INZ, Residence for self and family is then granted. If you (the main applicant) are offered the SMC JSV, you have to put in the form applying for it within 3 months, then once it's granted, you have another three months from the date of grant to go to NZ, and THEN your nine months job hunting starts. (3 months + processing time (only short) + 3 months + 9 months.)

In the event of being grant a residency visa, can the principle applicant arrive at NZ before the expiry date then return to its origin country and back to NZ again after 3-6 months?

Yes. A Residence visa is granted along with two years' travel conditions allowing the holder to leave NZ and re-enter freely within that time. (After the two years have passed from grant of the visa, to continue to be able to come and go freely, they will need to have qualified for Permanent Residence, which is a different visa that can only be applied for after holding Residence for at least two years, and meeting the regulations. http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migra...quirements.htm)