SMC Application

[floating_water]

Hello Guys,

I have applied for my resident visa 6 months ago. Two weeks ago my case officer was assigned and s/he sent questionnaire to my employer.

My employer told me there are more than 50 questions and some are really very vague like have you got paid or have you created this job to get my residency. I requested my employer to give in depth answers so that they can understand my job nicely and can clearly match with ANZESCO. Also, I requested him to attach proofs for all the answers (CO didn't requested for any proof as s/he only gave 3 working days to my employer to answer him back).

My employer was not convinced to attach proof as its a matter of security and integrity of company and our customer, but after my repeated requests he attached all the proofs with in depth answers.

Now I'm little worried, have I done right by requesting my employer to write lengthy in depth answers and attaching proofs?

Also, its almost 2 weeks we have answer them back, usually how much time they take to take the decision if its a clear case like 2nd person check etc.

Thanks for your reply.

[ChrisMwn]

really you should not be involved in the verification process by guiding your employer.

[floating_water]

really you should not be involved in the verification process by guiding your employer.

No, I was not involved in the verification process. All the answers were sent by management and HR. I only requested them to attach proofs so that case officer can verify them.

[scout]

@floating_water

Is your employer in NZ? Which branch is processing your application?

[JandM]

I don't think you have done any harm at all by asking the employer to answer really fully.

Also, its almost 2 weeks we have answer them back, usually how much time they take to take the decision if its a clear case like 2nd person check etc.

There is no way to tell how long it will take to process your residence.

Your CO will be working on a whole lot of cases as well as yours, so the waiting time isn't due to anything specially difficult about your case. All COs have to work their allocation of cases in rotation. They take the first, do everything they can for the time (sending out queries, or ticking off replies), then put that to the back and take the next, then the next, then the next, and so on. They don't take any file out of order. Any replies go to your file wherever it is in the queue, and the CO won't see them until it's your file's turn to be looked at again. So what your employer sent will be in your file, and the CO may not even have seen it yet.

The CO has a list of things that have to be proved about you and your situation - your personal circumstances, including partnership if any, your qualifications, your experience, your health, your character and your work. Probably what you have sent now will let her/him tick off the item about work. But there is no set order s/he has to work the list in, so there is no way to tell if this was the last thing or there are still a whole lot more checks to be done. And there is no way to tell how long it will all take, because s/he has to wait for replies from other people s/he will have asked about your evidence (and all the other people in her/his allocation, too). When s/he gets to the end of the list and everything seems clear, then the case will be sent to be checked over by another official, looking for errors and to guard against any possibility of corruption - that stage also is unpredictable for time, as it depends on the work-flow of the department. It's only after that that you will be told the outcome.

It's likely that you still have quite a long time to wait ahead of you, so, if you can manage it, don't spoil your real life by looking all the time for messages from INZ - think about other things.

[floating_water]

@floating_water

Is your employer in NZ? Which branch is processing your application?

Yes, wellington branch

[floating_water]

Thank you so much JandM for telling the immigration process.

But some things are not in your hands, I'm really stressed out and check my immigration account twice every day. I just hope I get my residency before Christmas.

[ChrisMwn]

don't expect too much from the SMC team, at INZ Wellington. They have had a huge turnover of staff recently , are currently understrength, and have only recently appointed a new Technical Adviser of the SMC team. You might be lucky and finds that your application is included in a flurry for end of (calendar) year decisions, or it could take many more months . If it's been lodged for 6 months or more, you might be in luck.

[floating_water]

don't expect too much from the SMC team, at INZ Wellington. They have had a huge turnover of staff recently , are currently understrength, and have only recently appointed a new Technical Adviser of the SMC team. You might be lucky and finds that your application is included in a flurry for end of (calendar) year decisions, or it could take many more months . If it's been lodged for 6 months or more, you might be in luck.

Yes, lets see what happen. I will keep you updated. Thanks for your help.

[floating_water]

Hello Friends specially JandM and ChrisMwn ,

Today I called Immigration to check the status of my application as I was very anxious and stressed. One of my colleague got his residency approved today in just 4 weeks – no questionnaire, no calls to employer, he just received an email from CO this Monday to send his pay slip and today he received an email from immigration that his residency got approved.

Back to my case, immigration officer advised me that my case officer has already made a decision and it’s in 2nd person check queue. He is not allowed to tell me what the case officer has decided but it will be finalized after 2nd person check.

Chris and JandM what do you think. If he has any query / concerns he could have sent me PPI letter, right? Or they send PPI letters after 2nd person check on their recommendations if they have any concerns. I’m confused if you can put some light, I will be highly obliged.

Thanks for your reply.