Primary Applicant pregnant - what will be the outcome

[NZwait]

Hi,

I got my ITA under SMC category in the 1st week of Nov 2014. I'm scheduled to take my medicals next week, but yesterday i found out that i'm pregnant.
I'm being the primary applicant, what are the possible outcomes if i submit my application? Will i be denied visa due to my pregnancy? Please guide...Thanks.

[JandM]

Congratulations on the pregnancy.

On another thread, another woman was asking about having maternity leave while her SMC application was being processed. I asked a Licensed Immigration Adviser who posts here about the matter, and among other things, she told me this.

I did have a conversation with INZ about a similar situation a year or so back. They seemed to think that they would not be reasonable if they were to penalise a woman for being pregnant... I had an SMC applicant in India (she was the PA) who got pregnant and their SMCs were still processed in a reasonable timeframe and baby's visa came though in about 5 days. I really can't see it being an issue if she already has the SMC application in and then she got pregnant.

[NZwait]

Thank you JandM..

I had also written to the NZ Immigration explaining my situation and they said
"Immigration Officers act on the principles of natural justice and fairness when deciding an application. Immigration New Zealand will decline your application solely based on the fact that you are pregnant."

Now seeing this we have decided to not proceed with application submission. However my husband has plans to reapply after a year. Will he be declined EOI/ITA then because i have decided to opt out now?

[JandM]

I do think you should check with INZ - I strongly suspect that there is the word 'not' missing from what has been sent, i.e. that it should say, 'Immigration New Zealand will not decline your application solely based on the fact that you are pregnant.' That would accord with what the LIA said, also.

[khullar roselyn]

Hi there,
My situation was same as you are in last year. it wont effect your residency application.even it wont effect when you will be on paid parental leave. so, leave the worries aside and enjoy this period.

[NZwait]

Thank you JandM and roselyn for your replies.

I will check with INZ once again. My reason for worry is that I'm outside New Zealand, so incase I'm given a job search visa instead of a residency permit, i wont be able to travel as with the Job Search visa, i have to enter NZ within 3 months from the date of issue.

In a similar thread ( http://www.enz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=40981 ), its said the CO had given them a WTR and so they were not able to travel