When Do the National Security Check (NSC) and the Peer-Review Start?

[jojoji]

I have a job offer and applied for the residence visa. I have two questions:

a) When does the National Security Check (NSC) start? Does it start right after lodging a residence application?

b) When does the peer-review start? Can it be started before the NSC approval?

Thanks in advance!

[JandM]

There is no way to know the answers to questions about timing since we don't work for INZ.

In general, I expect the answer will be that work will begin on your file when it has waited in the queue, and it gets to be its turn for the official's attention. The queue consists of other applications that went in before and around the same time as yours, and again, we can't know how many there are because the information is not available to outsiders.

Questions for you.

Do you know for certain that your case will be subject to a NSC?

And by "peer review", do you mean the second-person check? Because if you do, it is the very last thing that happens to a case. When the first CO has reached a conclusion about what result they should recommend, THEN the file is passed to another official, who looks over everything to check for possible mistakes, and as a guard against corruption, and only if they agree, the result then goes out to the applicant.

If your employer is waiting for you to start work, it may be a quicker process for you to apply for a temporary work visa - they can be issued quite quickly, so you can already been in NZ and working while your SMC application is still being worked on.

[jojoji]

Thanks JandM for replying!

Considering the NSC form was listed in the documents requested for the residence application, I thought probably the NSC was started when I lodged the residence application.

I knew this week from the case officer that my NSC is pending.

What I understood from your reply is that a second person check can be performed only after the NSC approval.

My employer is waiting for me to start from February 2015. If I consider applying for a temporary work visa, what are downsides besides paying the fee?

[JandM]

My employer is waiting for me to start from February 2015.

I am afraid this is the wrong way to think of it. Your employer WOULD LIKE it if you could start then, but you cannot do anything until INZ clear your application and issue you a visa. I assume he must know that he can't employ a foreign worker without the formalities having happened.

I do not know if INZ could issue a temporary work visa without waiting for NSC. There may be nothing to do but wait. If I can find any more information, I will post again.

[JandM]

I have asked a Licensed Immigration Adviser. She said this.

The security screening for temp visas is not so stringent - usually a much reduced version. It would be worth asking the Case Officer or INZ about this. NSC checks are not necessarily taking a long time - they just do sometimes. I would ask first, but if no one can provide an answer, then it is worth giving it a go.

[jojoji]

Thanks JandM for checking with a Licensed Immigration Adviser, I really appreciate it!

It's already been 2 months since I submitted the NSC forms. The case officer told me this week that the case is pending. Let me wait for some more days before I ask for a temporary work.

[jojoji]

Good news: my residence application has been approved in principle today!

[JandM]