Queries regarding EOI application

[sumitbansal83]

I am planning to fill up the EOI application and came across couple of queries.
1) Is it necessary to get a birth certificate even if my date of birth is before 1989?
2) Is it necessary to go through IELTS exam even if my entire schooling and professional Engineering degree was conducted in English?
3) Is it necessary to go through NZQA for my Bachelor of Engineering degree?

Please suggest.

[JandM]

1. Here http://www.dol.govt.nz/immigration/k...base/item/8485 is an up to date information page with specific mention of the situation for Indians who do not have a birth certificate, and what will be an acceptable alternative.

2. No. See here for the alternatives to IELTS. Using the fact of your degree having been entirely taught in English, you will need to write and ask your university for a letter stating that you (name), (date of birth), attended between this date and that date on the (name course), which was taught entirely in English, and gained the (name qualification) on that date. It's not enough that this is stated on the certificate.

3. You need to check the INZ List of Qualifications Exempt From Assessment. You need to find the exact name of your course mentioned for the institution you attended, and the date in the last column needs to cover the year you graduated. http://www.immigration.govt.nz/opsmanual/35171.htm

[sumitbansal83]

Thanks JandM for quick response.
one further query is that my professional degree (B.E.) is listed in the exempted table but neither is my university name nor any dates exist in the underlying table there. Does that mean i need to go for qualification assessmet?
If yes, Is it possible that i can start EOI process immediately and in response to the EOI application if the officer asks for assessment report i can start the assessment procedure after that. Does this work?

[JandM]

Yes, you are going to have to get your qualification assessed by NZQA. Get the IQA - you will need it for the ITA, and the PAR is not based on a thorough investigation, and is therefore a waste of time and money.

And no, you need to have the IQA reference for your EOI. A blank on the form would just mean they would not lodge the application (because there is no proof that the qualification is suitable to get you the points).

[sumitbansal83]

Thanks JandM for quick response again. I will go ahead for NZQA then. In continution to that I wanted to confirm the same for my wife. Her degree and Institution both listed in the table and the year mentioned is 2004.
she has got her degree granted in 2012. So, I may not need NZQA for her. Right?

[JandM]

If it says qualifications starting from 2004 are exempt, then that would include your wife's, but sometimes they give a year and they mean ONLY qualifications awarded in that year are exempt, so that's what you need to check for.

[sundar]

Piggybacking on this question, Is it necessary for my wife to produce the letter from university,

1) if she is not the primary applicant and
2) i am not claiming any points for her qualification
3) Her degree certificate is in english


Thanks in advance

[JandM]

If you want to use the fact of her having studied in English as proof of her English ability, then you will need a letter from the university stating that she attended, did (whatever) course, and it was taught entirely in English. You don't need to have the qualification assessed or for it to be exempt, as you're not using the points for it.

[sumitbansal83]

Hi JandM,

Is it possible that the immigration officer would ask for IELTS test report even if I produce the certificate from my college/university confirming that my education was taught entirely in English? What do you suggest, should I go for IELTS exam?
Will the process be same for the partner for which I am using her points for qualifications?

Regards,
Sumit

[JandM]

Is it possible that the immigration officer would ask for IELTS test report even if I produce the certificate from my college/university confirming that my education was taught entirely in English?

INZ reserve the right to require IELTS if there is any doubt in a particular case. If your letter is from a reputable university, though, and you manage well at your interview, there should not be any doubt, so you should not need IELTS. And yes, this would be the same situation for your partner.

I remember hearing of someone with a university letter saying his course had been run in English who had been asked for IELTS after he did his interview with the CO. He did admit that he had had some difficulty understand the questions, and in making himself understood. His posts on the forum had always been difficult to understand, also. So you can understand that would make the CO suspicious. But they do not ask for IELTS without some good and obvious reason like that.