Permanent Residency Timing

[MLVB]

Hi,

I have a question about applying for Permanent Residency from a SMC Residency visa.

One of the conditions says something along the lines of spend at least 184 days in each of the 12 months of your residence visa..

Does that mean if I arrive in Jan 2016 and spend at least 184 days in NZ and then from Jan 17 when I've lived there for at least another 184 days I'll be able to apply for PR at that (approx July 2016)? Or will I need to apply for PR at the end of 2017 once I've physically been there for 24 months?

Many thanks,

Mike

[JandM]

Wishful thinking strikes again! No, sorry - you have to be patient. See my bolding, quoting from here. http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migra...quirements.htm

To be eligible for a permanent resident visa (PRV), the principal applicant in your original residence application must:

hold a resident visa, or have held one in the last three months
hold, or have held, that resident visa for at least two years continuously
have met any conditions that your resident visa was subject to under section 49(1) of the Immigration Act
meet relevant character requirements, and
have met one of five commitment to New Zealand criteria set out below.

And in case it applies at the time, INZ count backwards from the date of application for PR to check for eligibility. So, suppose you arrive on 31st January, 2016, you won't be able to apply for two years at least after that date. Suppose your application goes in on 1st February, 2018, INZ will look to check that you have been in the country for at least 184 days in the period 01/02/17 to 01/02/18, then likewise for 01/02/16 to 01/02/17. (This can make a difference in some circumstances.)

[MLVB]

If you put rules in front of people, the only guarantee is that they'll try to bend them to suit their own circumstances!

Thanks!

[JandM]

That's the reason behind a high proportion of the posts on here, I think!