Time extension of In Principle Approval?

[Dianatoo]

Hi Guys,

I received my principle of approval on July 2016 and I need to provide my passport by Jan 2017.
Anybody ever ask time extension for their in principle approval?

If INZ allow it, any idea how long it will be extended?
Do we need supporting document to support the reason for time extension?
I might need to ask for it due to my mum's health condition.

Thanks in advance!

[JandM]

I'm sorry to hear that your mother is ill.

When you have been Approved In Principle, the passport MUST be submitted by the date given, which will be six months from the date of AIP. Within twelve months after the date on the visa label which is then stuck in the passport, the applicant MUST activate the visa by arriving in NZ and presenting the passport to Immigration at the airport of arrival.

Absolutely NO exceptions are granted to this. If you miss either of these deadlines, the application will lapse, and you would have gone through all the processing for nothing.

As you see, though, even after you send in your passport for the visa label, you still have 12 months before you need to travel. And there is nothing to say that you must then immediately set up home in NZ - if you still have matters to attend to in your original country, you can go back on the next flight if you choose to. Once your passport is stamped in NZ and the visa is activated, you have two years' travel conditions, which allow you to re-enter NZ as many times as you wish.

[Dianatoo]

Thank you so much for the info, JandM!