Is it possible to extend last entry date for Residency Visa?

[Tomos]

I have had my NZ Residency visa approved and the final entry date is 12 months from now.

My question is - do NZ Immigration in any circumstances allow the last entry date to be extended? The reason being is that my father was diagnosed with cancer very recently. He is undergoing six months of chemotherapy and I will then have six more months left with him before I must enter NZ. He may or may not be in a better situation at this point but if it can not be extended then I will have no choice but to leave him as I have wanted to move to NZ for many years

Any help is appreciated.

[JandM]

You absolutely have to enter NZ to activate your visa before the date mentioned - no exceptions. But there is nothing to stop you getting straight on the next plane out, if that is what it suits you to do. You do not HAVE to set up home in NZ immediately.

When you have your visa activated, it starts the clock running on the two years' travel conditions that come with Residence under SMC. The travel conditions allow you to enter NZ freely as many times as you want during the two years. After the travel conditions, you will probably want to have qualified for PR, or a variation of travel conditions. This involves having demonstrated commitment to New Zealand by spending half or more than half your time in NZ, so you will need to bear this in mind over the next while. https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-...anent-resident

Residence lasts for ever while you are in NZ, so even if you only got back just before your first two years' travel conditions run out, you would still have permission to live and work there. You could then wait to apply for PR till you could show at least 184 days in NZ in each of the two twelve-month periods BEFORE the date of application (INZ count BACKWARDS to calculate this entitlement).

[Tomos]

thank you JanM - really appreciate your help

[Tomos]

technically, is it also possible to remain on the NON-permamnet residencey visa for ever? But have the travel conditions of being in nz for 184 days a year? I.e. if you were not granted PR, could you just stay on your current visa and have the travel conditons for ever?

[JandM]

While you are IN New Zealand, technically, the Residence visa will last for ever, giving you the right to live and work there. But once the two years' travel conditions that begin when you activate it run out, if you then leave the country without having made some other arrangement (PR, or variation of travel conditions if you qualify for them), you would have no right to re-enter, and your residence would lapse because you could not get back to resume living under it.

The travel conditions are not what you said. The travel conditions (which are a permission, rather than a condition) give you the right to enter NZ as many times as you want. Everyone gets this permission for two years, along with their residence visa, and PR holders also have this permission, for ever.

The 184 days out of each 12-month period are one way to qualify for PR - time spent in NZ as one way to have shown commitment to NZ. https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-...anent-resident

Although in theory a resident in NZ has the rights for life while s/he stays within the country, in practice, INZ firmly encourage people to get PR within five years.