Applying for visitor's visa for "look-see-decide," hoping for job interviews...

[Juniper]

From past research and conversations, I -think- our plan should be ok with INZ, but it's always good to do a sanity check here before proceeding

When we last visited NZ, it was only for a month, and only for a holiday "recce" trip in 2007, so we just used a "waiver" visitor's visa, since we're from the US. All that involved was filling out an arrival card on the plane.

This time, we want to stay longer than 3 months, which is the limit for a "visa waiver vistor visa." So it looks like, as long as we apply ahead of time (i.e. before getting plane tickets), we can apply for a 9 month visitor visa for the family (partner, me, two kids).

The intention would be to tour NZ, look at different towns, and have my husband do job interviews. We will be financially supported by not only savings, but also, his continued telecommuting, he doesn't need to quit his normal job. (Telecommuting isn't considered "conducting business" is it? It's what so-called "digital nomads" do, world traveling on visitor visas while they work...there's no interaction with locals for his job)

Once he gets a job offer (thinking positively here!) we could then submit our mostly pre-prepped SMC application. I would bring supporting documents with us, so we could deal with a local office.

After those 9 months, it appears we can apply for another 3 months at the end, if we are "applying for residence for the first time." But you can't stay for longer than 12 months in a 24 month period. Hopefully a work visa would be well underway by then.
https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-...s/visitor-visa

So, INZ should be happy with all of the above, yes? I would hate to get bounced out of the airport because we're on a job search along with the holiday aspect With SMC being prohibitive without a job offer, it seems like the most reasonable tactic! We just call it "look see decide," yes?

The "bona fide" requirements seem to revolve around your intent to LEAVE, which is certainly doable but of course could change if the whole job offer/work visa situation goes in our favor. So we just need to be truthful and prove our ABILITY to leave, right? If the 9 months pass with no job offer, then oh well, back to California to regroup.

Looking at this page of required evidence for the visitor's visa, it looks like we don't need to have a return ticket booked, as long as the bank statement shows enough funds to support ourselves AND buy return tickets. Funds to support ourselves appears to be $1000 NZD/month (per person, presumably?) so in our case that would be $36k for 9 months, plus return airfare, call it $39k total.
https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-...SA&applying=co

I have legal papers for the kids' homeschooling as well, although it appears that they could be allowed to study in NZ for up to 3 months on this particular visa.

I hope I've thought of everything!! The police certificate bit made me a little nervous since that can take so long to get, and has to be less than 6 months old when we apply for SMC...but looking closer it looks to me like you only need to provide a certificate if staying for 24+ months. Which makes it strange that it's mentioned on a page for a 9 month visa.

[ChrisMwn]

have you though as just arriving on visa waiver (with outward ticket valid withing 3 months) and then applying (online) for further visa while here?
Police certificates for US citizens, through an "approved channeler" take 7-10 days. You'll need one later for any residence application.

[Juniper]

It's tempting to think that he could secure a job offer within three months and then apply for a work visa, but I thought it would make more sense to give ourselves a buffer :-) I could have sworn I read earlier today on the INZ website that you can't apply for the 9 month visitor visa once you're already in NZ, but now I can't find which page that was on...

[raleigh119]

Just a though, if your husband plan to continue to work while on NZ, maybe you should clear your tax status with the IRD just to be in the safe side. What I understand is if you continue to receive income from work while in NZ after 183 days, you might be liable for tax.

http://www.ird.govt.nz/international/residency/dta

[ChrisMwn]

It's tempting to think that he could secure a job offer within three months and then apply for a work visa, but I thought it would make more sense to give ourselves a buffer :-) I could have sworn I read earlier today on the INZ website that you can't apply for the 9 month visitor visa once you're already in NZ, but now I can't find which page that was on...

it would be to a maximim of 9 mnths from the date of arrival . The additional 3 months normally only applies in the case of "genuine tourists who need additional time to complete their itinerary"

[NZ4US]

Juniper,

I am going to chime in here as I attempted the same thing in 2015/2016. It proved very difficult time-wise, and in the end we "ran out of time" (yes 9 months went by very quickly) and ended up having to leave NZ back to the US, as you DO NOT want to overstay your visa, resulting in a lapsed ITA (as I submitted EOI and Received ITA while onshore) and although a brilliant time in NZ, we were back to square one (and if cost of lot of $$$) This time, we have done it the less risky way, by lodging offshore, while still in employment, and not playing chicken with the clock. Its your call in the end, but there are many variables, especially how long it will take to find employment.

[Juniper]

it would be to a maximim of 9 mnths from the date of arrival . The additional 3 months normally only applies in the case of "genuine tourists who need additional time to complete their itinerary"

So are you saying it might be possible to arrive on a waiver visa, just completing an arrival card on the plane - then 3 months later while in NZ, extending it to a regular visitor visa for a further 6 months?

Then 9 months after we arrive, the -additional- 3 months might be possible if we had a residence visa being processed -

There's three conditions listed for the additional 3 months, which would make it a total of 12 months:
"You can apply for another 3 months’ stay and extend your stay to 12 months in a 24-month period, if:

• you need more time to complete your tourist itinerary
• you can’t leave New Zealand for reasons beyond your control
• you’ve applied for residence for the first time."

[Juniper]

Juniper,

I am going to chime in here as I attempted the same thing in 2015/2016. It proved very difficult time-wise, and in the end we "ran out of time" (yes 9 months went by very quickly) and ended up having to leave NZ back to the US, as you DO NOT want to overstay your visa, resulting in a lapsed ITA (as I submitted EOI and Received ITA while onshore) and although a brilliant time in NZ, we were back to square one (and if cost of lot of $$$) This time, we have done it the less risky way, by lodging offshore, while still in employment, and not playing chicken with the clock. Its your call in the end, but there are many variables, especially how long it will take to find employment.

Thank you for sharing that story, I wasn't sure if many people had gone that route, so it's great to hear about - even though it didn't end up working out. It sounds like there are a couple of different variables for you - you were able to get ITA without a job offer (which is no longer possible for us since they jacked the selection point to 160) - is that right? Or did you come to NZ to get a job offer, submitted your EOI in NZ, yet the paperwork took so long that you had to return to US? (All too likely, with the processing time involved...)

The other factor is that we are already traveling, living the "digital nomad" lifestyle with my husband working remotely. He has his own company and doesn't need to "quit" until he wants to. So we might as well be in NZ trying to secure that job offer, enjoying the country with the kids, yeah?

What I'm figuring is that if our visa runs out while we have 1. a job offer, 2. our SMC application underway, we could return to California while it finishes processing, then go back to NZ with our new residence visa when it's ready.

I'm hoping that hubby's gobs of experience making mobile phone apps will be in high enough demand that it will be worth some employer's while to be patient with all that. We're as prepared as we can be to make things run smoothly on our end...

[Juniper]

Just a though, if your husband plan to continue to work while on NZ, maybe you should clear your tax status with the IRD just to be in the safe side. What I understand is if you continue to receive income from work while in NZ after 183 days, you might be liable for tax.

http://www.ird.govt.nz/international/residency/dta

Good point! I think he had looked into this a bit, but I didn't know about the 183 days. Thanks!

[NZ4US]

Juniper,

Correct that, unlike now, it was 140 points and I did not require a job for the ITA, as we actually came to NZ over xmas in 2015 to visit family, and decided to apply whilst there (like your husband I am flexible re work so was able to do commit to the 9-12 months). The primary issue is not knowing how long the entire process may take. From EOI submission to ITA lodgement is on average a few months, however, it is the time frame therafter that is the unknown/inconsistent. I scoured the forums for a general idea, and as you may have seen, there is no definitive time frame, as there are variables to each case. I had, as you are thinking, factored in that 9 months for the entire process would be sufficient, however, in the end it was not. I also read that you need to stay out of NZ for the same time period you were there prior to returning??? Not sure how that would affect your plans if you had to leave whilst awaiting a SMV decision if it came to that. Again, it probably can all be done whilst onshore within the time frame you have in mind, and you would definitely enjoy a lengthy holiday, but as in my case a contingency plan would be advisable.