Sending two passports on different dates after AIP

[Depthy]

Hi all. I just got AIP letter for my resident visa asking to send passports of me and my partner for visa stamping.
Do I need to send both passports together at the same time? Can I send them separately (e.g. send mine today, then send my partner's next week)?

Thank you.

[ChrisMwn]

Hi all. I just got AIP letter for my resident visa asking to send passports of me and my partner for visa stamping.
Do I need to send both passports together at the same time? Can I send them separately (e.g. send mine today, then send my partner's next week)?

Thank you.

Why would you not send them together?

[Depthy]

Hi ChrisMwn. My partner is currently in home country, and going to use her passport during Dec, Jan. Moreover, my current work visa is going to be expired on 7-February-2018. So I am thinking if it is better for me to get the visa activated first to allow me to continue working here, then send my partner's passport later around February.

[NZ4US]

ChrisMwn,

Being offshore, are we able to travel to NZ (from USA so on visa waiver) and then send passports in to have them stamped with residence visa? Will border contol allow this? Anyone had a similar request/experience?

Thanks in advance

[ChrisMwn]

ChrisMwn,

Being offshore, are we able to travel to NZ (from USA so on visa waiver) and then send passports in to have them stamped with residence visa? Will border contol allow this? Anyone had a similar request/experience?

Thanks in advance

If you are using the visa waiver you would need to have outward tickets and be prepared to remain in NZ from 1-6 weeks while the residence visa labels are issued. (and while the application is transferred onshore if its not already there).

[NZ4US]

Thanks ChrisMwn,

Yes, it would be to remain indefinitely. Just want to join family in NZ for Xmas as if sent passports now from offshore would risk not receiving back in time so we can travel to NZ for xmas. So you saying we can fly before xmas, enter on visitor visa, send passports for stamp, and thats when residency kicks in....my application is inshore anyhow as it was lodged via LIA in NZ.

[ChrisMwn]

Thanks ChrisMwn,

Yes, it would be to remain indefinitely. Just want to join family in NZ for Xmas as if sent passports now from offshore would risk not receiving back in time so we can travel to NZ for xmas. So you saying we can fly before xmas, enter on visitor visa, send passports for stamp, and thats when residency kicks in....my application is inshore anyhow as it was lodged via LIA in NZ.

then you should be taking advice from your Adviser as to how the process might be managed.

[NZ4US]

He on vacation and out of office for another week. Hence my general inquiry as thought this was the purpose of this forum for people to share "experiences". Will ask call centre.

[JandM]

As I've replied on your other thread, from other people's experiences, it's not a good idea to try to do this on a visa waiver. Trying to use a visitor's visa for some other purpose than visiting in the normal way is best ONLY done after applying from outside the country for a visitor's visa, so that all the questioning has been done beforehand. Immigration at the airports are not geared to dealing with anything but people with the right visa, or the wrong visa, not people in some grey area between.

If a telephone answerer tells you some way that this might work, for your own sake, be very careful. Get the name of the official telling you whatever it is. Get a reference number in the Operational Manual. Get them to send you an email you can print off and show. The INZ call centre is a human FAQ working from a data base. The people working it are not case-working officials with power to make decisions. Quite often, people have called there four times in a day, and got four different answers to the same question.

[NZ4US]

Thanks JandM. I replied as well and appreciate the candid feedback. Much appreciated