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Thread: Options for retiring in NZ - Help Please

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Portland, Oregon USA
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    5

    Default Options for retiring in NZ - Help Please

    Hello all. I is wonderful to read all the posts on ENZ and learn about everyones experiences.

    I am inquiring for my father who currently lives in the US and has an ambition to move to NZ. He is currently 60 years old, single, with a modest savings. Are there any ways that he can retire in NZ without opening a business (this was the only option I found)?

    Surely there are others who are already retired, sick of U.S. policies and culture, and desire to live in NZ. He did spend several months touring by bicycle all over the north and south islands and found several locations he would enjoy living.

    We would appreciate any help or ideas on this matter.

    Thanks so much,
    Robert Tobys

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Inland Canterbury, NZ
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    8,390

    Default

    Hi Tobys and welcome to the forum.

    Firstly, my parents are also looking into this scenario so I too would be interested in other peoples findings. What I do know is that, in our case, as I am a Permanent Resident I can sponsor my parents, which means I agree to financially back them for a couple of years (I think!). The other route is the investors category which I believe means they need to come over with a few million NZ$'s.

    The ENZ main site does have a little info on this: http://www.enz.org/retire.html

    The following links to an article which might also shed some light on the matter and give you some further options: http://www.migrationmatters.com/news...tiringtoNZ.php

    Looking forward to the replies to this one....

    Moorf

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Posts
    1,521

    Default

    Unfortunately there are no "retirement Visas" here. There are in australia I believe, but they are not permanent visas and they need to be renewed every few years.

    My research may be a bit old - but the only way we found to get my parents in (given that they lost out on a business visa and do not have several millions to invest in the government here), was for us to get PR, live here for 3 years and sponsor them in under the family category. For anyone who got PR visas stamped last year (2005) (the date is either 1st jan or sometime in April) - you have to be here as residents for 5 years before you can become citizens - im not sure however if this holds for sponsoring families in - but its worth checking to make sure.

    Sorry I dont have better news

    Do bear in mind however - there is as yet nothing to stop im living here 6 months of every year as a visitor. This is what my parents are doing until (hopefully) we can sponsor them (2 years to go!) I ma also aware that many people on retiremnt are spending 6 months in NZ and 6 months in Australia - always on Tourist visas and therefore not having any ties to either place, or needing to sort out residency visas.

    This option is not ofr everyone. My parents looked at it - but really arent travellers at heart, and had no interest in going to OZ, so opted for selling thier UK home, buying a small mobile home to live in there, and using most of the money to buy a house here in NZ. They can spend 6 months here every year, and go back to the Uk for the summer

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Inland Canterbury, NZ
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    Yep, just found this:


    Is there policy that allows an applicant to "retire" in New Zealand?

    New Zealand does not have a "retirement" policy. If an applicant cannot meet any of the standard policies, then the will not be able to move on a permanent basis to New Zealand. At best, they could come as visitors, and spend 6 out of 12 months in New Zealand, or a maximum of 9 out of 18 months here.

    Is there a maximum age limit for people wanting to apply for immigration?

    As the Principal Applicant under the General Skills category you must be aged 55 years or younger while Principal Applicants in the Investor category may be 84 years or younger to apply.
    As Avalon says, there is the option to stay for 6 months of the year, which is what my parents are considering, so that they can share their time between my brother and I. However, not sure how this will suit them the older they get what with all the travel etc. I love flying but I wouldn't relish the thought of doing the flight to the UK every six months....

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Portland, Oregon USA
    Posts
    5

    Default Thank you!

    Thank you for the information.

    My wife and I were intertaining the idea of moving to NZ. We looked at the price of real estate there and found it to be quit high. Currently, we live in Portland, Oregon and the housing here is actually cheaper in terms of square meters and the quality of the home.

    Yes, there are things we don't like about living here, but after having lived somewhere on the western seaboard at one point or another (from Southern California to Seattle, Washington) there is no perfect place. As someone on the board said about NZ,"...it's not the land of milk and honey." Beautiful it is, but then again so is the Pacific Northwest. There are only two main reasons for us wanting to move out of here; better health care and better political/cultural atmosphere.

    I guess we will have to make a few million dollars here first then think about retiring there.

    In any case, I will pass this information on to my father.

    Thanks again!

  6. #6
    Join Date
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    You're welcome Tobys, and keep us posted , all the best.

    Moorf

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
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    24

    Default Question

    With a 6 month visa - would they be able to get a flight to Oz and come back in again shortly after - therefore getting another 6 month-er?

  8. #8
    Join Date
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    I believe it's limited to a 6mth period out of every 12, so you'd need to be out of the country for 6 mths and therefore aren't able to nip out for a couple of days... am I on the right track?

  9. #9
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    Jun 2005
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    UK>Welly>Boonies>where next?
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    Yes that's right 6 moths here and you're out for 6 months. Avalon's parents have to do this and return to the UK each time

    D

  10. #10
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    Jun 2005
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    hmmm subtle insect reference there sorry

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