ITA March 2019

[Yanco]

That genuinely surprises me, since your partner is assessed in a similar manner to the Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa applicants (per generic residence instruction R2.1.15), and those applicants are routinely asked to provide updated relationship information if people's evidences in the partnership thread on this forum (it's usually for INZ to satisfy themselves that the relationship hasn't ended between the application being lodged and the decision being made). I myself was asked for updated relationship information just prior to our SMC application going into 2PC, so it sounds to me like it's something that the Immigration Officer simply missed -- don't be surprised if this comes back from 2PC as a remedial action.

I've seen another smc application being approved on the migrants fb group without being asked for additional relationship evidence after co allocation. They applied March 2019.

[VedSaumya]

The criteria require proof that a couple are and have been living together. Being married proves that they were at a ceremony for maybe half an hour. Having a child also doesn't have to mean a communal life. This is why INZ ask for evidence which can feel strange, or even upsetting, for a genuine established couple.

I get your point and agree to that.

On a separate note and not relevant to this, wedding ceremony differs based on culture. In my case, rituals started around 9am till 5pm, invitees of around 400 people. There were two different reception after this, a total of 750 people attending in receptions. We married in a traditional Hindu ritual (this too differs based on community you are part of) and this is quite common. A hail lot of time, resource and people's involvement in it.

[satty02]

I guess the point which J&M is trying to make people can get married and have kids but not living a communal life. Which can be true in a few cases so INZ is well within rights to get this point ticked off to verify before approval.

[VedSaumya]

I guess the point which J&M is trying to make people can get married and have kids but not living a communal life. Which can be true in a few cases so INZ is well within rights to get this point ticked off to verify before approval.

This is well agreed in my post and so mentioned what I shared is not relevant.

[JandM]

Yes, I understand the difference in the ceremonial tradition that you are talking about, and take your point that yours was longer.

However, satty02 was right that I was saying that after ANY kind of wedding, the parties might not set up home together. An encounter leading eventually to the birth of a child doesn't necessarily mean the parents will ever see one another again. Criminals charging money to marry strangers to make them eligible for visas is the reason why NZ changed their regulations some years ago to make partnership, not marriage, the basis for this kind of family-stream visa.

[JandM]

Okay - evidently we all understand one another now. Ved Saumya, your wedding must have been a most impressive ceremony.

[benz]

Are the one doing the second person check are the managers of the CO? Also, how long is the wait? Thanks

[Yanco]

Are the one doing the second person check are the managers of the CO? Also, how long is the wait? Thanks

I was wondering the same. Who does the second person check?

[JandM]

Second-person checks are done by COs of equal or greater experience to the one who worked the case. They are in a different department while they are doing 2pcs. It is their job "to ensure that an CO has not failed to check any part of the application and that their rationale for the recommended decision (approve or decline) is robust and in line with instructions" as EGoodhue, the LIA, put it. The actual check only takes 20 - 30 minutes - the time that passes is your file waiting its turn for attention, and that varies with how many happen to be before it when it gets sent through.

[benz]

Second-person checks are done by COs of equal or greater experience to the one who worked the case. They are in a different department while they are doing 2pcs. It is their job "to ensure that an CO has not failed to check any part of the application and that their rationale for the recommended decision (approve or decline) is robust and in line with instructions" as EGoodhue, the LIA, put it. The actual check only takes 20 - 30 minutes - the time that passes is your file waiting its turn for attention, and that varies with how many happen to be before it when it gets sent through.

Thank you for this info.