Resident Visa partnership Timeline

[JandM]

Thanks for the helpful information.

[Cheech]

Finally got visas through.
6 May to 5 Jan - so 1 day short of 8 months in total.

It's worth mentioning that my solicitor returned from Xmas break and there had been no visas issued from INZ (after 3 weeks). They called INZ and the person they spoke to said there wasn't any record of the passports being processed/scanned in the UK. I called VFS Global in London and got the passport processing reference numbers (they confirmed the passports had definitely been processed correctly) my solicitor then forwarded the reference numbers onto the CO, within a day we had the visas issued. So not sure what happened with that, but just a note to others that you can get those reference numbers and get back in touch with your CO if the visas don't get issued.

It really is so difficult waiting for such a long time without any input or responses, but hang in there all those still waiting, it's worth it when the visa finally arrives!

I had the same issue in 2018. Submitted my documents to VFS in South Africa, and they were supposed to process on their side (silver fern visa). A week before my deadline to submit docs, I called them to find out what was happening and they weren't aware they had to do anything further with my application except verify my passport! Within a day they processed the documents and I had my visa. Crazy how if I didn't follow up, the deadline would have passed and I might not have made it here!

[marula2015]

Looking for some advice. I applied for the Resident Partner visa online on 8 Nov from overseas. I only have about 3.5 pages left in my passport and want to get a new passport before INZ physically needs it for this visa process. At what stage do you think they will request my passport? I have an upcoming international trip in March. Do you think INZ will need it before then?

[RI2002]

Hi everyone. I applied for my Resident visa on 11 August 2022. However I have not heard anything at all from immigration yet. Is this normal? i.e. some applicants early on get an email asking to fill out a form like a NSC check or to upload some form or document but I haven't received anything at all. Nothing about initial checks etc..I'm wondering if I did the application correctly at this point...

I'm thinking of calling and asking for an update but not sure about their contact centre waiting times

Has anyone had a similar experience? am I worried for no reason?

[Kelerei]

Looking for some advice. I applied for the Resident Partner visa online on 8 Nov from overseas. I only have about 3.5 pages left in my passport and want to get a new passport before INZ physically needs it for this visa process. At what stage do you think they will request my passport? I have an upcoming international trip in March. Do you think INZ will need it before then?

Having been in a similar situation myself: we went right ahead with the passport renewal, but let INZ know that we were doing this, and that we wanted the visa endorsed in the new passport. A certified copy of the new passport was sent to INZ as soon as the new passport arrived. Later, once a successful decision was made on our application, we received an Approved in Principle letter with the grant of the visa conditional on submitting the new passport for physical verification: the visa was granted once the passport had been verified.

[marula2015]

Having been in a similar situation myself: we went right ahead with the passport renewal, but let INZ know that we were doing this, and that we wanted the visa endorsed in the new passport. A certified copy of the new passport was sent to INZ as soon as the new passport arrived. Later, once a successful decision was made on our application, we received an Approved in Principle letter with the grant of the visa conditional on submitting the new passport for physical verification: the visa was granted once the passport had been verified.

Thank you so much! By any chance do you remember your timeline of these events? Roughly how many months after you submitted your application?

[allune]

@MattH1 did your partner get PR?

[marula2015]

Hi everyone, I have an update to my process and I'm honestly shocked how quickly it happened.

8 Nov - Applied for partner residency visa online from overseas
13 Feb - Received e-mail from my assigned immigration officer requesting further evidence
15 Feb - I uploaded the requested evidence and answered additional questions via e-mail
20 Feb - Immigration officer emailed notifying me that I was approved in principle and that I would receive further details via e-mail in the coming days
21 Feb - Received the email containing a PDF letter containing the details of my approval in principle

Two things:
1. I discussed the situation with my passport only having three blank pages left and my upcoming international travel via e-mail with the immigration officer. They said it was no issue and that I could simply send in my passport to be scanned after my trip and renewal.
2. In the approval letter it states, "I have approved in principle your application for a resident visa - Partnership - Partner of an Expatriate." It does not specify permanent residency. However, my spouse and I have been living together overseas for 8 years (together for almost 10 years). Did anyone who received PR during this process have their letter say something else? Did you send in your passport to be scanned and receive a permanent resident visa? The immigration officer I am working with is incredibly responsive and helpful. So I'm wondering if I should just ask them directly.

[Kelerei]

However, my spouse and I have been living together overseas for 8 years (together for almost 10 years).

Did you provide evidence of this with your application? If so, you may have been approved for a Permanent Resident Visa; if not, you likely haven't been and will receive a Resident Visa with travel conditions instead.

Either way, you can contact the Immigration Officer, but keep in mind that the Immigration Officer's work on your application is now complete, and for this reason you may not receive a reply.

[marula2015]

Did you provide evidence of this with your application?

Yes, I provided evidence documenting us living together from 2015 onward (leases, renters insurance, etc.)

I'm trying to be optimistic since it was a form letter that was generated. So there's a chance that when I send in my passport that I receive a permanent residency visa. I'm just curious about anyone else's experiences.