Resident to Permanent Resident

[Silent]

Hi Everyone,

I am applying for my permanent resident visa and I am choosing the following commitment for this.

"Acceptable evidence of your commitment to living in New Zealand

1. You have spent enough time in New Zealand
You have spent 184 days or more in New Zealand as a resident in each of the two 12 month portions of the 24 months immediately preceding your application for permanent residence".

My question is, Do I have to send my original passport with the application or the certified copies of my passport will do?
Has anyone gave only the certified copies and got the E-visa?

[Kelerei]

This paragraph on the INZ 1175 form that you need to complete should answer your question (emphasis is INZ's):

While you can provide a certified copy of your passport(s) with your application, we highly recommend you provide your original passport(s). This will enable us to process your application faster and it may be needed to complete your application. Please note during the processing of an application an immigration officer may request any document, including your original passport(s).

As an aside, I noticed while double-checking the wording on the INZ 1175 form that a new April 2019 version of this form has been issued (there are new sections added for the new residence to permanent residence pathway for those affected by the Christchurch mosque attacks). INZ may not accept the old version of the form, so you should ensure you use this latest version.

[LemonAndPaeroa]

Mine was processed with a certified copy (Justice of Peace).

My friend who was an immigration adviser until recently says it varies - sometimes they accept it, sometimes they don’t.

I wonder if you have a better chance if you have the same passport still that they’ve already seen before?

[JandM]

I think that's probably true. There have been several forum members who were told, at the very last stage, that they must send in their actual passport before the visa could be issued because INZ hadn't ever seen it.

[Silent]

Hi Everyone,

Just asked Immigration NZ about this (Call Centre) and they mentioned that certified copies will do because now they are issuing E-visa. Let's see. Thanks

[French_Kiwi]

Oh that is good news. THANKS !
Our passports are the same ones INZ has seen while we were granted Residence.
We are applying next week for PR and as it can take up to 44 days or so, that means we won t get it back until end of July and I will need my passport to sit an IELTS exam end of July...and therefore did not want to send it to INZ for PR processing!
It is maybe a valid and acceptable reason to supply INZ with a certified copy instead of the original. Do they have such considerations?

[French_Kiwi]

I got confirmation by e-mail from INZ (INZ-.ICCGeneralEmailEnquiries@mbie.govt.nz) that certified copies of passports will do
Sending the application tomorrow as the first entry date as Resident for my husband is June 13th 2017 and I estimated 2 days for the post to deliver
Excited and I know there shouldn't be any issues but I still keep fingers crossed !!!!

[Kelerei]

I got confirmation by e-mail from INZ (INZ-.ICCGeneralEmailEnquiries@mbie.govt.nz) that certified copies of passports will do
Sending the application tomorrow as the first entry date as Resident for my husband is June 13th 2017 and I estimated 2 days for the post to deliver
Excited and I know there shouldn't be any issues but I still keep fingers crossed !!!!

If I were you, I wouldn't send it tomorrow.

NZ Post lists "original copies of identity, travel, ownership of legal documents" (and the certified copies of your passports would fall under this category) as a restricted item: you may only send it via the Courier or the Courier & Signature options. From my own experience with NZ Post, sending an item from Wellington to Auckland via either of these options will usually result in your application being delivered the following business day.

Now, INZ takes the date that your item was received as the lodgement date, so if it's delivered on June 12th (which it should be if sent via Courier or Courier & Signature, and you send it off tomorrow), that will be the lodgement date. The issue is that, if you're out by even one day for meeting the presence requirement for a Permanent Resident Visa, you will be deemed not to have qualified for one, and you'll find (probably to your shock and horror) that INZ will grant you a variation of travel conditions -- and that's only if you ticked the option on the form granting them permission to assess you against the VOC instruction if they deem that you haven't met the Permanent Resident Visa requirements.

Personally, I would only send a Permanent Resident Visa application if I already met the requirements on the date that I send it, and not try to preempt postal delivery times to avoid such potential disappointment.

[French_Kiwi]

Good point Kelerei, Thanks. Let's not take any unnecessary risk. We're not in a rush anyway now that we have been told that certified copies of our passports are enough, I am relieved. (On top of me needing my passport end of July, I did not mention it but our daughter is due to travel outside NZ beginning of July and of course needs her passport as well).

[Kelerei]

Good point Kelerei, Thanks. Let's not take any unnecessary risk. We're not in a rush anyway now that we have been told that certified copies of our passports are enough, I am relieved. (On top of me needing my passport end of July, I did not mention it but our daughter is due to travel outside NZ beginning of July and of course needs her passport as well).

That's potentially a major problem if her travel conditions are due to expire before she leaves. If she doesn't receive her Permanent Resident Visa before she leaves the country, her Resident Visa will expire the moment she goes through outgoing passport control. I have no idea how this may affect the Permanent Resident Visa application in process, but getting back into the country would be a massive headache for all concerned. Of course, if she's already obtained a variation of travel conditions, this is totally a non-issue.

Processing for a Permanent Resident Visa (or a variation of travel conditions) is currently quoted by INZ as taking 44 days.