Hi ENZ family,
My wife moved to New Zealand on student visa in September 2017 to pursue her PhD from AUT along with our 3 children aged (in 2017) 17, 11 and 4. Our children were granted dependent student visa. I was initially granted visitor visa being a serving military officer, however, in September 2018, once my wife was granted 2 years student visa extension, my visitor visa got converted to open work visa for the same duration (I was due to retire in October 2018). Meanwhile, our daughter who had already started her university degree as international student was granted independent student visa (as you all know that PhD candidate dependent children fall in domestic student category till high school). I moved to New Zealand in Nov 2018 to join my family, started a job in security company and ultimately submitted SMC ITA in July 2019 with a dream to get permanently settled in New Zealand. Unfortunately, almost stalled processing of SMC applications, unprecedentedly surged backlog of SMC applications and apparent INZ inability to handle this backlog or any intentional delays has pushed us into uncertain future in New Zealand.
I kept supporting my family by sending money from Pakistan with a conversion rate $1=100 Pak rupee, paid 2 years international fee of my daughter ($35000 per yr), my wife 3 years fee and other expense / living cost etc has taken approx $ 250 k which is quite a bit of money and almost more than half of my entire life saving. My wife and daughter did not work as I wanted them to concentrate on their studies. I moved this money through regular banking channel.
Now I am getting good salary, my daughter has started working 20 hrs a week and wife does some casual work too, still it's quite hard to meet our expenses in Auckland. My daughter next fee is due in Feb 2020, mean another $ 35 k if our application is not concluded by then, which I am increasingly unsure. To overcome my stress, I have started forward planning and need answer of my few queries:-
1. Freezing next semester of my daughter. If we plan to get our daughter's next semester frozen to avoid paying international fee, is that an option? if yes, which visa cat will she be granted? As my whole family is in New Zealand, will she be allowed to stay with us or will be told to go back to Pakistan (we are concerned as her visa was delinked from dependent category once she joined university) and finally, if she is allowed to stay with us, will she be allowed to work in NZ or no work rights? Does INZ consider how much money we have spent from our own pocket so far or they are merciless in this regard?
2. Change of Job. My ITA is submitted with my current job and 180 points. I am offered another job out of Auckland with very good package. Both jobs are in private security industry, same appointment / role just companies are different with changed location. As CO has not been allocated to me, so apparently job change with same role is not a problem but out of Auckland mean another 30 points, will it affect my already submitted ITA? I am considering to move out of Auckland to save some costs but I am so confused.
3. December backlog. Just to put my own mind on ease, I am struggling to know, approx how many SMC applications were submitted in December 2018 which are sitting in the queue and are making big backlog? Under normal conditions, how many EOI are selected in each selection? If EOI selection is done TWICE a month with 400-600 successful applications mean approx 800-1000 applications a month? What is the capacity of INZ to handle no of applications in one month? Once INZ is able to deal with this backlog and things turn to normal, is there any chance that SMC applications processing time comes back to 4-6 months?
4. My Military Background. Owing to my military service background, we have filled and submitted forms for National Security Check. Any one who is aware of military customs, shall understand that military service is rated very respectful service in asia and especially in Pakistan. With a family like mine, wife with PhD, son graduated from UK (sitting in Pakistan and waiting our residency to get through and join us), daughter with university degree in IT will make any positive impact on the application if we take a consideration of settlement prospects of a family/ what can they contribute in New Zealand or it has no effect? Why military service background is taken negative? if some one like I have completed military service with honor and retired after completing color service and given every detail / document of service to INZ including retirement order of Pakistan Military, is it still taken doubtful?
5. Son not met family from last 2 years. Our son is back to Pakistan from England, tried to get student visa to further study in NZ and to be with his family but declined twice for failing to convince visa officer that he will be a bonafide student. He is now studying in Pakistan is dependent on me to be able to keep himself in the SMC application. He has not met his family for TWO years and is alone in Pakistan. He is included in SMC application, is there an option for him to visit us on a visit visa while SMC application is pending?
We have another option to withdraw SMC application, I shall go back to Pakistan and do my business there, family to complete studies and join us back in Pakistan to avoid further stresses / uncertainties. If I am able to get answers to my questions, it may help me in taking some decision. I am sorry for the long post but so stressed.......
Thank you all and stay blessed.