Residence to Permanent Residence - Parents Category

[fivezero7]

Hi all.
Hope you all are doing great and keeping safe.

I have a question about permanent residence visas for parents category.

My parents got their residence visas approved in 2015.
They travelled to NZ from India for the first time on 10 September 2016.
To get their resident visas converted (upgraded) to Permanent residence visas they have to stay for 6 months (184 days) in the following time duration:-
1. 10 September 2019 to 10 September 2020
2. 10 September 2020 to 10 September 2021

They arrived in NZ on 1 March 2020.
Luckily, amidst the world wide chaos they are with us and safe here.

For the duration 10 September 2019 to 10 September 2020, they have completed their 184 Days of stay in NZ (from 1 March 2020 to 10 September 2020).
Now for the next duration - 10 September 2020 to 10 September 2021, they intend to complete their 184 days of stay in NZ, which occurs on 13 March 2021.

We don't know when they will be able to get back to India.
It will certainly be after 13 March 2021.

Their Permanent Resident Visa conditions would be fulfilled, if they travel to India after 13 March 2021, which looks very certain to us.

Now the question is, would they be able to apply for the Permanent Resident Visa in India (outside NZ) and get it OR can they only apply and get it while they are in NZ?

If anyone has experienced something similar, please share your thoughts and observations in this thread.
Thanks.

[JandM]

Questions, the answers to which may make a difference to what they need to do next: Did you have to sponsor your parents for residence?

If so, when their visas were issued, what was the stated length of time of sponsorship required?

[fivezero7]

Questions, the answers to which may make a difference to what they need to do next: Did you have to sponsor your parents for residence?

If so, when their visas were issued, what was the stated length of time of sponsorship required?

Hello JandM.
Yes I had sponsored them for residence.
Visas were issued in October 2015.
They had to travel within an year of issue date.

Time of sponsorship is 5 years.
After it, they would become eligible for Permanent Residence Visas.

[JandM]

Okay.

Your parents need to be aware that INZ count time BACKWARDS from the date of application for PR when checking for time spent in the country. Therefore, the time periods (two lots of 12 months before application) can vary depending on exactly when they put in their application, and earlier time spent in NZ can "fall off" the time under consideration and not be counted. So you need to count their time very carefully, BACK for one year from when the form goes in, then again BACK for a further twelve months before that.

To answer your actual question, IN NORMAL TIMES it's possible to apply for PR from outside NZ as long as you do it within three months of the travel conditions expiring. See bottom paragraph here https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-...anent-resident, and you would look at the INZ fees and receiving centre information https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-...nd-fees-finder for the details of where to apply (just as you would from within NZ). However, there is no way to tell in advance when NZ will open its borders, and therefore, its overseas offices, again, as this will be a government decision based on how control of the pandemic progresses.

[fivezero7]

Okay.

Your parents need to be aware that INZ count time BACKWARDS from the date of application for PR when checking for time spent in the country. Therefore, the time periods (two lots of 12 months before application) can vary depending on exactly when they put in their application, and earlier time spent in NZ can "fall off" the time under consideration and not be counted. So you need to count their time very carefully, BACK for one year from when the form goes in, then again BACK for a further twelve months before that.

To answer your actual question, IN NORMAL TIMES it's possible to apply for PR from outside NZ as long as you do it within three months of the travel conditions expiring. See bottom paragraph here https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-...anent-resident, and you would look at the INZ fees and receiving centre information https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-...nd-fees-finder for the details of where to apply (just as you would from within NZ). However, there is no way to tell in advance when NZ will open its borders, and therefore, its overseas offices, again, as this will be a government decision based on how control of the pandemic progresses.

Thanks JandM.

This gives me a lot of confidence in planning their travel accordingly.
I will go through the links you have provided and have a thorough reading.

Cheers.