Covid-19 Short term visa

[waliajas]

Hi All,

I applied for my parents Covid-19 short term visa on 10th Feb seeking 2 month time to arrange safe travel back. I added attempt to reach Indian High commission and showed booked ticket for 17th April.

INZ has come back asking for Police certificate saying "Applicants intending a stay for 24 months or longer must provide a police certificate. This period of 24 months includes time already spent in New Zealand prior to an application being made."

From when do they count time already spent in NZ? i.e. when visitor visa holder last arrived in NZ?

My parents arrived in NZ on 20th March 2020 on multi-entry grand parent visa and are have valid visa till 20th Feb 2021. so about 11 month till date. We are seeking 2 month extension till 17th April '21 i.e. 13 month in total.

My parents were in NZ on 2 6-month stay from Nov'17 till Nov'18 on the same multi-entry visa. Are they also counting that stay too in calculating 24 month. it appears they are!

So just checking if the support officer who was looking at my application calculated the "Intending to stay 24 month " correctly.


Also, PCC from Indian High commission takes 5-6 weeks and we are only seeking 7 week extension because we can't leave before 20th Feb'21 under covid-19. What happen to my parents visitor visa if we apply for PCC and we have our "covid-19 short term visa application" still in submitted state online at INZ. We don't want to be illegal here. I am going to call INZ today but would love you guys feedback.

[Kelerei]

Hi All,

I applied for my parents Covid-19 short term visa on 10th Feb seeking 2 month time to arrange safe travel back. I added attempt to reach Indian High commission and showed booked ticket for 17th April.

INZ has come back asking for Police certificate saying "Applicants intending a stay for 24 months or longer must provide a police certificate. This period of 24 months includes time already spent in New Zealand prior to an application being made."

From when do they count time already spent in NZ? i.e. when visitor visa holder last arrived in NZ?

My parents arrived in NZ on 20th March 2020 on multi-entry grand parent visa and are have valid visa till 20th Feb 2021. so about 11 month till date. We are seeking 2 month extension till 17th April '21 i.e. 13 month in total.

My parents were in NZ on 2 6-month stay from Nov'17 till Nov'18 on the same multi-entry visa. Are they also counting that stay too in calculating 24 month. it appears they are!

So just checking if the support officer who was looking at my application calculated the "Intending to stay 24 month " correctly.

The relevant section in the operational manual (A5.5(a)(ii)) simply states that a character check is required for those aged 17 and over applying for temporary entry class visas who intend to stay in New Zealand for 24 months or longer, and that this is inclusive of time already spent in New Zealand prior to the application being made. While not explicitly mentioned in the operational manual, it makes sense to me that INZ would include prior stay on the current visa when determining the need for a character check, which appears to be what's happened here.

Also, PCC from Indian High commission takes 5-6 weeks and we are only seeking 7 week extension because we can't leave before 20th Feb'21 under covid-19. What happen to my parents visitor visa if we apply for PCC and we have our "covid-19 short term visa application" still in submitted state online at INZ. We don't want to be illegal here. I am going to call INZ today but would love you guys feedback.

This should actually be the least of your concerns, since you've done everything required for an Interim Visa to be issued (in my experience, expect it to be automatically issued around a week before the current temporary entry class visa expires).

[waliajas]

Thank you for reply.

I just got off the phone with Immigration oncall and talked to one of senior immgration officer. she was very helpful and understood the situation. She said they do count all the time from our previous visa application and hence, 24 month caluse met and hence we need PCC.

However, she also understood its beyond my control to provide PCC in a week and hence, if we can just submit the PCC application and provide that as a proof, they will consider it for the interim visa. Fingers crossed!! I am just applying PCC now and will upload the proof of application of PCC with Indian High commission on my online covid-19 visa.

[JandM]

That's good, that she's being so reasonable.

[abhishsh]

Hi guys
I’m in same boat.. PCC is requested and processing time is 6 weeks from High communication and covid short term is jus for 2 months. Interim visa is issued for 6 months..they had to go in 6 weeks time anyways should they leave without this and will they need to provide this PCC when they apply in future from home country which is quite away few years because offshore is suspended currently