When to apply for PR

[YourPalDave]

Kia ora koutou.

I have a question regarding when to apply for permanent residency. I see the INZ guidelines say that you must have held a residency class visa continuously for 24 months prior to application and the processing times are currently shown as being 6 months for 90% of submitted applications. I arrived on a WV in January 2020 but in July 2020 was granted a SMC visa (including my family). I think this means I can't apply for PR until the date of my SMC in July.

However, my son in Uni just said he needed PR by October to be approved to move in the next year's program (law). So, my question is, can/should I apply for PR now so that my application is in the queue by the time July rolls around (4 months)? Or do I have to wait until the official 2 year mark, submit after that and then wait?

Thanks for any insight anyone can offer.

[Kelerei]

Kia ora koutou.

I have a question regarding when to apply for permanent residency. I see the INZ guidelines say that you must have held a residency class visa continuously for 24 months prior to application and the processing times are currently shown as being 6 months for 90% of submitted applications. I arrived on a WV in January 2020 but in July 2020 was granted a SMC visa (including my family). I think this means I can't apply for PR until the date of my SMC in July.

However, my son in Uni just said he needed PR by October to be approved to move in the next year's program (law). So, my question is, can/should I apply for PR now so that my application is in the queue by the time July rolls around (4 months)? Or do I have to wait until the official 2 year mark, submit after that and then wait?

Thanks for any insight anyone can offer.

Per RV2.5(a)(i), you must hold a residence class visa continuously for at least 24 months at the time of application. Consequently, applying early means that you will not meet the applicable residence instructions, and this is therefore guaranteed to result in the application being declined (R5.55.1). However, note that a variation of travel conditions may be granted instead per RV2.25.

In your place, I would contact the university in question and enquire if proof of application is sufficient. Also, INZ has discretion to give urgency to the processing of any particular visa application when the individual circumstances warrant that (A16.1), but this is a rare occurrence -- again, in your place, I would submit evidence of this with the application; the worst that can happen is that urgency is not given.

[YourPalDave]

Thanks much.

[manutd]

Hi,

Is your son not on Resident visa at the moment (i.e the same visa which you have)?? Why does he need PR to move to next year in university?? For your information, all the offices like banks and universities etc, our SMC resident visa is equal to PR visa for administrative things (as they dont really differentiate between RV and PRV as both allow us to live in NZ indefinitely).

Unless your son is on student visa and not on Resident visa, I dont think there is any need to worry. Your RV should be fine.