PR Application questions

[lovelife95]

Hello ENZ community

I have some questions regarding applying for PR:

1. My passport expired before I was eligible to apply for PR. However I could not transfer my existing resident visa to the new passport as I have only just received it yesterday, and now I can apply for PR. My question is, when applying for PR do I need to provide both passports or just the new one? I thought about providing copies of both and writing a letter to explain this?

2. How do you actually send in your application? It says to send to the Manukau PO box. Should I courier it in an evelope? I'm worried it will not be accepted or held up if I do it incorrectly, especially as I've seen they acknowledge receipt of your application quite late - don't want to risk waiting and waiting only to find out it has not been received at all. Any advice of recent applications will be highly appreciated!!

Thank you!!

[Kelerei]

1. My passport expired before I was eligible to apply for PR. However I could not transfer my existing resident visa to the new passport as I have only just received it yesterday, and now I can apply for PR. My question is, when applying for PR do I need to provide both passports or just the new one? I thought about providing copies of both and writing a letter to explain this?

I can't find the specific post, but I recall a previous forum member in your position who simply filled in the details of the new passport on the application form and sent it in with his application. Note that, as per RV1.10.10, this would satisfy the passport-related mandatory requirements for lodging your application.

It is your choice as to whether or not to supply your previous passport as well. As above, it is not a mandatory requirement for lodging your application, but INZ may request this during the processing of your application should they deem this necessary (RV1.10.10(e)).

2. How do you actually send in your application? It says to send to the Manukau PO box. Should I courier it in an evelope? I'm worried it will not be accepted or held up if I do it incorrectly, especially as I've seen they acknowledge receipt of your application quite late - don't want to risk waiting and waiting only to find out it has not been received at all. Any advice of recent applications will be highly appreciated!!

If you search for "Permanent Resident Visa" on the office and fees finder, you will find two addresses: a postal address and a courier address. Back when I applied for a Permanent Resident Visa (in May 2021), I used DHL to courier the application and passports to the courier address, and apart from the package spending the weekend at Wellington Airport (which was really due to me handing the package over late on a Friday), had no problem whatsoever.

[avow]

If you apply online you can get an e-visa that you just print off and carry with your passport. That’s how my PR was done.

[Kelerei]

If you apply online you can get an e-visa that you just print off and carry with your passport. That’s how my PR was done.

Applications for a Permanent Resident Visa are still paper applications, although nowadays one would indeed get an eVisa if the application is approved. There's been no indication thus far from INZ as to when (or if!) this may be moved to their new Immigration Online platform.

There's only one circumstance that I'm aware of where an online application can result in the grant of a Permanent Resident Visa: an online application for a residence-class visa under the Partnership Category by an applicant that meets the criteria for an immediate Permanent Resident Visa as specified at F2.5.1.

[lovelife95]

Thank you so much Kelerei

Your reply is very helpful and has made it clear for what I need to do. I will just send the new passport and if they need the old one for whatever reason we can send it in after. I have looked up the office finder and can see there are two locations we can send to. I think I will go with the courier option.


Just another quick question, If I send the actual passport with the application form, did they send it back to you in a reasonable timeframe? Did you have to write a letter to request it be sent back with the address details? It took us months to get the passport renewed so we are extra careful with handling it

Thanks once again!!

[Kelerei]

Just another quick question, If I send the actual passport with the application form, did they send it back to you in a reasonable timeframe? Did you have to write a letter to request it be sent back with the address details? It took us months to get the passport renewed so we are extra careful with handling it

If you're concerned about this, you can always send in a certified copy of your passport (per RV1.10.10(d)(ii), this is perfectly acceptable), but keep in mind that INZ may request the original during processing of your application.

Personal experiences posted by other forum members on this thread indicate that INZ will return an original passport as soon as they have scanned it into their system. It will be returned to the address you specify on the "Contact details" section of the application form.

In my case, my partner and I requested physical visa labels rather than eVisas, and so (for reasons that I hope are obvious!) INZ only returned the passports once the visas were granted.

[avow]

Applications for a Permanent Resident Visa are still paper applications, although nowadays one would indeed get an eVisa if the application is approved. There's been no indication thus far from INZ as to when (or if!) this may be moved to their new Immigration Online platform.

There's only one circumstance that I'm aware of where an online application can result in the grant of a Permanent Resident Visa: an online application for a residence-class visa under the Partnership Category by an applicant that meets the criteria for an immediate Permanent Resident Visa as specified at F2.5.1.

Thanks for clarifying that!!