Planning to move to NZ - newbie needing help...partnership visa

[paulnanrod]

Hi

My Fiance and I are planning to move to NZ in October and I have a few questions about the process of applying for a visa - if there is a contact number for me to call or a website that can provide guidance (to save reading through my questions) please pass it on, as I have struggled looking for a clear explanation online!

My partner is a New Zealand citizen, living in the UK on dual nationality, so I am planning to apply for a Partner Supporting Partnership-based visa. We have had a baby on 07/07/12 so I am planning to look for work in NZ and she will be looking after the baby whilst the maternity pay is ongoing.

My situation is that I work for a bank in the UK as a financial adviser and have been made redundant, my employment ends on 30/09/12. We were planning to move for 12 months initially, at the end of 2012, but the redundancy has brought things forward by a couple of months.

My questions are:

- Would this be the correct type of visa to apply for? As far as I can understand on the NZ immigration site, it appears to be correct, but does anyone have any experience of this?
- How long to applications typically take (I guess provided all information needed is supplied by me)?
- As we are unsure if we will stay for 12 months, or for longer I have ticked to stay for more than 12 months on the application, which means an X-Ray is needed - are these carried out at specific hospitals?
- Is the form 'Form for Partners Supporting Partnership-Based' needed to be completed by an immigration adviser, as there is a section to be completed by them, but we were planning not to use one
- How do I calculate the fees needed to be paid? I have read the INZ1028 page and all I can see that I would fall into is the Work - partnership visa fee on page 8, which is NZ$360 - surely this is incorrect, as I was expecting to pay NZ$1000 ish

Sorry for the list of stupid questions, and any help is greatly appreciated. I am trying my hardest to not sound thick, but am struggling to find clear guidance online!

I'm sure that as the process moves on, more questions will crop up!

Paul

[topcat83]

Originally Posted by paulnanrod

Hi

My Fiance and I are planning to move to NZ in October and I have a few questions about the process of applying for a visa - if there is a contact number for me to call or a website that can provide guidance (to save reading through my questions) please pass it on, as I have struggled looking for a clear explanation online!

My partner is a New Zealand citizen, living in the UK on dual nationality, so I am planning to apply for a Partner Supporting Partnership-based visa. We have had a baby on 07/07/12 so I am planning to look for work in NZ and she will be looking after the baby whilst the maternity pay is ongoing.

My situation is that I work for a bank in the UK as a financial adviser and have been made redundant, my employment ends on 30/09/12. We were planning to move for 12 months initially, at the end of 2012, but the redundancy has brought things forward by a couple of months.

My questions are:

- Would this be the correct type of visa to apply for? As far as I can understand on the NZ immigration site, it appears to be correct, but does anyone have any experience of this?
- How long to applications typically take (I guess provided all information needed is supplied by me)?
- As we are unsure if we will stay for 12 months, or for longer I have ticked to stay for more than 12 months on the application, which means an X-Ray is needed - are these carried out at specific hospitals?
- Is the form 'Form for Partners Supporting Partnership-Based' needed to be completed by an immigration adviser, as there is a section to be completed by them, but we were planning not to use one
- How do I calculate the fees needed to be paid? I have read the INZ1028 page and all I can see that I would fall into is the Work - partnership visa fee on page 8, which is NZ$360 - surely this is incorrect, as I was expecting to pay NZ$1000 ish

Sorry for the list of stupid questions, and any help is greatly appreciated. I am trying my hardest to not sound thick, but am struggling to find clear guidance online!

I'm sure that as the process moves on, more questions will crop up!

Paul

The only official source for immigration information is Immigration New Zealand - and generally it is very informative.

Give it a go.

[paulnanrod]

Thanks topcat - that was exactly the kind of site I was looking for - must have somehow missed the tabs with information on!

Cheers

[Jimaba]

Hi Paul, let me know if you have any other little questions that you can't get cleared up on the sight and I might be able to help. I originally came over on a partnership visa as well, so might know the answers off hand.

[paulnanrod]

Originally Posted by Jimaba

Hi Paul, let me know if you have any other little questions that you can't get cleared up on the sight and I might be able to help. I originally came over on a partnership visa as well, so might know the answers off hand.

Hi Jimaba*

Thank you for the offer of any help and I'm sorry if I am asking ridiculous questions!

I hope this isn't too personal a question, but what was your situation when you applied? Mine (very briefly) is that I'm a UK citizen and my fiancé is a NZ citizen. I am applying for a visa to enable me to work in NZ, and we currently live in the UK.*

If your situation was similar, do you remember what application you completed and do you remember what work section you applied under? I am struggling to find information on what type of work to apply for. I have no trade or skill so cannot apply under that type of visa.*

Thank you in advance for any help and if you're ok to reply through private message? I've tried sending this to you through the messages but can't send it on the iPad app.

Also any sites you used for advice would be greatly appreciated

Paul*

[G-Mo]

Paul, if you don't mind me asking, how long have you and your partner been (living) together? If you have a child it sounds like it could be more than 12 months, in which case have you considered applying for a partner sponsored residence visa? That's what I did (albeit from Canada), my wife is also a NZ citizen and we have a young child.

[paulnanrod]

Hi G-mo

Yes, that is the visa I'm applying for. We have been together for nearly 5 years and have plenty of joint arrangements to prove, such as accounts, mortgage, dog and now our baby

Paul

[G-Mo]

Originally Posted by paulnanrod

Hi G-mo

Yes, that is the visa I'm applying for. We have been together for nearly 5 years and have plenty of joint arrangements to prove, such as accounts, mortgage, dog and now our baby

Paul

If that's the case, it's pretty straight forward. I did it myself earlier this year, from submitting to visa was about 3 weeks; they say 3 to 6 months, but, it sounds like your partner has been out of NZ for more than 5 years, so, your application process is accelerated. As long as there aren't mitigating character or health issues, it should be reasonably quick and straight forward. Now, I applied via Washington (US), I think the UK processing times will be a little slower.

23/04/2012 Resident Application Submitted
27/04/2012 Resident changed to Permanent Resident and Approved In Principal
08/05/2012 Submitted Migrant Levy and passport for endorsement
10/05/2012 Approved, received Resident Visa

BTW, since your partner has been out of the country for over 5 years and if you can prove you've been together over 5 years, you may be granted Permanent Residence straight away (I was), which you only need to enter the country to activate and then can come and go as you please and save yourself a second application in 2 years time.

My fees were ~US$1200 for the application and ~US$350 for the migrant levy, that was before the July 1st 16% fee increase.

[paulnanrod]

Hi G-Mo

Sorry to ask yet another question! With the application, which form did you complete for the Partner Sponsored visa? I am getting lost in the various application forms (in process of applying for NZ citizenship for our baby also)! I'm at the point where I'm tempted to arrange an immigration adviser, but am still trying to avoid that cost.

I've got it in my head that I have seen and printed another form and can only find the Residence Form (INZ1000) Possibly and probably just me being stupid. Was this the form you completed, along with the form for my partner in to confirm supporting the application?

Also, was is NZ Immigration the advised to change your application to permanent resident?

Sorry to ask again!

Paul

[G-Mo]

You don't need to get an immigration advisor, it seems overwhelming at first, but it's not really. I have done EXACTLY everything you are going through, including the citizenship-by-decent for my son.

You need to fill in the following:
INZ 1000 (Residence Application)
INZ 1007 (Medical & Chest X-Ray Certificate, done in conjunction with a medical examiner)

Your partner needs to fill in the following:
INZ 1178 (Partnership Support Form for Residence)

In INZ 1000 you need to fill in YOUR details AND your partners details, even though they are also filling in their details in the INZ 1178 document.

In Canada you can have your family doctor fill out INZ 1007 with you, however, in the UK you have to go to an approved immigration panel doctor, who will do the physical, blood tests and advise on the x-ray.

You need to apply for yours AND your partners UK police certificates here:
http://www.acro.police.uk/police_certificates.aspx

If you have lived in another country for more than 12 months in the last 7 years, you will need to get a police certificate for that country too. If your partner has lived in another country for more than 12 months in the last 5 years, they will need to get a police certificate for that country too.

Don't worry about asking questions, that's what forums like this are all about! I just went through it in April/May, so the process is pretty fresh in my mind!! I had questions too, and found INZ very helpful at +6499144100.