JWW

5 year wait for NZ Citizenship coming up.

Heard rumours for a little while, but apparently this is now definately happening...probably from start of next year, but maybe earlier.

When you consider that it also takes best part of a year from application to actually getting the passport this will basically mean a six year wait for people wishing to use NZ as a back door to Aussie.

Never really understood why people do that anyway, as PR for OZ seems much easier.

ptlabs

JWW,

I can't comment on the 5-year qualifying wait rumour.

FWIW, NZ citizens have only temporary residency in Australia, and certain benefits available to permanent residents are not accessible to NZ citizens who are not Australian permanent residents on their own right.

Until recently, a PR visa for NZ was relatively easier to obtain than a PR visa for Australia (skilled visas, that is). This was during the days when the passmark for NZ was 24.

Peter

Don

Rats! Maybe those already holding PR will be treated differently? (Hoping, but faint hope I kinow.)

JWW

Yep, agree, if by temporary you mean you can stay there forever as long as you don't get deported...but you can't claim dole until you have been there for 10 years..and then for a maximum of 6 months. Everything else is as an Aussie though I believe?

I think the extra 5 points gained by working there for 6 months will get most people across the line. It's just that the only current advantage I could see was if you were too old for OZ PR.

JWW

I didn't see you as a temporary NZ PR Don. Never mind...you can still visit.

ptlabs

NZ citizens (excluding NZ permanent visa holders) without explicit Australian permanent visas are given SCVs (special category visas) upon arrival in Australia.

As as SCV holder, one can live and work in Australia indefintely so long as the present arrangements remain as they are. However, there is no pathway to Australian citizenship via a SCV, and there is no permanent residence for a non-Australian, non-NZ'er spouse of an SCV holder. Children born to NZ'ers on SCVs in Australia do not get Australian citizenship by birth either. They receive the same visas as their parents.

I can't comment on the dole part, as that's not something I've done any research on (I'll never be a NZ'er with an SCV, you see).

Peter

JWW

I think it was a liking of the dole by certain NZ'ers that led to the full rights being removed.

Also think there will be trouble ahead with the child policy. Consider this, child born in OZ to NZ parents gets SCV. Spends first 20 years in OZ, steals car, gets deported to a country has never lived in.

ptlabs

In this scenario, it is unlikely the child will be legally deport-able.

A child who spends his/her first 10 years of life in Australia automatically becomes an Australian citizen on his/her 10th birthday by operation of law.

Peter

JWW

fair enough, but the problem will still exist for NZ kids taken there while very young.

ptlabs

Quite true.

As I said, there is no pathway for SCV holders to "graduate" into Australian nationals. As long as you're not an Australian citizen, you are liable to be deported from Australia under some circumstances.

In any case, the pseudo permanent nature of the SCV makes it difficult for a NZ'er to realize that his/her stay in Australia on an SCV is really non-permanent.

Peter

Don

We already have NZ PR permits but were bearing in mind the possibility of getting NZ passports after 2 years and having the right to work in Aus for a few years if we felt like it.

ptlabs

Don,

The wait for NZ citizenship for skilled migrants to NZ is 3, not 2, years.

Peter

Don

Whoops! Brainstorm. You're right (and I already knew it!) but I wouldn't want to confuse anyone else. (Busy at the moment calculating our 184 days in NZ over each of 2 years to get the IRR.)

robernelli

No I can't understand why people would want to do that either. Do us all a favour, those that want to go to Oz, apply to Oz and leave us people seriously dedicated to NZ apply without the system being clogged up by wanabe Aussies


Rob

BritboyNZ

JWW

Be interested to see some hard information/press release/newspaper article etc on this if you have it - or is this just another unsubstantiated rumour/comment from a mate in the pub?

Doesn't take a year to obtain NZ Citizenship either - Internal Affairs quote on their website (and if you phone them like i did on Monday) 'between 5 and 8 months' and '8 months at the very outside'. In reality it is often less than this, and depends entirely where you live, as local authorities hold citizenship ceremonies at differing intervals. A S. African friend of mine who lives on the shore (North Shore City Council) recently applied, waiting time of 5.5 months. His girlfriend who lives in Mt Eden (Auckland City) waiting time was 3 months.

If you have any info please post it - I'm about to submit my citizenship app in a few weeks time, so this sort of news is the last thing I need right now!! :scared:

russ