AIP letter / residence visa / section 49
 

Some questions for you peeps!

I've received my AIP letter stating that we have been successful in being awarded a "New Zealand resident visa" - and that I should ensure I have one blank page in my passport :thumbup:

Our visas are subject to the following section 49(1) conditions:

1. Take up offer of employment within 3 months of landing in NZ;
2. Remain in that employment for at least 3 months;
3. Inform nearest branch NZIS of our address;
4. Provide written evidence of attaining 1, 2 and 3 within 5 yrs of arriving in NZ.

Now I'm assuming that once we've sent this information (which could be 4 or 5 months after arriving) we'll be granted a permanent visa with no travel restrictions?

Also, what travel restrictions are there on our resident visa? I've read posts about IRRV, RRV etc. but as far as I'm aware they've been replaced by PR and residence visas...

Finally I read an old post (2008 I think, not on this forum) where someone said that if you're granted residence under SMC you need to start work no more than 3 months from the date the visa is issued and not the date you land in NZ... please say this is no longer the case (this seems contrary to section 49(1), number 1 above).

Re: AIP letter / residence visa / section 49
 

From Pesephone's thred http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=705733

Now:
On gaining residency you are issued with a 'Resident Visa with travel conditions' This allows you to enter NZ as a resident for the 1st time, to return to NZ as a resident if you go overseas and also acts as a residence permit. This visa lasts for 2 years. In effect there is little change from what happens now but the terminology is different.

Once this visa runs out you apply for a 'Permanent Resident Visa' [PRV]which allows you to leave and return to NZ and has an indefinite expiry date. So it is similar to an indefinite RRV. If you do not fulfill the conditions for a PRV then you will be issued a further Resident Visa with travel conditions of 1 or 2 years. The conditions needed to gain a PRV are similar to those needed for an IRRV.

So in reality things haven't really changed that much.

Hope that makes things clearer re travel restrictions.

My OH arrived with old style visa which had clause 18. He also had to be in employment within 3 months of landing in NZ for a period of 3 months. Once he had fulfilled that he sent everything into immigration in ChCh to be told now section 49 applied and he also had to prove that his employment was ongoing and sustainable. His boss wrote a letter supporting him which was also sent in to immigration in ChCh. Not too sure atm where all his paperwork is right now.......!