LyndaW

Hello, I am a single retired British woman currently living in France. I am now considering moving & am doing research online regarding emigration to New Zealand. However, I keep coming unstuck when trying to find out whether I would be eligible for emigration because [a] I live in France; & [b] I am not seeking employment. I have tried without success to speak to someone on the telephone so wonder if anyone can help, please? All the questionnaires I have found regarding eligibility so far are aimed at Brits living in Britain.

This idea is in its infancy & I have yet to research the different areas of the two islands making up New Zealand as to where would be best for me to live. I would like, as here, a rural setting with land & access to good walking as I have a large dog who would come with me. I also have a load of cats, a horse, a donkey & 30+ chooks but I guess a lot of these will have to be left behind if I do decide that NZ is the next place for me to live.

If anyone can offer any help, I would be interested to hear from them.

LyndaW

Jan n Neil

Where you live is irelevant to be honest. New Zealand has a points system and you would need several criteria to have enough points to be pulled from the pool of applicants. Go to the NZ immigration site to check how many points you have. for details click on this

However, perhaps I could be cheeky and ask how old you are, because if you are over 55 and have no family centred in New Zealand, your chances are just about zero I'm afraid

Jan

LyndaW

Hi Jan

Thanks for your reply & for the link to the points system - 36 pages to trawl through so I will do that today.

I am 61 & no, I don't have any family in New Zealand. I know that where I live is irrelevant but I made that point simply because I am resident in France & as such do not have an address in the UK any more. Because of this you immediately get stuck on the pages where you are asked for an address & so can't get any further. I was speaking to someone last night who knows Brits who live in NZ & she too thought that I would not have much chance of gaining entry. Where next.....................??

If anyone else has any comments, I would be pleased to read them.

Lynda

Jan n Neil

Hi,
There is an upper age limit of 55 and over that you need to be pretty much in demand in the Skills list, have a job offer, and to have your future employer plea a special case.

I fear that NZ is not for you. Their immigration is all about up-skilling NZ, not - in the nicest possible way - retiring to it, sorry.

Jan

Genesis

I was going to add to the comments about the 55 age limit. As has been said that age is pretty much it unless you have a really important job to fill that is greatly needed by NZ or the other alternative is that you are stinking rich. There is a compromise for you though. As an EU resident I believe that you have every year the right to visit NZ as a tourist for 6 months. Obviously you would not be able to avail yourself to ANY benefits of NZ re social welfare and you would need a health ins for the duration and most definitely a return ticket from whence you came. My mates mum from the UK comes over for 6 months every year. Please anyone correct me if I am wrong.

IngStina

You could also check out the LTBV where you could acquire a business to work at to get yourself over. There are two options depending on what kind of money you have but even the long one would have you work your business for at least three years to gain PR, always supposing that NZIS thinks you're doing a good job, then you could move on and do whatever you want. Check out the particulars on their website and then ask any questions here as there are a few who have gone this route, your age doesn't matter.


Kristina

LyndaW

Thanks for all your comments, though they don't say what I wanted them to say!! Guess that NZ is not going to be welcoming me with open arms......... I have written to the High Commission in the UK with a very brief outline of my situation but from what you have said here I imagine that the answer will be in the negative. I have been retired for over 11 years so don't feel like going back to work now! I am really disappointed that this door is closed to me & I can't do the 6 months here, 6 months there as I have animals, so it's either full-time or nothing for me. If I hear anything that might be of interest, I will post it here.

Lynda

Toon_Nut

Hi Lynda, hope this help in some way;

New Zealand does not have an official permanent retirement immigration category. You may nevertheless still be able to retire to New Zealand provided you:

• Qualify for the temporary retirement category.

• Qualify for permanent residence in one of the country's normal immigration categories.

Temporary Retirement Category
This is a two year visitor visa which, importantly, is renewable. This visa is not for everyone, however. The main requirement is money. This begins with the NZ$2,600 application fee. Then to be approved under the Temporary Retirement Category you must:

• be aged 66 years or over

• invest NZ$0.75 million in New Zealand for two years, in an acceptable investment

• demonstrate ownership of NZ$0.5 million of maintenance funds and an annual income of NZ$60,000 at the time you apply

• meet standard health and character requirements

• hold and maintain comprehensive travel and/or health insurance for the duration of your stay

Successful applicants will be issued with a two year multiple entry visitor's visa/permit which allows them to stay for two years, and travel in and out of New Zealand during that time.

You can re-apply for another visitor's permit/visa under this category if you:

• continue to meet all the requirements above; and

• can demonstrate that you have maintained your travel and/or health insurance and your investment funds in an acceptable investment during the two year duration of your stay.

You may include your partner in your application; however dependent children cannot be included.

An acceptable investment is defined as investment that:

1. is in either one or more of the following:

• bonds issued by the New Zealand government or local authorities, or

• bonds issued by New Zealand firms traded on the New Zealand Debt Securities Market (NZDX), or

• bonds issued by New Zealand firms with at least a BBB- or equivalent rating from internationally recognised credit rating agencies (for example, Standard and Poor's), or

• equity in New Zealand firms (public or private), including managed funds

and:

2. is capable of a commercial return under normal circumstances and has the potential to contribute to New Zealand's economy, and

3. is invested in New Zealand in New Zealand currency, and

4. has the potential to contribute to New Zealand's economy, and

5. is invested in lawful enterprises or managed funds that comply with all relevant laws in force in New Zealand, and

6. is not for the personal use of the applicant(s), and

7. is not (directly or indirectly) invested in residential property or deposit taking financial institutions (eg banks or finance companies).

Application forms and guides for the Temporary Retirement Category are available for download, or from Immigration New Zealand branches.

http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migra...es/default.htm

Good luck!

TN

Jan n Neil

At the moment, Lynda is not old enough for this.... but we all will be one day (although not rich enough)

LyndaW

Toon Nut

Wow, thanks for all that but, as Jan says, I am not yet old enough to qualify!! Still waiting to hear from the High Commission in London but I suspect that I will not be successful. I spoke to someone today who has a friend who was in a similar situation to me & who gained entry to NZ so perhaps he knows something we don't!!

Lynda

Toon_Nut

Genesis, how long do you have to leave the country for? I'm assuming you can't just "hop owa" to Ozz then hop back again for another 6 months?

cappuccino

AFAIK you have to be out the same amount of time as you are in i.e. 6 months in NZ then 6 months somewhere else.

Persephone

Pretty much what Cappucino has said. The actual wording from the fountain of all knowledge which is the NZIS website:

dfjordan

If you want space, countryside, room for all your animals, no taxes, good climate why not think about Costa Rica? They wleocme retired people with open arms

BEVS

I'm not sure where you are looking TBH. The official NZIS website doesn't ask for an address UK based or otherwise.

Trying not to be blunt - but I will be do you have business experience and do you have loads of money ?

Please read HERE abut the Investor Category Requirements for those under 65.

The basics