Help with my son's visa
 

I am hoping someone can help with information about my son's prospective visa. I have an IRRV - my family emigrated from the UK to NZ way back in 1977 when I was a small child - but I never bothered to get NZ citizenship before a quick visit to the UK in 1997 turned into a 16 year stint. This has created a bit of a problem as while my two daughters were born in NZ, and therefore have NZ citizenship, my son was born here in the UK. Am I correct that we can only apply for residency for him (dependent child as he is 15) when we are already living permanently in NZ? So what will happen when we try to enrol him in school? Will we be charged international student fees as he will not have any visa? Do schools allow a period of grace while awaiting a visa, and how long might the visa process take?

Re: Help with my son's visa
 

I can only answer on the school thing. We spoke to the Head at the school we wished our children to attend but we had not got our visa's in the passports. She called the appropriate authority and was told as long as we could produce evidence that the visas had been approved then they would give us 2 weeks to submit the copies of the children's passport with the visas in.
As I was told that she had to get permission to allow us to do this then if you don't have the evidence of the visa's going into the passports then you will have to pay International Studies fees.

I don't know anything about IRRV and looking on Immigration website couldn't come up with anything helpful but it might be different with whatever visa you will have when you come.

Re: Help with my son's visa
 

Thank you MrsFychan. I had hoped that they had a "period of grace", so your reply was welcome. Did the headteacher want to see your visas or your children's visas (or both)? I have my Indefinite Returning Residents Visa in my passport - would that be enough do you think? Actually, I have just this minute had a reply from one school that has stated that since I have permanent residency, my son would be enrolled as a domestic student. That seems to solve the problem???

Re: Help with my son's visa
 

The terminology for resident visas has changed. IRRVs and residence permits are no longer issued but the equivalent is the Permanent Resident Visa [PRV]. You will be issued a PRV when your passport expires and you seek to renew your NZ visa.
You do not need to do anything until that point as an IRRV is deemed to be a PRV.
Essentially the two are exactly the same. You do not get issued a residence permit on arrival anymore, just a date of entry stamp.

Funny, I looked this up for another poster today-must be move your child to NZ day:D
It does look like you need to actually be in NZ to get a resident visa issued for your child.
I found this under temporary entry:
Good thing too, looking at this:
This is Auckland's processing time. Have a look on the NZIS website under 'contact us', click on the specific branch and then 'processing times'
http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migra...alvisitors.htm

Someone must have been through this to help out a little bit more than I can!

Re: Help with my son's visa
 

6 to 9 months!!!! You would hope like h**l that the school allowed the children to be enrolled as domestic students - otherwise it would be an expensive business paying international school fees for that length of time, and that might deter some kiwis who wish to return with foreign born children. One the one hand it says "processed before other categories", but then states the long time frame. It seems contradictory???

Re: Help with my son's visa
 

I think it means all other family categories but yeah it's a long time. Parent category says 18-24 months just for a case officer to be allocated.
Hope you're not stuck with international fees for that time:eek: Surely not, as that would be a major disincentive to returning NZers and residents.

I don't know which branch you'll be applying to but that was just Auckland; though I suspect things will be much the same wherever you're going...

Re: Help with my son's visa
 

Forgot study visas existed: looks like this is what you need

http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migra...iningmyfamily/

Re: Help with my son's visa
 

we provided them with the confirmation letter that we had been accepted and that the case was being transferred to Wellington office (we started our PR whilst still in the UK) for the stamps to go into the passports.

I see that you have no real time frame to return so its good you've started to look at this now before time frames are short.

Re: Help with my son's visa
 

You could try emailing them

[email protected] (london)

New Zealand ones don't seem to have email addresses listed

so Auckland Fax no: +64 9 914 4118

and see what they say, least that way you have it in black and white

Re: Help with my son's visa
 

Thank you!!!:starsmile: I have just emailed them. I will update on their reply.