hi again
 

hi again,

-after much reading over the last few weeks my girlfriend and i have
decided to go down the temporary work visa route and hold off on the eoi
until we build up enough points while living and working in nz.

-i will travel to nz this may from the uk and hopefully get a job offer. on the back of that i will apply for a temp. work visa. (a job which no nz'er can fill).

-on the back of this my partner (together offically living together for 4 months) will apply for a work permit on the back of my work visa being granted so we can build up the official 12 months proof of living together.
then go for our eoi.

questions for anyone who may know......
1. do we apply *together for work visa or wait until i am granted my visa first?
2. how difficult will it be for my partner to get the work permit on the back of my work permit being granted?
3. as i will have to have to get a job offer that no nz' er can fill has anyone experience of this by the way and perhaps give tips?

we have been in a relationship since sept 09 but have a tenancy agreement
actual proof only since oct 10 anything before that is a bit thin.

any help appreciated

Re: hi again
 

IMHO they are two BIG hurdles.

Why don't you both just apply for WHV and try and get good work asap and convert to work visa's at that point?

Re: hi again
 

we are too old for whv :(

Re: hi again
 

OK, I've read back some of your other posts.

You need a job offer, you know this and have some ideas how to get one, you are aware of the hoops the employer would have to jump through. Coming over on a visitors visa/waiver is one way.

Assuming you get a job offer and assuming that leads to a work permit for you, your partner will need to apply under the partner catagory, if the partnership is accepted she will then be granted a work permit to match the time of yours. Other possibilities are the NZIS don't accept the partnership and decline her application or possibly they allow her a work permit while the qualifying period for the partnership is built up.

That is how it will work for Karen, she won't IMHO qualify for a work permit in her own right, you will need her to apply as your partner, her application can and should go in together with yours.

Re: hi again
 

Hey
not sure bout the visa side of things but as for proving your relationship we had the same problem. We both had our own house's and paid our own bills although we ended up living together in my house. We never bothered to have any joint bills (long story but i had been stung by that one before)
they just stayed as they were, we worked it out in other ways ie I pay the gas he buys the shopping etc etc.

We had an immigration advisor who gave us loads of great suggestions for proving our relationship.

*provide photo's together and in particular pics of the two of you with each others family. Or Bday pics that may show you celebrating bdays that prove the length of your relationship.

*Ask family to write letters of support. (if you lived together at a parents house ask the parent in question to vouch for this) These were very cheesy and quite funny for us, make sure you write a few bullet points that you ensure you want them to include.

* Do you have any receipts from gifts you have brought each other over the years? Send any you do have.

I can PM you few other ideas if you like?

hope this helps :thumbsup:

p.s
as i said im not sue about the visa stuff in your situation however, IMO it would be better to apply together and send the apps together. You won't be the first couple to take this route and as long as you are intending to work preferably in a sector needed by NZ, they will understand that you will want to make the move together.

Re: hi again
 

thank you both very much,

i have travelled to london to be with her and she to ireland to be with me we did this for 9 months then in july last i moved to the uk full time to live in her flat she was already renting. i got work within 2 weeks and in october we rented a larger flat for the two of us. so i take it from october in their eyes
it is official we are seen as a partners as we are both on the lease.
this will be short 12 months. if we apply in may/june.

because her family is all over in south africa and mine in ireland there is not
really any family photos yet however we are going for a weekend in march to ireland so will take a few then. we have plenty already of the two of us over the last year or so.

much work to be done over the weeks before i travel
:fingerscrossed:

Re: hi again
 

Provide whatever evidence you have going back over whatever period you can get, let them decide. The discretion in only to allow the 12mth cohabit period to complete if the case officer is otherwise satisfied that the relationship is long-term and stable.

So if you provide evidence of the distance relationship it would probably be in your interest and may get you a better result.