Partner of NZ citizen residence visa
 

Hi, have been a reader here for a little while - thanks for all the help ;) - but having now sent off my application was wondering how long people have had to wait for any contact such as email or indication the application is being looked at? I know it's 4 months processing time but was wondering when you know it isn't just gathering dust ;)

Thanks

Re: Partner of NZ citizen residence visa
 

I expect you'll get caught up in Christmas shutdown where not much happens in NZ until end of January early February. Might as well relax and enjoy your Christmas - unless it's been a while already then you could just give them a call and check where it's at.

Re: Partner of NZ citizen residence visa
 

Thanks, was just wondering what other people's experience was :) don't need to chase just yet but thought finding out more might help pass the wait time :)

Re: Partner of NZ citizen residence visa
 

Typically just after asking the question we noticed payment had been taken and then today I got my documents back in the post with a request for an amended page of the application.....I guess we're underway :)

Re: Partner of NZ citizen residence visa
 

30/06/17 - Partner of NZ citizen residence visa application sent
19/07/17 - I emailed to ask whether application has been received, and they replied to say it was on their system held in a queue
24/07/17 - Application fee has been taken from my bank account, text received from DHL about a delivery
27/07/17 - Received package from DHL with my documents back, and request to return my application amended
28/07/17 - Sent the application back to NZ
18/08/17 - I emailed to ask whether they had received it, and they replied to say that it has been reattached to my application
29/10/17 - Received email from my allocated immigration officer requesting additional evidence
31/10/17 - Sent the additional evidence requested
09/11/17 - Marked as delivered

Have yet to hear anything back since. But I assume their offices are dead over the Summer.

I hope your experience is a lot quicker and smoother!

Re: Partner of NZ citizen residence visa
 

That's really helpful thank you :) I'm currently up to having had my docs back and have returned, as requested, an amended page of the application form...in a similar timescale to your experience of this.

Quick question, who or where did you email for updates prior to having an allocated IO?

Hope you hear something soon....my timescale has only been since November so some things are clearly still moving despite the summer.

Re: Partner of NZ citizen residence visa
 

I emailed [email protected] quoting my application number and client number as stated on my returned documents. Before my documents were returned to me with this information, I just gave them my full name, date of birth and passport number.

Hope that helps!

Re: Partner of NZ citizen residence visa
 

Thanks 😊 that's really helpful x

Re: Partner of NZ citizen residence visa
 

Finally got a response from my immigration officer after requesting an update as it's been so long, and she said that she had already sent me an Approval in Principle letter on 30th November. I told her that I hadn't received it, and apparently my email address may have been mistyped! (Which is ridiculous, that that could happen, in my opinion...) So she sent it to me again, and I'll be sending my passport to the VAC in London today and should hopefully get it back stamped with my residence visa within 2 weeks! (The letter states that I have until May 2018 to send it, for the record.)

Hope that helps out more with your timeframe!

Re: Partner of NZ citizen residence visa
 

Wow! Fantastic news, congratulations :)

I agree, the typo excuse is ridiculous!!!

Re: Partner of NZ citizen residence visa
 

Well unless the typo made it a random but valid email address that doesn't wash, that is what email bounce-backs are for...

Re: Partner of NZ citizen residence visa
 

That was my first thought, surely they would have seen that it bounced! Also doesn't explain why my emails went ignored for a while...

Oh well, it's annoying and a little inconvenient but at least it should be smooth sailing from here and I'll get my visa soon.

Had I received the email when I was supposed to, it would have brought total time to less than 6 months, so their estimated processing time of 4-6 months is accurate.

Re: Partner of NZ citizen residence visa
 

Hope she forwarded it so you can see where she initially sent it.

Re: Partner of NZ citizen residence visa
 

Nope. She just attached the PDF in her reply to me.

Re: Partner of NZ citizen residence visa
 

I was lucky to have a CO who was really great with email communications. She replied within hours of my emails so was kept in the loop most of the time. Sorry to hear you didn't have the same experience Ria :( How frustrating to be approved back in Nov and not know about it.

So based on my timescale I was around the 6 months Mark too, although I did have to supply some additional medical evidence just before Christmas. Hope this helps!

Re: Partner of NZ citizen residence visa
 

Very surprised to get my approval in principal this morning 😊 just over 3 months from initial application!! I now just have to send my passport off.

How do I find out what the travel conditions are....if any? I was told on the helpline I'd be eligible for permanent residence as my partner has been out of NZ for over 5 years and we've evidenced being together for longer than that but can't work out if that's what I've been granted.....any ideas?

Re: Partner of NZ citizen residence visa
 

Congratulations :))) !!!

Travel conditions? - yes, you have to activate your visa within a certain time frame (can't remember how long - sorry) but that is all.

Correct - look at the bottom part - you most certainly qualify:
https://www.immigration.govt.nz/opsmanual/30877.htm

Re: Partner of NZ citizen residence visa
 

Thank you :) exciting times! Best get the passport sent off!

Re: Partner of NZ citizen residence visa
 

Travel conditions are date of entry and then from that date in 2 years time you will need to apply to have the travel conditions removed if you wish to leave NZ and still be able to gain entry back in. Obviously if you have no intentions of ever leaving NZ then you won't have to pay for the privilege of a overseas holiday

Re: Partner of NZ citizen residence visa
 

Great news! Congrats. Once you get your Visa back it will state any conditions on it. I was expecting conditions for travel but mine came with no conditions or expiry. Happy days.

Re: Partner of NZ citizen residence visa
 

09/04: My application was submitted on April 9th, 2018 under Partner of NZ citizen Residence Visa
18/04: I emailed to ask whether application has been received
23/04: Received email from NZI that my application had been received and tendered into their system and was waiting for processing
02/05: Application fee had been taken from my bank account
06/07: I emailed to check the status
10/07: Received email from NZI that my application was awaiting allocation to one of their immigration officers
13/07: Received email from my allocated immigration officer requesting to return my application amended because some pages need to add more information. She/ He said that this requirements were sent to me on May 2nd => I was really frustrated because I didn't receive any their email until I emailed them to check the status on Jul 6th
17/07: Sent the application back to NZ
19/07: Text received from DHL about a delivery
20/07: I emailed to ask whether she/ he had received it
She/ He didn't reply me.
Continue waiting ..... I have no idea why she/ he didn't reply my email :(

Re: Partner of NZ citizen residence visa
 

Their communication seems to be terrible. I still can't believe that the entire process for me, from application to visa in my passport, took over 6 months! I hope that everything goes smoothly for you from here... I played the patient game and twice didn't hear from them for up to a couple months. If I had to go through that process again, I'd chase them up a lot more toward the end of it.

Good luck!

Re: Partner of NZ citizen residence visa
 

Thank you Rita. It seems to be taking long time
I think that I will have to play the patient game like you :(

Re: Partner of NZ citizen residence visa
 

Patient Pants is the name of the game.

Much depends on individual cases & the case load per officer. Also just how many officers are available for said case loads.

Here is a LINK TO ASSORTED VISA PROCESSING TIMES.

Re: Partner of NZ citizen residence visa
 

I received the email from my allocated immigration officer requesting additional evidence today. Anyone knows how to show the evidence of financial interdependency. I and my boyfriend don't use the same bank account:zzz:
Thanks a lots in advance!

Re: Partner of NZ citizen residence visa
 

Do you both the same address for bank statements and other forms of bills

wills?

Allocated death in service benefits from company pensions schemes.?

One of the requirements for my pension scheme to pay out was also proof of financial dependency. I arranged a notarized statement of financial dependency. the pensions people seemed to find it acceptable on the basis they did not decline it!!

Re: Partner of NZ citizen residence visa
 

Any bills or contractual obligations, loans mortgages or such like where you are both named as jointly responsible. Bank statements showing transfers of funds from you to him, or vice versa. We didn't have joint bank accounts either but can easily show evidence of monthly transfers between our accounts to cover bills, holidays etc.

Re: Partner of NZ citizen residence visa
 

I think we have been very lucky with our application, I am the NZ Permanent Resident so my partner has applied for residency along with our two children. They received our application on the 29th May 2018 and took the fee and returned original documents quickly. On the 17th July we received an email from our immigration officer stating that my partner and children were eligible for residency and he had completed his tasks and had passed the file to a colleague who would check 'quality' (don't know what this means). We phoned immigration yesterday and all they would tell us is that the application is in the final stages. I am hoping to hear from them again soon asking for the passports.

Evidence wise I sent them 4 years worth of mortgage statements, our last will and testament, 3 years worth of tax credit awards notices, wage slips showing we lived at the same address, life insurance paperwork, water bills, three years worth of council tax bills and all my divorce paperwork. I presume it also helps that we have a 2 and a 4 year old child together as the birth certificates confirm.

Good luck to all who are going through this process! Its an emotional rollercoaster!

Re: Partner of NZ citizen residence visa
 

Sorry you've had lots of delays, I was very pleased mine went through relatively smoothly. In terms of finances my husband and I have never had a joint account, rent, mortgage or bills. I did provide bank statements as others have said, demonstrating money moving between our accounts, council tax letters were also useful and we added me onto any bills we could when we realised we might need them (telephone, water, utilities etc) so only had the most recent of these. I included a covering letter explaining why we had separate finances, my being a student for several years and it being more that we just didn't rather than an active decision not to. Hope that helps and the process picks up momentum from here.

Re: Partner of NZ citizen residence visa
 

Thank you so much! I will record the bank statements showing our same address and will write a covering letter explaining why we had separate finances
Thanks a lot to all of you!

Re: Partner of NZ citizen residence visa
 

Good luck to you! We are stunned that my family now have their visa after only 66 days! I hope once you send this evidence away they process yours quickly, Good luck with your move!

Re: Partner of NZ citizen residence visa
 

Hi all,
Hoping someone might be able to answer this for me or give some advice_
We want to move to NZ asap - I have my NZ passport as I was born there and my son and daughter now have NZ passports.
We have been married 25 years -son and daughter are 22 and 19.
We planned to move last year but unfortunately my wife had an emergency major operation. Thankfully she is quite healthy and fit now.
My wife is going through the process of applying for "partner of a NZ citizen" permanent residence visa - She has the police cert, character reference etc and is going for the visa medical this week.
Does anyone know if we would be better off just going to New Zealand and then my wife applying for a visa while in NZ?
Or would anyone recommend we just be patient and go through the application here in UK?
Any advice appreciated. :thumb:

Re: Partner of NZ citizen residence visa
 

Entirely up to you, we came over with myself and the kids on visitors visas, application was with Case Officer, this gives you 6 months, if from the UK, to get things sorted but you do need an onward flight out of NZ or they won't let you board.

Re: Partner of NZ citizen residence visa
 

Thanks for the info MrsFychan,
That may well be the way we do it. We have a lot to organise yet though. Good to be able to log in here to gauge other peoples experience and ask advice.

Re: Partner of NZ citizen residence visa
 

Has anyone done the new online application? I applied mine in to the system the 15th July. I received confirmation that the application had been received on the 17th July and payment was confirmed taken on the 27th July.

Confirmation I received was:
We have received your Partner of a New Zealander - Resident visa application. Your application number is XXXXXXXX.
An officer will assess your application. Your application may be assessed at any Immigration New Zealand office across the world.
This is an automated email. If you have already received a message about this application, please follow the advice in that message. Otherwise we will contact you if you need to do anything.

Now the waiting game!

Re: Partner of NZ citizen residence visa
 

We are completing an online application now for my wife.
I am at the stage of filling out form INZ 1178 as I am the New Zealand partner. I thought everything was done - wife's police cert. medical, etc etc - until I got to the page where it say's I have to submit a Police certificate and also we have to get the form signed by a lawyer or a notary public!
Another week or so to get that done before we can submit it.
Just a quick question Knickerdropofglory - When you uploaded PDF files, did you attach more than 1 piece of evidence? -i.e bank statement

Re: Partner of NZ citizen residence visa
 

Yea, I uploaded everything I had. And I referenced them in the time line.

Re: Partner of NZ citizen residence visa
 

Thanks. I will upload as much as I can 😁

Re: Partner of NZ citizen residence visa
 

Finally, my visa was approved. This forum is really helpful and thank you very much to all of you!

Re: Partner of NZ citizen residence visa
 

I was allocated my case officer 4th August and was instructed to go to the VFS office to have my Passport authenticated.