lipgloss1968

Hi All

I am new on here and was hoping for a bit of friendly advice.
My partner and I are looking into moving to NZ. We have been together less than 12 months and I have 2 children aged 9 and 14 from a previous relationship. (I have permission from my ex partner to take them out of the country)
My partner and I went to a seminar back in June to get an idea of what is needed. (we had no intentions of using them they were far to expensive!) My partner has a job it go to as his uncle has lived there for years and has his own fabrication business, they told us we would earn 140 points with the job offer. The job is in Eastbourne, very South of the North Island.
The people at the seminar said that my partner could go over after 6 months of us officially living together and my kids and I go over on a visitors visa, then after the 6 months we could apply for a residence visa while over there as we will have done the 12 months required. Is this correct? The other alternative is to wait 12 months and go over on 1 visa all together.
Thanks for your help in advance

MrsFychan

sorry but being a bit of a worry wart but ARE you sure, being together less than a year you want to take your children to the other side of the world away from their relatives? have you looked at the things you are giving and the education for the children?. not meaning to sound negative but a very big step for a very new family unit, have you spoken to the children.

also is your OH's uncle an accredited company so that he can actually give him a job?

lipgloss1968

Thanks for the reply and your genuine concern Mrs Fychan
Unfotunately I don't have any family living in the Uk except my sister, who is happy for us. My partner and I have just got engaged and my children love him to bits. My ex's family live on the Isle of Wight so they only see them once a year and his brother lives in Austrailia. I have spoke to the children at length about the pros and cons. Unfortunately their Dad doesn't have a good relationship with the children for various reasons past and present so although upsetting this isn't a major issue for them. We are meeting up with my partner's Uncle tonight as he is over in the UK visiting, I am hoping to get more info then. Any info regarding accredted companies would be much appreciated

MrsFychan

if the uncles company is not accredited he would have to prove that no Kiwi could do the work so he would have to show that he has tried to fill the position with someone already available to work in NZ and not been successful. I'm not sure how intense Immigration look into that. But if it is a skilled job then I know a company can get accredited but again not sure how they go about that. My husbands company had let their accreditation slip and had to reapply to allow them to offer him a position. (I believe that is correct from readingprevious posts on here)

lipgloss1968

Thanks for the reply.

I have found a list of companies on the NZ gov site and it doesn't seem to be on the list. If a company want's to be accredited is it just a case of applying, or do they have to meet certain criteria other than not being able to fill a postion by a Kiwi?
I forgot to mention before that my partner and I have been together well over a year but with no proof, (which seems to be a downfall for quite a few couples on here that I have read) so we have opened a joint bank account and we are both on all bills.

MrsFychan

sorry no idea how a company becomes accredited. others people on here may know more about getting employed by a company that is not accredited as it might be just those trying to get a visa via the Skilled lists.

what job offer does your partner have, skills etc?

escapedtonz

Hi and welcome,
I'm not far from Eastbourne. Just on the other side of Wellington harbour to be more precise.
Eastbourne is a lovely place to live. Beach isn't that good (pebbles and driftwood) and the sea is freezing but as a village it's cool.

Now earning enough points with a job offer to get the EOI automatically selected is good, but as you know the company must be accredited and the job must be skilled or else it doesn't fit the criteria of a Residency Visa via the skilled migrant route.
I'm questioning the advice you've been given.
So they've said....
Live together for 6 months, then your partner goes over to NZ to work and you/kids go over as visitors for 6 months which equals 12 months living together!
Questions:
1. What visa do you propose your partner to have secured which will allow him to come to NZ and work in Eastbourne (assuming no issues with accreditation and skilled work) ?
2. How do you/kids plan to convince Immigration that you are coming to NZ for 6 months as visitors ? What about return flights. Can you prove you have sufficient funds to visit for 6 months. Where will you live. What are you going to visit for 6 months. What about school for the kids - on a visitor visa there are maximum periods allowed for study which I think is 3 months.
3. Ok so you get by all the above and have done 6 months as a visitor in NZ so you have proof of a partnership - ie living together for 12 months......
Now you wish to apply for Residency....
Refer to question 1, what visa has your partner who is working got ?
If he is already a Resident then you must apply for your own Residency visa and that for your kids. You then won't have a partner on that application so don't need to prove a partnership living together 12 months or over.
You/kids are at the end of your visitor visa and must exit the country or you will become illegal.
4. Residency applications from inside NZ generally take 9 months which is less than UK. You must have a valid visa to be in NZ at all times. Having an application pending does not give you the right to stay until a decision is made.

If I was an advisor I would probably tell you different but I can't as I'm not authorised to do so ;-)
What I'll do is give you some assistance based on experience......
Live together for 12 months making sure you have all the proof of it, then go for Residency as a family. Your partner as principle applicant, you as secondary and your kids as dependants.
Will be a whole lot easier I'm sure.

Regards,

lipgloss1968

Thanks Escapedtonz
Excellent advice, if you aren't an advisor, you should be!
I think you are totally right. Although we will have to wait 12 months it is the easier option and will will all be on one visa.
My partner's cousin has offered to put us up until we decide where to live (we will probably rent first).
So it's just a case of waiting now.
Could I ask you, if we have the 140 points that give automatic selection does that mean that as soon as the EOI is received it will get selected in the next draw?

MrsFychan

yes 140 is auto selection. but you do need to make sure you fit the requirements as it is a costly business so before you submit the EOI I would make sure you have dotted the i's and ticked the t's that you are actually eligible.

escapedtonz

Hi,

Yes as MrsFychan says, if you have 140 points on the EOI, it is guaranteed selection at the next fortnightly pull.
What you are NOT guaranteed is ITA!
Once the EOI is selected, Immigration carry out preliminary checking to establish that the points you are claiming are reasonable, thus the need to make sure the EOI is correct.
It is at this point where Immigration can reduce your score and place the EOI back in the pool or worst case reduce your score under 100 points and remove it from the pool altogether.
If all is well you should receive ITA after approx. 2 weeks since the EOI was selected.

Regards,

lipgloss1968

Thanks so much
Could I ask anyone's opinion on employing an Emmigration Advisor?
Regards

MrsFychan

an advisor only collates together the information you give them, easily and cheaper done yourself. many including ourselves initially spoke to advisor and given incorrect information so we just called immigration house when we had a query. unless you have a very complicated application then needed a immigration lawyer I would say start the process yourself and just ask questions if unsure