jaynepc

Hi all,
I am jumping the gun a bit here, but like to know what processes are ahead of me and what to do! I am in NZ on a residence visa. When the 2 years is up, do you get invited to apply for permanent residency or do you have to apply yourself.....if so, can you start the application before the 2 years is up or do you have to wait until the 2 years is up? Also, when you apply....how long does it normally take to get, if successful? Thanks in advance for any replies, gratefully received!!!!, Jayne

simonsi

You must be on a Work To Residency (WTR) then?

If so do you also qualify for enough points under the SMC to be drawn from the pool? If so you can apply at anytime.

jaynepc

Hi, no i am on a residence visa....does this make a difference?

simonsi

Residency IS only PR (permanent residency), older versions have a 2yr Returning Residents Visa initially which you will need to apply to have replaced by an indefinite RRV when it needs renewing (if I understand correctly, I´m not 100% sure how the new system applies to older visa´s). The new ones have an RRV with travel restrictions for the first 2yrs.

But these are all about leaving NZ and returning. What wording on the visa is concerning you as residency is residency, nothing more needed after 2yrs unless you mean the Returning residents Visa (RRV).

jaynepc

thanks for reply......i have a residence visa in my passport along with a returning residents visa (i believe this has since changed....but anyway!).....so i guess what i am asking is for the indefinite returning residents visa....when can i apply for that and generally how long does it take? (i know....how long is a piece of string etc!!!)

Persephone

When your RRV runs out you apply for a Permanent Resident Visa [previously known as the indefinite RRV] and if you fulfill certain conditions you will be granted a PRV which is the same as an IRRV. I would suspect most people fulfill the spending >184 days in each of the two years preceding the application category.

You can apply before the 2 yr RRV expires but you will probably be issued with another 1 or 2yr Resident Visa with travel conditions [previously known as a 1 or 2 yr RRV]. The travel conditions refer to the amount of time the visa acts as a RRV. I think you tend to get a 1 yr visa but I'm not 100% on that.
So it isn't worth applying earlier unless you are planning on travelling when your RRV runs out.

You can download the forms from the NZIS website and apply by post or drop off the application or do what I did and go into the nearest immigration office- I got mine done within 90mins and probably would have been quicker if I hadn't gone in first thing Monday morning

simonsi

Check the Ops Manual here

As to how long, wouldn´t think very long at all, possibly while you wait if all the conditions are met....

Persephone

Mine was done while I waited but I spent half an hour in the main queue then was sent to the queue of people who were being issued new visas where I waited half an hour.
It took about 20mins for the man to look through my form and print off the PRV.
So if you go at the right time it would be a very quick process

The NZIS website doesn't give a lot of info about processing times in Auckland