romey

Hi there some advice needed I've been granted my essential skills visa and the wife has been granted a partnership work visa with kids getting domestic student visas. The original plan was for all of us to move over together. But due to my daughter sitting her GCSE's next year we are of the thinking that it would be best for her to complete her GCSE first. So we now thinking that we all travel over together in the next couple of months and the wife and kids then return back to the UK after 2 or 3 weeks this way then activating there visas and they than return to NZ in June after the GCSE's exam.Now my question is there any time limits on the amount of time you must spend in NZ for their visas to be active. Thanks

MrsFychan

once you arrive the visa is activated but it may affect if you want to upgrade the in the future as you have to be here for a certain amount of days to upgrade.

romey

Once again thanks for the quick reply MrsFychan.Oh right. In my case yes at some point I'd like to move over to either WTR visa or skilled migrant visa. I'll obviously be staying in NZ it's just the wife and kids who will return to the UK for 8 months then return back. So will this affect them?

MrsFychan

not sure on that one especially with the new guidelines that may or may not be coming in August. I think at the moment you all have to be here.

"RV2.5.20 Base established in New Zealand

A principal applicant has demonstrated a commitment to New Zealand if they have established a base in New Zealand. A principal applicant is considered to have established a base in New Zealand if:
each and every member of their immediate family who was included in their application for a resident visa has resided in New Zealand for at least 184 days in the two year period immediately preceding the date the application for the permanent resident visa was made; and
they have been in New Zealand as a resident for a total of at least 41 days in the 12 months immediately preceding the date the application for the permanent resident visa was made; and either
they own and maintain a family home in New Zealand; or
they have been engaged in full time continuous genuine employment in New Zealand immediately preceding the date the application for the permanent resident visa was made."
taken from: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/opsmanual/

there are other criteria but as I say I'm not to sure so you should take advice from NZ Immigration

romey

Ok thanks. Yeh definitely think I need to speak to Immigration first