mattyreed

Hi, my girlfriend and I are planning to apply for a working holiday visa for New Zealand very soon. However I'm worried that I might not be eligible as I've been working and living in Taiwan for the last 3 years, although I've been back to the UK twice for a week on each occasion in that timeframe. Will this affect my chances? Am I still considered a usually permanent resident of the UK? Any help on this matter would be greatly appreciated.

MrsFychan

are you are UK citizen?
"You should note that to keep your permanent residence you should not spend longer than two years outside the UK. You should maintain ties to the UK and should consider the UK as your home(Permanent Residence). If you continue to only spend short periods of time in the UK over many years it is likely that there will come a time when you will lose your indefinite leave to remain in the UK. It is therefore beneficial in most cases to apply for UK citizenship. You can normally apply for naturalisation as an UK citizen one year after being granted indefinite leave to remain as long as you meet the residence requirements."

mattyreed

Sorry, I should have mentioned it. Yes, I am a UK citizen with a recently renewed British passport. I have tried to keep ties with the UK. My permanent address is officially in the UK, and I'm still covered by the NHS.

BEVS

Being covered by the NHS is immaterial.

You need to be ordinarily resident in the UK.

Are you dual national holding a Taiwan passport?

MrsFychan

I think the fact that you have not been in the UK for the pass few years will mean that you are not "usually permanent resident of the UK", the fact that you have a registered address there I don't think will cover it. The rules have changed recently in the UK so you do need to do some research. maybe have a chat with the guys in the Moving Back to UK section and see if they have any suggestions/advice.

mattyreed

I'm not a dual national. I returned to the UK for a week 2 months ago, and I'm not a permanent resident in Taiwan, I just hold a work visa which entitles me to stay as long as I have an employer to sponsor it.

MrsFychan

but your usual status is working in Taiwan on a visa so you are not domiciled in the UK so cannot therefore be usually permanent resident of the UK as far as I read it as it states you should not spend any more than 2 years outside the UK and you state that you have been away for 3 years.
As I said ask the guys in the Move Back to UK section they will know about it than maybe someone on this section
Moving back to the UK - British Expats

LauraNotts

You could always go back to the UK for a couple of months and get a job to save up some more pennies for NZ. It won't do you any harm to have more money and you'll be complying with the requirements for the WHV in NZ.