Tourist visa - how long in, how long away.
 

We have been waiting since 2016 to get a Parents immigration visa for NZ, the rules keep changing, the process keeps stopping and starting, and Covid isn't helping.

Up until recently you could do 6 months in NZ 6 months in UK each year which works well with opposite summers.
Now it seems that you can do 9 months in 18, I'm still working this out but 6 on 6 off no longer works.
One alternative might be to spend some time in Australia on a tourist visa because flying trans Tasman is cheaper than flying to and from the UK.
However I am struggling to find out the details.

Government site says we can get a 3,6 or 12 month visa (although it may take up to 4 months for it to be granted?) but I haven't yet found how long you have to be out of the country before you can come back.

Advice and information very welcome.

Re: Tourist visa - how long in, how long away.
 

Technically just one day, but Immigration may ask lots of questions if you do that

Re: Tourist visa - how long in, how long away.
 

Generally the 12 month visa is 12 in any 18 months. Not sure about the others.
Also I’m not sure if you can enter from NZ if you are not a NZ resident or citizen.

Re: Tourist visa - how long in, how long away.
 

Yes, you can as long as you have a valid visa.

Re: Tourist visa - how long in, how long away.
 

Thanks for the information.

If we spend 4.5 months each year in NZ (from 9 in 18) this gives us the summer there but doesn't clear the winter in the UK.
November, December, January and February for example still puts you back in the UK in March, when previously the 6 months would have put you back in May which is much more pleasant.

It does look as though it is practical to spend most of the time split between NZ and Australia should we wish to leave the UK without/before getting an NZ resident visa.
I just need to sit down and work out if the 12 in 18 and 9 in 18 (which adds up to 21 in 18!) can be organised so there aren't any unfortunate gaps or a drift so we would be spending summer in Oz (bit hot) and winter in NZ (bit cold).

All just speculative planning but an interesting prospect if we, for instance, have to wait 2 or more years before getting an NZ resident visa.
Probably only worth while if we can avoid a couple of long haul flights at least every other year.