DonnaS

Does anyone know if you can apply for residency in NZ and Australia at the same time?

muppetking

Only if you're two faced! Er......I don't think so

Kiwipaul

I don't see why not but you'd have to pay for virtually 2 of everything, medicals, application fees.

They are in fact 2 sep independent countries.

Don

You can do that perfectly legally and neither DIMIA nor NZIS will bat much of an eyelid but bear in mind Aus PR holders automatically can get NZ PR from day 1 too so think about the cost.

Cheers - Don

Kiwipaul

Hi Don

I'm not so sure your right their. A NZ PR cannot get into Aus untill they obtain NZ citizenship and hence a passport. For this you have to wait 2 or 3 years.

A NZ PR gives the holder ZERO right to enter Australia. I would assume the same applies in reverse.

Don

Nah, life's not fair sometimes. You're right in what you say about only NZ passport holders having the right to live & work in Aus, but the trans-Tasman treaty is a bit more generous to Aus PR holders (no Aus passport needed) who can get NZ PR from day 1.

Cheers - Don

DonnaS

Thanks guys for your comments. Will be helpful in my decision-making!

Slippers

Blimey. How much delight can one life endure?

BritboyNZ

Don is absolutely right about this - and if I'd known this 3yrs ago I would have done things slightly differently:

Instead of applying for NZ PR, apply for Aus PR. Australia gives you a 5 year residents visa/RRV initially.

Enter NZ using the Aus RRV, spend 3 years in NZ & obtain NZ citizenship. Then once you've got a NZ passport, move to Australia. Your Oz RRV would still be valid and have between 1.5-2yrs left on it (depending on how long it takes DIA to process your NZ Citizenship). Stay in australia as a resident, after 2 years you would be eligible for aussie citizenship & get an aussie passport. Obviously, you would have to be a bit careful if you wanted to leave oz for a holiday, especially towards the end of the 2yr period in oz as your RRV might have expired.

Then you'd be in the very nice position of being a Tri National (not many of those about!!) and would be able to live in either NZ or Australia regardless of any rule changes the NZ/Australian governments made to the Trans-Tasman travel arrangement.

Plus, you'd only have to submit ONE application for PR (to Australia), have One set of medicals done and only one police cert!

Why didnt someone tell me that 3 yrs ago??

DonnaS

Thanks for the advice. I actually want to end up in NZ, but I've probably got a higher chance of getting PR in Oz as I have an employer ready to sponsor me. I am likely to work some of the time initially in Oz anyway, but ultimately want to live in NZ. Sounds like Ozzy PR is the best option all round!

Anyone know the turnaround time on AustralianPR visas when lodged in the UK, assuming employer sponsorship category?

DonnaS

OK, so another one to think about! If I get Oz PR, then go to NZ - I've been told by the NZ Immigration Dept, that I'm not able to sponsor my husband to be a resident of NZ, unless I've been living there for some time as I'd officially have Australian residency. So he'd need to apply himself, and probably wouldn't get the points required.

anyone had any experience of doing this? anyone know the ins and outs of the spouse status in visa applications, for both Oz and NZ?

this is becoming more confusing by the minute!!