Bonitarosa

We're all in a bit of a frenzy here as our sons medical has a query on it which we know the answer to but are waiting for his specialist to put it in writing and hoping and praying that it will satisfy the requirements for him to get his visa.

Stupidly we have flights booked for the 11th Feb. We're wondering if we can get our belongings ready for shipping (but hold in storage until we have the go ahead for him) and still fly with him on a visit visa. It would mean requesting our passports and visas back and his visa. If he is granted a visa can we get it for him whilst out there?

We've sent these questions directly as we'll but haven't got a response yet. Just wondering if anyone has been through this and managed to make it work?

Thanks in advance for any info or advice.

simonmarkellis

I can think of two down sides to that... Coming on a visitor visa, he'd have to have onward travel arrangements from NZ and if the intention is for him to start school straight away, he'd initially be classed as an international Student and hence subject to higher school fees....

Bonitarosa

Thanks for replying Simon. We home educate (I know I need to apply for an exemption certificate before he turns 6 for this) so hoping they would've okay with that. Also I was hoping that if we proved we had the means to buy a return ticket then that would be okay too ?

I'm going to scour the immigration website to see if I can find the answer.

I feel like I'm pacing around in circles. So much hanging around yet in our minds we are good to go. We just need the green light!

Still waiting for the surgeon to get back to us and the immigration officer!

Dorothy

What's the plan if for some reason the visa is not granted?

Bonitarosa

Come home! Hence not shipping our stuff straight away. But trying to think positively

Bonitarosa

I've just found this on the immigration website. It suggests we could apply for a student visa once out there provided he meets the requirements which I assume includes the medical! Is that right?

...

As a visitor, can I apply for a different visa while I'm in NZ?
You may apply for a work, student or residence visa, but the outcome of your application mostly depends on you meeting the requirements of the visa you wish to change to.

Please review the information on possible options for visitors wishing to change their status before making an application.

danceswithfrogs

I believe this is a risky proposition. Did your son's medical get referred to a medical assessor? We were in the same situation with my daughter's visitor visa and it took longer than we expected to get the MA's report. When he did report back and my daughter was found to be of an unacceptable standard of health, the letter indicated that if we tried to travel on a tourist visa she could be refused entry. In your case, since it sounds like he will most likely be of an acceptable standard of health, this might not be the case, but I would be very careful with an unresolved medical question as it's a very long flight to take just to be turned away at the other end!

Assanah

Can you not just change your flights?

marooned5

We had a situation, not the same - but may be useful - between applying for our visas and getting them, we decided to spend a few moths travelling en route to NZ, which meant we couldn't get the visas into our passports as we obviously had those with us.
When we reached Australia, we were pulled up on not having flights out of NZ booked - we showed the visa emails / correspondence we had and they rang immigration and confirmed we were promised a visa. On arrival in NZ we had to be interviewed again, but were given a 6 month visitor visa without buying tickets out again. The alternative would have been to buy onward (and refundable) flights out of NZ and got the 6 month visitor visa which all tourists can get.
Perhaps you can just get an onward flight for the boy, and that will give you six months to clear everything up, or to realize you can't stay in NZ and enjoy a very long holiday before returning to the UK!
Difficult times, but we were very upfront and found immigration etc to have a modicum of flexibility and humanity!

Bonitarosa

This was so so helpful thank you. This was impression we had. I have relatives and friends in Australia so if it came to it we could book a flight there :-)

We had a massive discussion yesterday and decided to change our flights if need be next weekend. My husbands employer here is incredibly understanding and is willing to keep him on at work for a few more weeks. We are so lucky. Have yet to tell the future employer in NZ though. Hope that they're understanding!

Thanks so much for all of your replies