sunshine_and_rain

Well, there is lots of talk about Immigration here at the moment. With the election coming up it is one of the hot topics. National looking to change to put new Residents on a 4 year probabtion period before they can become citizens - and if they commit a crime within that time - they'll be sent home. A few other changes they are looking at also if they get in - get your things in quick guys........

Labour may well stay in power though......

JAJ

There's already a 5 year wait for citizenship from permanent residence.

What National are talking about is a 4 year provisional visa, before you get permanent residence. That would mean *nine* years to get a New Zealand passport.

Why anybody would choose to go to NZ under such conditions rather than Australia, Canada or even just stay in the UK is another question altogether.


Jeremy

jgombos

I would expect that.. but I guess the question is: what's the smallest level of crime for deportation? Hopefully traffic violations wouldn't warrent deportation. What about smokin' some ganja?



Is that a crime in NZ?

Dave in Auckland

If only it were that cut & dried, neither Immigration or Citizenship seem to know what the rules are. If you applied for Residency before April 21st 05, it's a 3yr qualifying period for citizenship. BUT neither can tell me whether it's 3yrs of being here legally or 3yrs from the grant of permanent residency. Either way, it's still more than the 2yr basis that I came here on (marrying a NZ citizen) which has gone by the board

newkiwi

From reading the forms it appears the the interim measure requires you to have been here legally for three years, and presently be a NZ PR, ie time spent on a temp visa will still count. Hope so......

Did the 2yr spouse visa go completely?. No interimg measure for that ? Doesnt apply in my case just tho..

hopefully applying for citizenship early next year, three years up by then.

Dave in Auckland

Yeah, that's what I'm hoping. I'm less inclined to stay if they won't give me citizenship until 2010 or even 2008.

The marriage thing went entirely, under the new legislation, except for arranged marriages, that's just a little annoying to say the least.

So I've gone from getting a NZ passport in 2006 to possibly 2010, had I known, I probably wouldn't have emigrated

BTW, Immigration still says 2yrs for spouses on its website, Citizenship says they're wrong. Who knows what or who to believe

newkiwi

lol,

u sure youre not looking at the immigration forum for india or the like......

arranged marriages indeed............



BTW I think i know what you meant............

uk+kiwi

Hi DIA,

I'll probably be going down that route - married to a kiwi. I may try the 'it was an arranged marriage route' then, even though I'm a white Brit who was with him for years before we married in the UK. Presumably it would be discriminatory for them to refute it.

Pinkie Pie

This is a quote from the Citizenship website with regard to the changes to Citizenship http://www.citizenship.govt.nz/

What are the key citizenship provisions in the Citizenship Amendment Act?
The Act:

increases the standard period of residence in New Zealand from three years to five years;

removes the provision for special treatment for the spouses of New Zealand citizens so that applicants for the grant of citizenship who are married to New Zealand citizens will be required to meet the five-year residency period;

SteveNZ

I wouldn't necessarily get too hung up on the citizenship thing.... my mother-in-law (originally from the UK herself) is STILL only a permanent resident after around 30 years or so here.... (she never got round to it yet!)

Steve

England Girl

I've looked at all the main parties and their immigration policies (have voting rights but living overseas) and TBH national aren't the only ones with this probationary period.
NZ First were the first party to announce policies and they've gone for a five year period. In most cases (NZ First, National and ACT) it would have to be an offence which results in a 3 year prison sentence (or longer) that would result in PR being overturned and deportation.
I say quite right. If you move to a country then you should respect that country's laws and do all you can to be a good citizen.
For National the four year period would count towards citizenship, so only one year extra after your probationary period runs out.

As for getting your applications in now. It takes ages for laws to get passed so I wouldn't worry too much about it (unless NZ First get total control but highly unlikely).

Hasn't made voting any clearer (I have 8 candidates to choose from!)

scottish

Now Im not very clued up on the whole Citizenship methingy but does it really matter how long it takes to get. If you plan on living in NZ for the rest of your days surely it dosent matter when you become a Citizen.. or is it incase you fancy nipping over to OZ

JAJ

From http://www.citizenship.govt.nz


Permanent Residence before 21 April 2005
If you received permanent residence before 21 April 2005, or made an application for permanent residence before 21 April 2005 that was approved after 21 April 2005, you must satisfy two requirements:

1. Ordinary Residence; and
2. Lawful Residence

Ordinary Residence
You must have been ordinarily resident in New Zealand for the last 3 years. This means that you must have been physically present in New Zealand for the last 3 years.

...

Lawful Residence
You must have been lawfully in New Zealand for the last 3 years by having valid immigration permits for all the period.

It seems pretty clear that legal temporary residence still counts under these transitional arrangements.

If you look at the new provisions, for those applying for PR after 21 April 2005, you'll see that it's differently worded and you do need to have PR for the five years.

There's no sign of the spouse concession, so it appears that the 2 years has become 3 (except for those who applied for citizenship before 21 April 2005).

Jeremy

JAJ

Which is really 'not smart' if you think about it.

Why do so many British people have this major problem taking out citizenship in their adopted home? It's the same in Australia, Canada and the United States.

Plenty of horror stories too when people lose their permanent residence status.


Jeremy

mumomonty

Does anyone know if you have to have citizenship to get a pension here? I've got PR.