fatcat65

Hey all, and happy new year.

We are currently looking at coming to NZ for a possible 6 month holiday with a view to hopefully my OH getting a job and getting a work visa whilst there as i have read that's the easiest and quickest way to do it.
I am sure i have read somewhere, although god knows where, that you have to show you have sufficient funds to support yourself if you go on holiday to NZ, if this is the case does anyone know how much it is?
We will have money with us obviously but i'm sure you have to show a specific amount for each person, or is it that you will have to show that you have a return flight out of the country. We will probably have a round the world ticket so that should suffice i would have thought?
thanks

Tranmere Rover

If you're just coming for a holiday, I don't think they even ask about money. You will need to have a return ticket, but beyond that, I think it's just a quick stamp in your passport and you can stay for up to 9 months in a 12 month period. Bear in mind of course that if you're here on a holiday visa you can't work. If they find out you are working, they'll remove you and you won't be able to come back for a few years (not sure how long it is though).

Of course, that's just my opinion - to be really sure, you could just call NZ House in that London and they'll give you the deets.

Woodpigeon

3 years, IIRR, and you'd lose your visa free status/right to travel to NZ - you'd have to apply for a visitor visa in advance in the future.

JohnThePom

As far as I can remember no one ever asked me if I had enough funds to come over. If you get PR then you're not entitled to any benefits for unemployment for two years, so I think that the immigration site states that you need sufficient funds to support yourself for two years if you arrive without a job.

As for holiday visas - you'd need enough funds to support you for your stay or immigration might suspect you'd come here to work without a permit...

I'm sure you must have seen the passport control programmes on TV where people are asked the reason for their visit, where they are going, what they plan to do and what they've brought to support themselves.

WP

karron

i'm not 100% sure but i think they take into account the credit cards you may have towards the amount to look after yourself.

j19fmm

I've never been asked about funds, but then I've always had a rellies address to put down on form, so perhaps they think I'll be looked after?

fatcat65

thanks for the replies guys
We won't have credit cards as we will have no fixed address and will be closing our accounts in Canada so will be traveling with travellers cheques.

We are in no way thinking of working illegally, my husband could go down the working visa route but as we are planning on having a holiday probably in June time there anyway and after reading the forum it seems the easiest and quickest way to do this is to apply for a working visa once there after you have a job offer.
We are in Canada (british though) currently so don't have access to the show someone was talking about.
We will probably only stay a couple of years anyway then go somewhere else...why stay put in todays climate when you have no ties as the kids are older and the opportunity to travel!

thanks for the replies

j19fmm

Just a thought, try not to carry paperwork that is to do with your jobs, CV's etc. That would show you are seeking employment. Carry everything on memory sticks and get originals sent out later. Good luck

MnB

Ditto the above except friends address not rellies, I think you only have to declare if you're carrying over $10k cash ......never an issue for us so not too sure about this

Expat Kiwi

That's a bit risky isn't it? Perhaps there's a way you could open up some kind of bank account in NZ and use an EFTPOS card instead.

Plus you'll get a better exchange rate if you use a currency transfer service to bring the money over to NZ rather than using travellers cheques.

fatcat65

thanks, that's a good idea will do that for sure.

fatcat65

thanks Kiwi, but what's a EFTPOS card?

fatcat65

We have friends in NZ and will be going to visit and probably using them as a base so we could put them down i guess?

MnB

Yeah, its never been a problem for us when we've done this, the address we gave was of a friend we were only staying with initially....no worries!

BEVS

It's a card you can use at a hole in the wall cash point machine. A debit card.