Avid

I've been in NZ for 6 months, popped over to Australia for a week and the re-entered the country.

Now...clearly I should be given a 3-month extension to my original 6-month visitor's permit but the nice lady at the airport stamped my passport with a further 6 month permit.

I think she made a mistake and I should really get in touch with immigration (more out of politeness than anything) to get my permit changed.

My wife thinks that, even if it was a mistake, my new permit is valid for 6 months.

Who is right?

TeamEmbo

If that's what's been stamped in your passport by immigration then I'd leave it at that. I don't understand the system well enough to say who's right, I just know that I'd leave it as is.

happynz

Do you have a British passport? If so, you should be sweet. My understanding is that Brits get six months on arrival. It seems the passport control officer has saved you a trip to immigration to extend your permit. That's awfully kind of them.

From the NZIS site:

Can I stay longer as a visitor?
Generally, once you’ve stayed nine months you’ll have to leave New Zealand and remain away for nine months or more before you can again return as a visitor.

But you may be eligible to extend your nine-month stay by a further three months. In applying for an extension, you’ll have to show that during your stay:

* you’ve supported yourself financially, and have enough money to continue supporting yourself
and
* you’ve not worked, been sponsored, or held a Student Permit.



If you gain this extension you’ll have to leave New Zealand at the end of the 12 months and remain away for 12 months or more before you can again return as a visitor.


http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migra...asavisitor.htm

Avid

The legal situation for visitors is '6 months-3 months-3 final months with reason'....but how many people actually spend a year on holiday? I'm wondering if I'm a rare case, to be honest.

So, I've had my 6 months and am therefore, at present, only due another 3 months.

On one hand a mistaken stamp in my passport doesn't allow me to stay for another 6 months but on the other hand...and let's be brutally honest here...as a white British guy I don't think anyone in Immigration really cares. They'd probably be more annoyed if I pointed out the mistake as it would require a lot of paperwork.

happynz

There you are. You would be doing everyone a favour by continuing on your merry way.

Avid

I'm wrong again....

Turns out that the 'official' line is 'you can only stay in NZ for 6-3-3' months but the reality is 'you can keep popping over to Australia and coming back in on a 6 month permit for as long as you want'

if you are British