kittiekat

Hi all

I am using a different ID tonight, you'll see why in a moment.

I have just found something out that has deeply upset me, and which spells trouble for my marriage. Of course I am hoping it is just a hiccup and nothing terrible will happen, but I also want to be prepared for the worst.

I have PR but I came here on the back of my husban'ds application. I am of no value to NZ immigration on my own. I am also currently totally financially dependant on him. We've only been here a few months.

If I remember right, I am obliged to tell immigration if there is a change in my circumstances.

Does this mean I would be kicked out of the country if the relationship broke up? Not that I'd definitely want to stay if it does happen, but seeing that I've got nowhere else to go, and no money, it'd be easier to stay put.

Sorry if this sounds depressing but that's exactly how I feel. And I've got no-one to talk to so that doesn't help either.

Thanks for reading and for any advice you may be able to offer

j19fmm

Hey kittiekat, wish I could do something to help, just wanted you to know someone's listening. I'm sure there'll be other help along when they wake up in NZ. Chin up pet.

Persephone

Hi
So sorry to hear about your marriage, it must be hard when you've only been here a short time and probably haven't settled in or made friends that you can talk to about this.

I have had a quick look on NZIS website but haven't found anything that's relevant so far.
I don't know about being the partner in a PR application as far as whether you have any special conditions attached to your visa. My assumption would be not since they do all the partnership checks before you gain PR so NZIS have accepted that you are in a genuine relationship. And you should have a residence permit the same as anyone else. I seem to remember reading that you cannot claim benefits in NZ until you have resided there for two years which may be an issue if you are not working, I am not sure about this though.
I hope someone will be along to help you a little more. Obviously it sounds like you may not need this info should you manage to sort out your problems but forewarned is forearmed. At least you will know your options in advance.

Is there anyone you can talk to at all? What about friends and family back in the UK? I know we never want to burden others with our problems especially when we are so far away, you don't want to worry people back home. After all they can't just pop round to see how you're doing anymore. But it does help to talk to someone who knows you.
Wishing you all the best, I really wish I could help you more.
Sue xx

OllyDog

Hi
Just wanted to let you know that I'm in a similar situation to yourself. I can't comment on NZIS as I haven't informed them yet. However, I do have a job and a new partner. I can empathise with you and would encourage you to talk to family if possible.

Am interested to hear what others might say about this.

bananalana

why do you have to tell imigration you have broken up? You have permanent rsidency.
I am a kiwi, and my partner was a permanent reident based on th efact we were a couple and expecting a child.

We then broke up for a while and he still retained his residency and also didnt tell immigration.

Unless it has change din the ten years since my partner become a resident of NZ, ten once you have permanent residency, its pretty hard to just "get rid of you".

FYI - my partner and I are now back together and living in Oz

Browner_

I beleive that "Permanent Residency" actually means you get a Returning Residents Visa which expires after a certain time ( 2 or 3 years). So if you left NZ and tried to get back into NZ after it had expired you would have no luck.

So you have to renew the RR visa when it expires, which means re-stating your personal circumstances. Who knows how they would view a couple who had split up, I have no idea, I would guess they would treat each case individually.

On the other hand, if you have Permanent Residency and never leave NZ ever again in your life, then I think you are entitled to stay, whether your RRV has expired or not.

I had to renew my RRV a couple of times by reapplying, and after about 4 years I have now got a RRV which NEVER expires, so I am free to come and go as I like for the rest of my life.


I hope this is right, but check the NZ Immigration website to be sure.

aalls73

Bless ya my heart goes out to you to be stuck in a country across the other side of the world and feel as though you have no-one to talk too, but you do we're all here!!!!!
You obviously came over gere to follow a dream and although it probably hasn't started the way that you planned it, if you still want it to become reality then you go fir it girl xxxxxx

PM me if you want to chat babe xxxx

P2L

Sorry I can't be of any help to you at all

I really do feel for you; it makes you realise how vulnerable you are here

Good Luck. I've 'bumped' your thread back up and hopefully someone may be able to help you

luvwelly

Sorry to hear of your dilemma. I think though so long as things pan out that you can support yourself even if you do split up, they would have difficulty refusing to let you stay. This must happen quite often, except most of the time, the spouse probably would also have a full-time job.

Are you sure it's not covered on the NZIS website somewhere?

Persephone

Hi,
How are you doing?
I found this on the NZIS website:
So it looks like if the worst happens then you will be considered for a RRV when yours runs out which would mean that you would be able to stay in NZ [or more accurately leave and come back!] Obviously this is getting on for 2 years in the future which is a long time ahead. Then NZIS would need to know.

I haven't found anything about whether you would have to inform NZIS about a change in circumstances before that. Can you look on the letters you would have received from NZIS when you got PR to start with, it may say on there. I know I had one that said I was required to inform them of changes but that was up until the time I was granted a residence permit and did not mention afterwards.
If your OH was granted PR with a job offer then he would have to fulfill the requirements [ie working for 3m] and as the non principal candidate your residency would depend on these being met. Other than that I'm not sure, sorry.
Maybe you could put a tentative query into NZIS asking about whether you have to inform them should your circumstances change in any way, make it very vague, maybe even imply a change of job or whether they have to know should you find work and so on just to throw them off the scent? State you just want to clarify the situation so you don't fall foul of any immigration law.
Sorry I can't help any more than this. Hoping you won't need the info anyway and you can both sort out the problems and move ahead
All the best
Sue x

kittiekat

Hi all, many, many thanks for replying and for your encouragement.

I haven't had the chance to reply sooner as I've spent the whole weekend either crying my eyes out or having heart-wrenching conversations with him (or both).

Browner was correct, I have a RRV which needs to be renewed after 2 years, so I guess that's when immigration will find out whether my circumstances have changed.

Thanks Sue for digging up that bit of info for me. My worry is that, like I said, I don't have any valuable skills - valuable from an immigration point of view that is. They only reason they let me in was because I came with my husband who does have sought-after skills. So I'm not sure they'd consider me good enough to let me stay on my own. Maybe I should have another look at that list of theirs and start working towards a qualification?

My problem is not feeling I'm stuck out here, it is thinking I'd have to go back!! I really don't have anywhere to go or anyone to turn to. No family other than a brother who I hardly have any contact with. Friends yes, but as someone said, I don't really want to burden any of them with my problems. They have problems of their own to deal with already.... plus, I really don't feel like airing my dirty laundry in public...

I guess I'll have to look for a counsellor, and work towards recovering my financial independence which I had before I met him and stupidly lost. I really hope I can look back on this one day and realise I was over-reacting, and we can work through our problems and live happily-ever-after.... but right now I'm feeling so vulnerable I feel physically sick.

Anyway, I guess this is not the right forum to go into any more detail. Now that he's gone to bed and I have a little time to myself I think I'll go and look for a specialised one...

But once again, thanks guys for the support, it is REALLY, REALLY appreciated.

Hugs.

Persephone

I wish I could help you more
I agree you don't want to be putting too much detail onto a public forum.

From what I've read about RRVs it looks like you may be OK.

So I'm not sure whether your qualifications will come into the application?
It sounds like everything is very raw for you at the moment, remember you do have plenty of time to decide what to do. You've only been here a few months and even after 2 years your residence permit will still be in force, you just would not be able to leave and re enter NZ without a current RRV.

Don't be so down on yourself, you're obviously going through a very tough and difficult time. You say you were once financially independent so you need to find that confidence again and stop saying that you're not good enoughYou need time to reconsider your options and deal with the emotional side of things and stop worrying about visas for now, as I said you have plenty of time yet for that.
Wishing you all the best and hoping you manage to sort your problems out.
Take care, stay strong
Sue xx

lindsay loo

Hi

I am in a similar position to you and wondered if you had any more information about your eligibility to stay in New Zealand after your spouse returns back to UK. Can you PM me, I would love to talk to you more and I hope you have had some success in finding some support.

Best wishes

BEVS

Sorry to read this Lindsay Loo
Has your PR come through yet or is it still in the pipeline?

If you have PR ( permanent residency) and an RRV ( 2 yr returning residents visa) in your UK passport, then you are free to remain in NZ as far as I am aware.

bananalana

Maybe, I dunno to be honest.

My partner got a RRV when he got his PR Visa, but I put his passport through the wash and the pags stuck together so I don't know if it expired or not.

However, he got another one when we left for Australia and this one is permanent. I think maybe the length of time for your RRV would depend on how long you have been in NZ (my partner had been in NZ for 10 years without leaving when we left for Oz)?