Downundergraham

Hi all,

I hope someone can help.

I have an Australian permanent residency visa and know I can travel to NZ with that visa. On arrival a residency visa will be stamped in my passport (presuming I meet all of the requirements - which I will). If I leave NZ then I believe the visa is cancelled upon departure.

What I would like to know is. Can I return again to NZ and have the residency visa renewed upon arrival as long as my Australian PR visa has not expired? (It will not have).

I can find no exact definition about this on the NZ Immigration website. So, as an example. Could I travel to NZ for a holiday in April, (a residence visa will be stamped in my passport), leave and then return for another holiday later in the year? (And get another residency visa)

Or, do I need to apply for a Resident Return Visa, even if my Australian visa has not expired?

Hope someone can help.

Graham.

Persephone

Hello Graham,

I've had a quick look, it looks like your resident visa will expire when you leave NZ. You would then get a new one when you return.
Returning resident visas are not issued anymore in NZ, you get 'travel conditions' instead. Have a look at the following link, it seems that you can apply for travel conditions if you are planning on staying in NZ longterm and hence could get a PRV eventually ( though that's for those who want to live and stay in nz really)

http://www.dol.govt.nz/immigration/k...base/item/5323

Downundergraham

Hi Persephone,

Thanks for that link. I had found that myself but it does not state, unequivocally, that you will get a resident visa each time you enter. It implies such where it says 'travelling in and out' so maybe that is what covers it.

I'll give the New Zealand Immigration or Embassy a ring and clarify it just to make sure.

Thanks again for the reply.

Graham.

Australian citizens and permanent residents may qualify for a Permanent Resident Visa (PRV) provided they have held a Resident Visa continuously for more than 24 months, and have met the PRV criteria.

However, Resident Visas held by Australians expire upon exit from New Zealand, so travelling in and out of New Zealand can affect the requirement that the Resident Visa must be held for two years continuously.

If an Australian citizen or permanent resident is in New Zealand on a Resident visa and wishes to apply for a permanent resident visa in the future, they should make an application for a Variation of Travel Conditions (VOTC) if they wish to travel in the meantime.

For further information on immigration matters affecting Australian Citizens/residents, please read the Related Question below "Are there any special rules for Australian Citizens and Residents?"