shelloid

Hi, I was wondering whether anyone could shed some light on a problem we have.

We got our WTR a few months ago on the back of PR (I'm a pharmacist and so we had the whole chicken and egg scenario of not being able to get full PR until I had registration and not being able to register until I was in NZ on either PR or work visa......blah blah blah!!).

We got what I understand is the normal bog standard WTR/PR permit on entry to NZ - 9 months work permit to be converted to PR once I have been working in skilled employment for 3 months.

Well, we arrived in NZ in April and I have been in my job just coming up for 2 months so am still on this weird WTR permit. The problem we have now is that our furniture should be arriving in Welly tomorrow and just today we were told that because our work visa is under 12 months we need to declare the cost in NZD of all our belongings (except clothes), when we bought them, and a description. Then customs will decide on how much GST we will need to pay on it all.

This is something we were really not expecting - as far as we are concerned we are moving here on a relatively permanent basis and are planning on converting to PR ASAP.

Has anyone else had their container arrive whilst on this type of WTR, and if so did you end up paying GST?

JohnThePom

Hi Shelloid,

I was hoping someone else would come back to you on this one...

If you have PR, but got it claiming points for a job offer then you have three months to take up the job offer and then need to stay in it for three months. You then need to provide evidence to INZ that you did this and you get your PR. I really don't know what your status is in the interim, as you imply, you're on a kind of conditional PR.

If you're on a full WTR it's different, I don't think the three month rule above applies and you don't have PR until you apply at the end of the qualifying period. I'm not sure what that is off the top of my head but it might be two years.

This link might help regarding customs duties...

http://www.customs.govt.nz/traveller...rges+Apply.htm

WP

shelloid

thanks for that....I don't seem to fall into any of these catergories as I was issued an interim WTR intead of PR due to not having registration with my professional body prior to arriving in NZ.

I guess I wait to see what happens. I'll post here when I get a set answer just in case it affects others in future who are on this weird interim WTR visa

sue1234

Hi Shelloid, please post the out come as we are in the same boat as you, thanks, sue

Flower Pot

Looking forward to the outcome Shelloid as we are also in the same boat.

Our stuff was collected last week for shipping next wk, we are on a WTR as hubby is an electrician and registration blah blah blah!!!

simonsi

Relax and read the NZ Customs site here From my reading of your circumstances you are on a WTR Skilled Migrant Category work visa - which is on the list of docs enabling No Customs Charges. If your PR application etc was under SMC then I don´t see how your WTR cannot be under that cat too.

If you hold one of the docs listed then the 12mth rules doesn´t apply.

Anyone NOT on an SMC-related (or LTB) visa AND under 12mths does appear to be stuck with the charges.

If your WTR documentation doesn´t make clear which stream you are under (ie SMC), then ask NZIS to clarify to NZ Customs...

AndyR

Can't help directly, but when we arranged our shipping we were told that if at the time the shipment arrives in New Zealand, we need to hold a visa valid for more than 12 months, otherwise we are liable for GST.

We were only on a work permit at that time for 12 months, so we waited until we had a 3 year work permit before we arranged the shipping as Crown told us we'd be liable for GST else.

Best bet I would think would be to speak to Immigration and see if they can contact customs, or give you a letter for customs stating you are here on perm visa so should be fine. Or, leave it with customs for a month until you get your PR approved?

shelloid

As there's just been another thread on this and I have received a PM about this I thought it was finally time for me to get off my arse and give an update on what finally happened with this!

In the end we DIDN'T pay any GST as we sent off loads of info to our shipping company to prove that we were on our way to PR.

We sent in copies of our visas (obviously), a copy of the letter we received from NZIS stating the terms of our visa and that wee could convert to PR once we had fulfilled certain criteria, a copy of my contract from work and a copy of my Annual Practising Certificate from the Pharmacy Council in NZ (these were basically most of the things required for us to convert to PR, we just needed me to have been working full time for 3 months before converting).

Hope this helps people in future.

sue1234

Thany you shelloid