# Waiting times



## Amt70

Hi I am new to the forum. We (OH, 20 & 12 year old daughters) are hoping to move to NZ beginning of next year. I am an adult general nurse currently working on HDU. We have sent off our ITA (skilled migrant category) application today after being pulled our if the pool with 135 points and received the ITA within 2 weeks!! Does anyone have any idea if how long we will have to wait to find our if we have a visa. Also does anyone know if accepted will we only be offered a search visa due to no job offer? My sister lives in Thames do hoping to live with her while we sort ourselves out. Many thanks. Alison

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## pieterhuisman

Hi there,

Congrats on the EOI and being pulled from the pool! We had the same thing back in late 2008. Eventually we took the chance and applied (ourselves, no agent in between) for the visa and got it. Most time was gathering all the work experience letters, diplomas and certificates. We had to do an IELTS test as well because we're Dutch. However, about 9 months later we got the visa. No job offer, no conditions. I believe New Zealand really wants those skilled migrants, so if you pass all the hurdles they throw at you, keep at it and apply with the complete package done, you should be okay. But that's my opinion! We moved over in 2010 and it's been great!


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## topcat83

Congratulations, AMT! 
Until recently I'd say that you'd be offered a visa with no strings - but recently they seem to be giving more people the 'come over and search for a job before we'll change it to a permanent visa' visas. Not a bad thing, if you think about it - you have a few months to sort yourself out, and it means from NZ's point of view that the immigrants actually end up in employment for the skills that New Zealand wants.

And Thames is our nearest 'shopping town' - nice place!


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## Amt70

Cheers topcat! Do you know if we can ship our belongings and cars as we had planned to on a "search visa" ? We have already sold our house! It would be ideal if I could secure a nurse position at Thames  
Ali x

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## topcat83

Amt70 said:


> Cheers topcat! Do you know if we can ship our belongings and cars as we had planned to on a "search visa" ? We have already sold our house! It would be ideal if I could secure a nurse position at Thames
> Ali x
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using ExpatForum


Yes you can. You'llk be allocated a 'case officer', so ask them any questions and they should help you too. 

And I can't see an issue with you finding a job somewhere - we're short of good skilled nurses, just like everywhere else in the world  Thames is fairly small, but Whitianga and Tauranga are bigger - and here's the web page for Thames Hospital -  Working at Waikato DHB > Work with us at Thames Hospital


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## Amt70

Hi all thought I'd update and say iv had interview for tauranga tonight and they offered me the job  just need to wait for offer in writing so can send it to immigration to speed up visa or at least get a CO!! I'm so amazed and excited I just want to get there  xxx

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## Amt70

Finally got job contract through! E mailed it to London immigration who have now opened our application  my eldest daughter (whom I applied for as a dependent child 18-24) 20 lives at home but has job earning around £16,000 per year, my case officer is asking for proof she is dependent! And if she works to send pay slips and bank statements. What else can I send? We are a really close family my youner daughter 12 would really miss her big sister and there is no way I would contemplate going without her. We go as a family or not at all. Has anyone got any advice (good or bad) or experience regarding the whole dependent child issue. 

Cheers

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## topcat83

Amt70 said:


> Finally got job contract through! E mailed it to London immigration who have now opened our application  my eldest daughter (whom I applied for as a dependent child 18-24) 20 lives at home but has job earning around £16,000 per year, my case officer is asking for proof she is dependent! And if she works to send pay slips and bank statements. What else can I send? We are a really close family my youner daughter 12 would really miss her big sister and there is no way I would contemplate going without her. We go as a family or not at all. Has anyone got any advice (good or bad) or experience regarding the whole dependent child issue.
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using ExpatForum


My son was a bit younger (18) but not at college. Didn't have a job either though! So slightly less problem proving his dependence.

How about 'proving' that she couldn't survive on 16k after tax & deductions if she continued to live in your current area with a similar lifestyle? Find out rental costs, food, power, transport, etc. I bet car insurance would be a big chunk out of it! 
Also how about investigating college courses in NZ so she is a student - then she'd be very dependent!


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## Amt70

Thanks for your reply, she has already e mailed a Uni re a course over in nz (prior to application being opened) and her bank statements prove she has no money. Just hoping my case officer is a family woman as If I left my daughter here she would have noone no emotional support and my 12 yr old would b devastated. I'll let you know what they say Monday. So near yet so far!!

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## Amt70

Spoken to case officer and we have to send a statement saying how we support her financially and emotionally and that she is only in a job not in Uni cos we were off to nz! We need to send copy of e mail sent to nz Uni re courses. Hope this works out and we ALL have a visa soon!

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## Amt70

Update: we have had our resident visa approved woo hoo. Does anyone know what happens next and how soon can we book flights etc so we can decide when to hand our notices in? 
Need to get lists sorted on who to contact asap. New job has agreed start date beginning of may so gives me time to get there and sort a school out for youngest. I can't believe this time has come hardest part to come leaving loved ones and our eldest daughter 

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