# advice from those familiar with immigration rules...



## MrsRose

My husband has a NZ work visa, and all of his NZ registrations and certifications required for his field of work are complete. He has received several promising responses from NZ employers regarding positions he has applied for, BUT they have all indicated that they wont hire until he is living in NZ. 
So...we have purchased our 1 way tickets to NZ!

I have looked into immigration rules, and I believe we have all of our bases covered. 
-work visa...check.
-NZ regs, certifications...check.
-tickets book and lodging arrangements for when we arrive...check.
-cargo scheduled...check.
-enough money saved to account for each member of out family, including the cost of return flights (per NZ immigration, for those without residency using 1 way airfare...check.

As far as immigration is concerned...is there anything we're missing? for example: Are visas required for myself and my 3 year old if my husband has a work visa? 

thanks all.


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## escapedtonz

MrsRose said:


> My husband has a NZ work visa, and all of his NZ registrations and certifications required for his field of work are complete. He has received several promising responses from NZ employers regarding positions he has applied for, BUT they have all indicated that they wont hire until he is living in NZ.
> So...we have purchased our 1 way tickets to NZ!
> 
> I have looked into immigration rules, and I believe we have all of our bases covered.
> -work visa...check.
> -NZ regs, certifications...check.
> -tickets book and lodging arrangements for when we arrive...check.
> -cargo scheduled...check.
> -enough money saved to account for each member of out family, including the cost of return flights (per NZ immigration, for those without residency using 1 way airfare...check.
> 
> As far as immigration is concerned...is there anything we're missing? for example: Are visas required for myself and my 3 year old if my husband has a work visa?
> 
> thanks all.


Woh there Mrs Rose!!!

My observations :-

How has your husband got a work visa.......
You say he has had positive vibes from NZ employers but still hasn't been hired!
To secure a Temporary Work Visa the holder must have a skilled job offer from an NZ employer as this becomes a condition of the visa and remains so for the period of the visa ?

Also....
All persons travelling to NZ must have a visa, not just one of you!
How do you hope to pass through Immigration ? Just saying "I'm with him" won't quite cut it 

If your hubby does get or has got some sort of work visa you can also apply for the same through the family stream but in your case you wouldn't need a job offer or have to work at all. Immigration just give you a matching visa for the same period which would allow you to work if you so wished.
Also for children they would need study visas or visitor visas but with either of these you need to have return travel booked so you having booked one way flights may be an issue!
You can approach Immigration to have these requirements waived since your family will be over in NZ for the period of your husbands and your temporary work visas.

Probably need more details from you regarding your hubby's visa.

Cheers

Chris


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## MrsRose

Ok so I guess I didn't explain enough. 

He's got a working holiday visa.
An employer has said they'd like to hire him once he's in NZ, but that they don't hire from abroad.
My 3 year old and I can enter New Zealand as visitors just as any tourist would (I don't plan on working) and once my hubby has secured a job we'll all apply for residency.


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## escapedtonz

MrsRose said:


> Ok so I guess I didn't explain enough.
> 
> He's got a working holiday visa.
> An employer has said they'd like to hire him once he's in NZ, but that they don't hire from abroad.
> My 3 year old and I can enter New Zealand as visitors just as any tourist would (I don't plan on working) and once my hubby has secured a job we'll all apply for residency.


Ok that explains it better 
Working Holiday Visa is for personal use only. One does not need an offer of work to secure one of these visas as their intention is to allow an extended holiday with work being secondary - be aware the holder of a WHV should not take up permanent work. Only casual or part time work allowed. To work in a permanent position you must have another type of visa that allows full time work.
Travelling as an American on a US passport I assume your hubby has secured this visa for 12 months ?

You are correct, all other individuals in your party must have their own visa for travel and you say you are going to use visitor visas.
As Americans you are exempt from applying for an actual stamped in the passport visitor visa. Just filling in the passenger arrival card in NZ will suffice as your entry visitor visa, BUT as nationals of the US your maximum stay is 3 months. There is no way you are all going to secure Residency visas within 3 months, so with that said you and your child must leave NZ on or before 3 months have elapsed.
Also your hubby shouldn't be eligible to secure a permanent job as the WHV doesn't allow work of the permanent nature ?

There is a possibility that once your hubby starts work he could approach Immigration to inform them he would like to take up a permanent position. Immigration would then probably elect to "upgrade" him from WHV to a Temporary Work Visa which also means you and your child could get a more permanent visa on this basis.

If not I'm unsure if Immigration would allow you to extend your visitor stay ?

There's also the issue that you and your child coming in as visitors isn't actually genuine. You are coming to NZ to live and to be with your husband who has another visa.
On that score there is also the issue that your hubby isn't also a genuine visitor on an extended working holiday visa with work being secondary to being a visitor.
He would be coming to work in a permanent position as soon as possible in the hope it would allow a more permanent visa.

May all work out, but you're taking a massive risk and could all end in tears!

I'm also concerned with the fact you don't have onward travel arrangements.
Not an issue for your hubby on a WHV as he only has to leave after 12 months so as long as he shows he has the money to pay his way for 12 months and has enough to pay for a ticket to leave before his 12 months expires he'll be fine.
You and your child on the other hand can only stay for 3 months maximum and as such should have onward travel arrangements in place regardless of your intentions. Having only booked one way travel you may not even be allowed to start your journey from the US or you may not be allowed to continue your journey part way or you may not be allowed to enter NZ without a ticket out ?

Sorry for all the negativity. I'm just saying it as I read the rules.

Regards,


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## MrsRose

I've read on the immigration website that visitors on a one way ticket just have to have enough funds to show that they can support themselves for the full three months plus the cost of return flights. ??

I have read and understood the requirements and intentions of a working holiday visa, and I know that it's supposed to be for those NOT intending to stay in the country...but another family had told me they successfully made NZ their new home in this round-about way. 

perhaps we'll submit our EOI for the SMC in the next few days then and just hope for the best. we have a good amount of points on the EOI, just barely not enough without a job offer for automatic selection. 

We are a very adventurous family so if it doesn't work out in the end, it'll be more a sigh of disappointment, then a _new _adventure, rather than tears. But considering how much we love NZ and want it to work out, I'm glad you brought up just _how_ big of a risk this will be without a more permanent visa.


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## escapedtonz

MrsRose said:


> I've read on the immigration website that visitors on a one way ticket just have to have enough funds to show that they can support themselves for the full three months plus the cost of return flights. ??
> 
> I have read and understood the requirements and intentions of a working holiday visa, and I know that it's supposed to be for those NOT intending to stay in the country...but another family had told me they successfully made NZ their new home in this round-about way.
> 
> perhaps we'll submit our EOI for the SMC in the next few days then and just hope for the best. we have a good amount of points on the EOI, just barely not enough without a job offer for automatic selection.
> 
> We are a very adventurous family so if it doesn't work out in the end, it'll be more a sigh of disappointment, then a new adventure, rather than tears. But considering how much we love NZ and want it to work out, I'm glad you brought up just how big of a risk this will be without a more permanent visa.


Hi,

That statement is in the area for visitors who need to apply for a visitor visa not for people coming over from a visa waiver country who just fill in the passenger card.
Unsure if there's any difference ?
I have found that once here on a 3 month visitor visa you can apply to Immigration to extend your visit to a maximum if 6 months which is the maximum time a person can stay in a 12 month period.
However, I'd expect you may have difficulty justifying an extension to your stay ?

Sounds like you think you know what you're doing so I wish you good luck. Hope it all works out.
Let us know how you get on


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## MrsRose

Truthfully, I am very glad I checked and that you brought those concerns up, escapedtonz. 

I thought I knew what we were doing, but there were a few glitches in our plan that I discovered thanks to your responses. 

I talked with an agent from immigration NZ this morning, and she assured me that coming over on a working holiday visa (while still a bit risky) is fine, so long as we understand that those on a working holiday visa cannot sign a contract with an employer for a length of time longer than the visa's valid length. So in order to remain in New Zealand permanently, we'd have to apply for a new visa (like a work to residence or skilled migrant, for example) as soon as we get employment.
Also, we need separate visas for myself and our 3 year old too. So I'll be applying for a working holiday as well, and getting a visa for our 3 year old. 
Its still very much a "fingers crossed" approach, for sure! :fingerscrossed:

Worth the risk, in our opinion!  
If NZ doesn't work out for us...then its been a beautiful time trying...and off to the next place for the time being. 


...but we sure do hope NZ does work out! :fingerscrossed:


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## Coachgirl

Hey Mrs Rose
Any idea when you're heading out to NZ ?
Regards
Coachgirl


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## Vmorris22

Good luck, MrsRose! Let us know how it goes.

Victoria


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## MunjalV

Hi Mrs Rose, 

In your scheme of things the best option to reduce the risk :juggle: is to still book return tickets with 3 months date, you can always reschedule it depending on how it progresses. 

Regards,
Munjal


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## Grayburg

Don't forget current Police Certificates and Medical (different for some visa classes) will no doubt be needed at some point so factor that time into your deadlines. 
I think it is quite common to enter the way you are as a family. Just secure a job and then decide on the best visa application to follow next. But think long term if you are planning to settle eventually.


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## Kimbella

Hi Rose, just be aware that no one in the family will be eligible for nationally funded healthcare, either. You can only become eligible if you have a visa that is valid for 24 months or longer. You might want to consider health insurance, for at least your child. And, health insurance, not travel insurance... travel insurance will not cover doctor's visits, etc., just emergency care... just a thought... you and your husband, if you have no pre-existing conditions would probably be fine with travel insurance only (if you're willing to take the risk)... southern cross provides travel insurance with a variety of term lengths: 1 month, 3, 6, 12 ... good luck!


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## MrsRose

Coachgirl said:


> Hey Mrs Rose
> Any idea when you're heading out to NZ ?
> Regards
> Coachgirl


Not certain yet. 
We have a few job interviews in a few different cities scheduled for shortly after we arrive. Where we get the best job offer will determine where we settle.


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## MrsRose

Grayburg said:


> Don't forget current Police Certificates and Medical (different for some visa classes) will no doubt be needed at some point so factor that time into your deadlines.
> I think it is quite common to enter the way you are as a family. Just secure a job and then decide on the best visa application to follow next. But think long term if you are planning to settle eventually.


Will NZ immigration require medicals from the States? Or can those be obtained by visiting NZ doctors? We don't have health insurance here in the States and I can't even recall the last time we visited a doctor (it's been years...) so other than the records from my daughter's birth, there won't be much on us anyways. 

we'll be getting our police certificates, etc soon.


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## MrsRose

Kimbella said:


> Hi Rose, just be aware that no one in the family will be eligible for nationally funded healthcare, either. You can only become eligible if you have a visa that is valid for 24 months or longer. You might want to consider health insurance, for at least your child. And, health insurance, not travel insurance... travel insurance will not cover doctor's visits, etc., just emergency care... just a thought... you and your husband, if you have no pre-existing conditions would probably be fine with travel insurance only (if you're willing to take the risk)... southern cross provides travel insurance with a variety of term lengths: 1 month, 3, 6, 12 ... good luck!


We haven't got health insurance here in the States as it is. And we only ever visit a doctor in emergencies anyways, so we're not too concerned about health insurance for the time being. 

Here in the States, it's actually much cheaper for us to pay completely out of pocket, even for emergency care, than it is to pay insurance premiums every month. How does NZ compare with regards to health insurance costs annually vs. paying out of pocket when the need arises?


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## Kimbella

MrsRose said:


> We haven't got health insurance here in the States as it is. And we only ever visit a doctor in emergencies anyways, so we're not too concerned about health insurance for the time being.
> 
> Here in the States, it's actually much cheaper for us to pay completely out of pocket, even for emergency care, than it is to pay insurance premiums every month. How does NZ compare with regards to health insurance costs annually vs. paying out of pocket when the need arises?


GP visits (general practitioner) vary out of pocket at between $70 and $100; prescriptions can be quite high (for those who are not funded)... usually start at around $30 and go up. 

Just remember that you are coming to a new country with its own strain of things that you/your child might not have been exposed to before... maybe discuss with your husband the benefits of health insurance for your child at least. There is a very real and serious risk of pertussis in this country (whooping cough) that swings around every year, as well as bouts of meningitis that pop up. Because over 80% of the population lives in tight urban areas, exposure is a real issue. Also, on average, the population over here are not quite the germophobes we are in the US, so constant hand washing is not the norm over here... nor are highly concentrated cleaning supplies. Anyway, just wanted to let you know before you head out that it might be well worth considering for your child at least.

Your medical certificate/chest x-rays for each person will run about $700NZD (if done here in NZ-- I don't think the baby would need the x-ray tho). If you get it done in the US it should be fine, you just have to be aware that it MUST be the INZ medical certificate forms (whichever suits your Visa application conditions) you have the MD fill out, and they are only good for three months from the date of completion... so, make sure you time everything so that your medical forms are still valid whenever you submit the visa that requires them (not all Visas require them, it depends on the visa and the length of stay--make sure to check that out)! The forms are on the INZ website.

I would also suggest that you make contacts with people in the US that you can use as references for job interviews AND house rental references... housing can be a HUGE issue depending on where you land... and references can be the make or break it on both landing a job and a decent place to live. Most of NZ (aside from Auckland) does *not* have conventional high density multi-unit dwellings (aka apartments), so by and large you will be looking at renting a house, so the owners generally will be wanting someone they can check references on. Bring over written work/job references or performance reviews that you can provide, as well as have email addresses that NZ employers/landlords can use to contact your references. 

Cheers!


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## Kimbella

MrsRose said:


> We haven't got health insurance here in the States as it is. And we only ever visit a doctor in emergencies anyways, so we're not too concerned about health insurance for the time being.
> 
> Here in the States, it's actually much cheaper for us to pay completely out of pocket, even for emergency care, than it is to pay insurance premiums every month. How does NZ compare with regards to health insurance costs annually vs. paying out of pocket when the need arises?


Hi Rose,

Just wanted to give you a touch more information. I remembered you had questions before about bringing your stuff with you... if you are shipping stuff via ocean freight (which I think you were), just be aware that your shipped goods will attract duty fees and charges UNLESS the person shipping has a work or residency visa good for 12 months or more. So, if you ship stuff in your name and you don't have a 12 month visa of any kind, you will be charged big money for your imports. Also, if your husband's visa is not for a full 12 months, the same thing goes... just be cautious, it can be very expensive... even bringing my things in duty free cost me an additional $1500NZD in port fees and bio-security clearance fees... also, I think the working holiday visa requires medical insurance... make sure you check out the criteria on the INZ website! 

As always, good luck!


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## Vmorris22

Grayburg said:


> Don't forget current Police Certificates and Medical (different for some visa classes) will no doubt be needed at some point so factor that time into your deadlines.
> I think it is quite common to enter the way you are as a family. Just secure a job and then decide on the best visa application to follow next. But think long term if you are planning to settle eventually.


What do you mean by police certificates? You mean like a background check?


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## Kimbella

Vmorris22 said:


> What do you mean by police certificates? You mean like a background check?


If/when you apply for a visa that allows for a stay of 12 months or more you will be required to obtain a police background check from the FBI. The information on how to do this, and the cost, is on the FBI website. I believe the background certificate is good for 6 months, i.e., you must submit it with your Visa application before 6 months have elapsed from its issue date. I can't actually remember if its good for 3 or 6 months, I *think* it's 6 months, but double check before you do anything, of course! I was in NZ already on a visitors visa when I had mine done, I downloaded the forms from the FBI website, filled it out, and sent it from NZ to FBI headquarters with a return address of a US based relative of mine, who then mailed the FBI clearance certificate to me in NZ. I would suggest for people coming abroad who haven't yet secured a long term visa that you keep an american bank account open with a decent stash of cash in it, and open an American paypal account, and a NZ paypal account. You can transfer cash from your american bank account into your american paypal account, and then transfer it to your NZ paypal account, which will convert your USD into NZD for next to nothing (especially compared to the banks!). This will save you on the wire transfer fees the banks charge ($35 to both send and receive) and you will also net MORE when the currency is converted. And, it will allow you to have cash from a US source if/when you need to complete things that are US based. Not to mention you can buy things online from the US and have them shipped here, which can save you heaps of money! When you have an established NZ bank account, you can then transfer money into that account as well, from your NZ paypal account, if you need to top up your cash flow!


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## Vmorris22

Oh fantastic! Thanks Kimbella. That was excellent advice. Do you need to be a PR in order to open up a NZ bank account?


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## Kimbella

Nope, residency not required. In fact, I opened my first account with Westpac online while still in California. Once you get to NZ they will ask you to get to a bank branch where they can then verify your account, confirm your address, check your ID with your passport, get you an ATM card, etc. I exchanged a load of cash (USD to NZD) at Currency Exchange International in SF for a very small fee (compared to bank transactions). CEI has satellite branches all around, and no other currency exchange place can beat their rates or fee, imo. I did have to call ahead to give them time to obtain the amount of money I was exchanging--NZD aren't exactly currency that moves frequently from border to border. In any case, Westpac was happy to take my money when I verified my account in person, and I was certainly happy to get it somewhere safe! The main banks here are Westpac, ASB, BNZ ... most of them will have some way to open a migrant account from afar, fully aware you may want to transfer money BEFORE you arrive, for peace of mind! It's not hard to transition here and have a successful life, you just need to have your ducks in a row so you don't get thrown off. I think that's why some people don't succeed in relocating abroad... your first year will be adjusting to culture shock, and it WILL happen, if you add to that mix poorly planned or unrealistic living, you could be facing some very negative opinions on where you have come to. An ounce of prevention, a pound of cure!


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