# Whats the best way to do the flights to NZ



## Supercell (Jun 5, 2012)

We are about to emigrate to NZ from the UK and need to book the flights. I am loathed to book a return flight to the UK as they are so expensive. Does anyone know if there is a legitimate way to do this.

I am Australian and will be sponsoring my wife and daughter who are English. I have to enter the country first to get my residence visa so i can sponsor them, while they enter on a tourist visa. We are planning on a trip to Oz to visit my folks and wondered if that is enough to satisfy the the customs that we have an exit plan.

Basically I would like to book a one way ticket for us and then a flight to Australia. Or do i need to book return tickets to keep the customs happy?

If anyone else has had similar experience we would love to hear about it.


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## Song_Si (Jun 11, 2010)

Hi

from NZ Immigration website - your onward flights to Australia will meet the requirement, also note the third point there is also the option of having proof of adequate funds for your flights. In my exp it is the airline at the point of departure who is more likely to want to see proof - I had this last Sunday leaving KL, '_no onward flight - no boarding pass'_ - yet have done this flight so many times before without being asked.




> *Proof that you plan to leave New Zealand
> *
> You will need to show us that you intend to leave within the period of your visa. For example:
> 
> ...


best wishes for your travels


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## anski (Aug 17, 2008)

Supercell said:


> We are about to emigrate to NZ from the UK and need to book the flights. I am loathed to book a return flight to the UK as they are so expensive. Does anyone know if there is a legitimate way to do this.
> 
> I am Australian and will be sponsoring my wife and daughter who are English. I have to enter the country first to get my residence visa so i can sponsor them, while they enter on a tourist visa. We are planning on a trip to Oz to visit my folks and wondered if that is enough to satisfy the the customs that we have an exit plan.
> 
> ...


I think the problem would be with Australia, your wife & daughter could only enter on a visitor visa & there would need to show proof they had onward travel from Australia to the UK.

Check this first before making your bookings, return tickets work out cheaper in the long run, compared to 2 x one way tickets. Most return tickets are valid for 12 months, handy if you need to pay a quick visit back. Sometimes possible to get a refund on the unused portion or get an extension to the 12 month return rule.


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## G-Mo (Aug 17, 2011)

anski said:


> I think the problem would be with Australia, your wife & daughter could only enter on a visitor visa & there would need to show proof they had onward travel from Australia to the UK.


I agree with anski, your issue is with entering Australia not New Zealand, and I should think the issue is only with for wife as you should be able to apply for Australian citizenship by descent for your child.

Australian Citizenship – Child born overseas to an Australian citizen


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## G-Mo (Aug 17, 2011)

My wife, a travel agent, who formerly worked for QANTAS, suggests you buy one way tickets to NZ from UK and one way tickets to Australia from NZ (that you may or may not use). She believes this will satisfy you arriving in NZ and proving onward journey to a country you have the right to enter (as a tourist).


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## anski (Aug 17, 2008)

Any Australian citizen has the right to enter, remain, work in NZ or Australia on a one way ticket.

However your wife & daughter are a different story & they will need return tickets to enter either NZ or Australia or show onward tickets to prove they intend leaving NZ or Australia (because initially they can only enter on a tourist visa ) Once they are living in Australia they can go through the formalities of applying for Australian citizenship for a child born overseas in the case of your daughter, You must realize this will not be issued automatically on arrival at the airport. Immigration staff are only on hand at the airport to determine your right to enter Australia based on your Visa, Intentions, Return Ticket, Adequate Funds. They do not have the time or means to issue residency to people not born in Australia to Australian parents or deal with other issues similar to these. This is only handled by the Department of Immigration offices & if you read the link provided in a previous post it is not always 100% guaranteed.
You will have to go through the process of applying for your wife & daughter after you arrive & it may take some time until immigration have completed all the required background checks & if you remember there are others doing the same process it will not happen overnight. It took my Australian born son many months to gain the right for his wife to reside & work in Australia & she was not entitled to Medicare etc during the process.

But look don't accept everything you read on a forum as the absolute truth, you should be talking to the Department of immigration on serious matters like this & following their advice.

Border patrols (Immigration) are very strict & you cannot argue with City Hall!

I also meant to say Citizenship is nothing to do with the Department of Immigration ( & only the Dept of Immigration & the Dept of Customs are present at the airport on arrival. Citizenship is a different process that also takes several months & the Citizenship ceremonies are held at various times of the year including Australia Day.


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## Supercell (Jun 5, 2012)

Thank you everyone. Great to get so much feed back and help. I think we will go for the one way ticket option and proof or funds to return to UK. Visitors

*"Proof that you plan to leave New Zealand

You will need to show us that you intend to leave within the period of your visa. For example: 

travel tickets (confirmed or open-dated) out of New Zealand to a country which you have the right to enter; or
written confirmation from an airline or travel agency that onward travel has been booked and paid for; or
evidence of sufficient funds to purchase a ticket to a country which you have the right of entry."*


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## anski (Aug 17, 2008)

Supercell said:


> Thank you everyone. Great to get so much feed back and help. I think we will go for the one way ticket option and proof or funds to return to UK. Visitors
> 
> *"Proof that you plan to leave New Zealand
> 
> ...



Yes & don't forget you will need the same proof of intention to leave Australia when your wife & daughter visit (Not you because you are an Australian citizen & have the right to enter. 

The problem always occurs when you are departing a country if you cannot satisfy them with passport proof on departure that you have the right to reside in the country you are travelling to then they will deny you boarding the flight unless you have a return ticket or onward travel ticket.

To make the situation clearer. Airports are very stringent that if you are leaving on a one way ticket & do not have residency in the country you are traveling to as per your passport they will not allow you to fly without a return ticket. Failure to do so results in them bearing the cost to fly you back when you are denied entry on arrival.


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