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| 1: What is the difference between a Visa and a Permit? |
| 2: How long will it take for the Immigration Service to process my application? |
| 3: How long is a Residence Visa valid for travel to New Zealand? |
| 4: What happens if I cannot arrive in New Zealand within the correct timeframe? |
| 5: How do I get a Returning Residents Visa? |
| 6: What happens if my RRV expires when I am out of the country? |
| 7: What is New Zealand Citizenship and when can I apply for that? |
| 8: Is there any legal requirement to register with any authority in New Zealand? |
| 9: How do I open a bank account in New Zealand? |
| 10: Can I buy a property in New Zealand, and if I do, will it entitle me to New Zealand residence? |
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| 1:What is the difference between a Visa and a Permit? |
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| A Permit endorsement in your passport allows you to be in New Zealand while a Visa is an endorsement in your passport that allows you to enter (or re-enter) New Zealand.
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| 2:How long will it take for the Immigration Service to process my application? |
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| Processing times vary greatly with each branch of the NZIS and depend on staff workloads at the time your application is received. The NZIS target is approximately three months however we would advise you to be prepared for the assessment process to take up to 6-12 months. |
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| 3:How long is a Residence Visa valid for travel to New Zealand? |
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| Residence Visa’s issued by the New Zealand Immigration Service are normally current for travel to New Zealand for 12 months from date of issue. People who fail to travel to New Zealand while their visa remains current must submit another residence application.
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| 4:What happens if I cannot arrive in New Zealand within the correct timeframe? |
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| Any family members in the application, who do not meet the requirement to arrive in New Zealand within 12 months of the approval in principle date, will have their Residence Visa lapse, and thereby be unable to take up permanent residence. A new application would need to be lodged for that person, and they would need to meet policy as it stood on the date they applied. It is important to note that each person’s requirement is only to enter for a short time, and they can leave once they have completed their RRV immigration formalities. |
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| 5:How do I get a Returning Residents Visa? |
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| Upon arriving in New Zealand for the first time with your current Residence Visa you will be issued with a Returning Residence Visa, this is valid for 2 years. |
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| 6:What happens if my RRV expires when I am out of the country? |
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| If you are the principal applicant in an Application for Residence, and your RRV expires when you are out of the country, your residence will lapse. If you are a non-principal applicant, then your residence is reliant upon the principal applicant either having a valid RRV, or a valid Residence Permit (i.e. is in New Zealand). In that case, the non-principal applicant’s RRV can be made current, to equate with the principal applicant’s status. Such a person may, however, be required to complete fresh medicals and police clearances. |
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| 7:What is New Zealand Citizenship and when can I apply for that? |
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| Citizenship and Residency are quite different. As a resident you retain your country’s citizenship, after you have resided in New Zealand for a minimum of 3 years you may apply for New Zealand citizenship. |
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| 8:Is there any legal requirement to register with any authority in New Zealand? |
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| No. You do not need to advise a local authority where you are living, or what you are doing. |
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| 9:How do I open a bank account in New Zealand? |
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| You can, as a foreign national, open a bank account in New Zealand, and transfer funds in and out of the country, unimpeded by Government authorities. You will need to provide your passport, in order to open the account.
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| 10:Can I buy a property in New Zealand, and if I do, will it entitle me to New Zealand residence? |
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| As a non-resident, a person may buy property in New Zealand up to 1.25 hectares in area size. Over that size, Overseas Investment Commission approval must be obtained, before the purchase will be allowed. As a New Zealand resident, there are no restrictions on property purchases. Please note that the owning of property as an overseas citizen, does not entitle the owner to any exemptions for meeting residence policy. On its own, ownership of land in New Zealand does not qualify a person for residence. |
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