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wife is a kiwi,what do I need to emigrate there?

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  • 07-03-2010 10:13pm
    #1
    hawkelady
    Registered Users Posts: 1,357 ✭✭✭


    Hi,
    Hoping someone out there can advise me on what exactly I need to do?
    We are seriously considering heading to make NZ our new home.My wife is a kiwi,lived here for the last 10 yrs and we have 2 kids and number 3 will be here during the summer.I understand that herself and the kids will have no prob living in nz as the kids have nz passports but what I need to know is what do I need to do for me to live and work there.Ive tried calling the nz embassey in London and tried googling but I havent been told exactly what to do.
    Do I just head there and try and get work ?but I would imagine that Id need a visa/clearance of some sort even with my wife being a kiwi.
    We have a timeline of about 1yr to 18 months for us to head over so there is no major rush but I would love to know what steps I have to take to make this move hassle free.
    Any help will be appreciated,
    PS, we will be renting our house here for a year just in case it turns to custard in NZ.can anyone tell me will I still pay rental tax even if I will be living in NZ,its just a mate of mine said you dont pay any Irish tax if you live overseas.Sorry for the long winded post but I just needed to get everything out there.
    Thanks a million,


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    #2
    watna
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,367 ✭✭✭✭watna


    You need to get a partnership visa to work and live in NZ with your wife.

    You can apply for this through London. Basically you need to prove you are in a legitimate relationship with your wife. As you are married, you can provide your marriage certificate and children's birth certificates but you still need to apply for the partnership visa.

    I have this visa and am a permanent resident of NZ because my partner is a NZ citizen. I wouldn't have got a visa to stay in the country otherwise. I have the same rights as a citizen and can vote and everything.

    Go to the NZ immigration website and look up getting a partnership visa. The process is fairly simple and the website is excellent. You need to fill out all the forms and provide evidence of your partnership (I had joint bank account statements, leases in both our names, etc as we are not married but you would have a marriage cert and birth certs as well as other financial documents showing you are legitimate couple). You have to have been living together for 1 year (which I presume you have been!). You need to go for a medical (if in Ireland it needs to be a doctor authorised by immigration NZ to do immigration medicals) and an x-ray (to prove you don't have TB) and provide them with notarised copies of your passport and your wife's. She'll also need to sign a form declaring that she is sponsoring you in front of a JP or notary.

    Bear in mind that the visa can take a bit to come through. Mine took 6 months (but I was already in NZ at the time, I've heard London can take less). 5.2 months of that was waiting for my case to be assigned to a case officer. The case was decided in 2 weeks.

    I spent about $1500 getting the visa. The fee was $700 medical and x-ray another $400 and then I had to pay a migrant levy when the residency was gratned.

    As I said, I've been through this process so feel free to ask any questions or pm me if you need any help at all.


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    #3
    hawkelady
    Registered Users Posts: 1,357 ✭✭✭hawkelady


    Cheers Watna,
    I prob will take you up and pm you in a few months when Im futher along with the process.Thanks a mill for the info,very helpful.
    Do you know if when I get this visa ,does it have a timeline or can I apply now and when it comes ,do I have it for life,if you know what I mean or does it expire after a certain period.
    Are you in the Auckland area,because thats where we will be relocating to anyway.If so I will stand you a couple of tui's or speights for helping me here.
    Thank again..


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    #4
    watna
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,367 ✭✭✭✭watna


    I'm actually in Wellington but thanks for the offer!

    As far as I'm aware you can apply now and your residency permit become active when you get in to the country. When you get a residency permit you also get a returning resident's visa (RRV) which allows you to come in and out of the country. It's quite strange. The residency permit says that it expires when you leave the country, that's why you need the RRV. This does expire after two years and you have to apply for another one (you can pay more to get a permanent returning resident's visa). The residency permit is permanent, it does not expire so once you get it you're set. You do need to make sure you have a valid RRV as if you leave and come back a few years later you don't automatically get another one. If you get the permanent one that costs more after two years then that's it, you really are set for life!

    You can also get a work permit through partnership which is cheaper, quicker to get and lasts two years but as you are not planning on going to NZ for 18 months I would definitely recommend the residency option. It gives you access to a lot more things and means that you don't have to renew every 2 years (expect the RRV which you have to renew once), you only go through the process once.


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