Know about the 2021 Residence Visa
To live in New Zealand permanently, you must have an New Zealand Resident Visa followed by a Permanent Resident Visa after two years and then Citizenship if you so desire. Most pathways leading to New Zealand residency start with a Temporary Visa, which allows you to work, study or own a business in New Zealand.
There are a few types of visas which allow residence in New Zealand right away, such as the Skilled Migrant Category visa. However, you need to comply with the conditions attached to your visa, to ensure your pathway to the residence is not interrupted.
Migrating to a new country is a huge decision, and therefore before moving to New Zealand permanently, you will need to consider which visas you are eligible for and whether those visas lead to permanent residence NZ.
You also need to make sure that you are ready to move to New Zealand because you will need enough time to complete the requirements of your Temporary or NZ Resident Visa conditions.
The government-funded public services that you will be able to access in New Zealand depends on the visa you hold. The easiest visa to get isn’t necessarily the best.
The range of popular visas that will allow you to live in New Zealand permanently are:
If you have been granted a Work Visa under Long Term Skills Shortage List or Talent Visa then you can test your eligibility for residence under these categories if you are currently on that visa and have held that visa for at least 24 months –
For indicative consultation & visa fees please click here
The time taken by Immigration New Zealand to process an application differs from category to category. The processing times can be found here
If you would like to know more about Residence Visa pathways, process, assessment criteria and the pitfalls that you should be aware of, please call us today on +64 9 379 0219 or email contact@nzimmigration.info
A New Zealand Resident visa usually allows you to stay in New Zealand for 24 months and in some cases, it is valid for 5-10 years. Once the NZ residency requirements are met, you can apply for a Permanent Resident Visa (PRV) which allows you to live in New Zealand indefinitely.
Processing of a NZ resident visa takes anything between 6 months to 33 months
To get a NZ resident visa, one needs to start with a temporary visa for working or studying or owning a business. Some temporary visas lead to New Zealand Residency.
If you are unable to get a residence visa directly, you can start with a temporary visa (Eg. Study Visa or Work Visa or own a business) that eventually leads to residence visa in NZ.
A Resident Visa comes with travel conditions that restrict a person's re-entry to New Zealand as a resident until a specific date, whereas a Permanent Resident Visa permits unrestricted and indefinite re-entry to New Zealand.
To qualify for permanent residency in New Zealand, you typically need to hold a resident visa for at least two years, meet character and health requirements, and demonstrate a commitment to living in New Zealand. Pathways include the Skilled Migrant Category, family sponsorship, straight to residence or work-to-residence options.
New Zealand permanent residency lasts indefinitely, allowing you to live, work, and study in the country without time restrictions. However, maintaining travel conditions may require meeting specific criteria if you plan to leave and re-enter New Zealand.
Residence pathways in New Zealand include the Skilled Migrant Category for skilled workers, employer-sponsored visas for those with job offers in critical industries, and partnership-based residency for individuals in relationships with New Zealand citizens or residents. Each pathway has specific eligibility criteria to meet, and the processing time varies.
In New Zealand, you can apply for citizenship after holding permanent residence for at least 5 years. During this time, you must have spent a significant amount of time living in New Zealand and meet good character, English language, and residency requirements. The process involves an application and approval by the Department of Internal Affairs.
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