QUESTION: What is the difference between a Temporary Work Visa to New Zealand and a Permanent Resident Visa to New Zealand?
ANSWER: A Temporary Work Visa to New Zealand allows a qualified skilled foreign worker to live and work in New Zealand for a limited/specified amount of time (for example, 1-5 years), while a Permanent Resident (PR) Visa to New Zealand authorizes an eligible skilled foreign worker to live and work in New Zealand long-term (i.e., “permanently”) and may include certain benefits and an option to apply for New Zealand citizenship after living in New Zealand at least five years as a permanent resident and meeting other requirements.
QUESTION: What are the different New Zealand immigration programs?
ANSWER: There are several different New Zealand immigration programs, including the following examples (our Immigration Adviser that we work with can evaluate which New Zealand visa you are best suited to apply for):
- Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) Residence Visa (to live, study and work in New Zealand long-term)
- Temporary Work Visa to New Zealand (live and work in New Zealand for a specified time period)
QUESTION: How can I know if I am eligible to apply for a Resident Visa to New Zealand?
ANSWER: Our New Zealand Immigration Adviser that we collaborate with can evaluate your eligibility to apply for a Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) Resident Visa to New Zealand, based upon a careful assessment of your CV and other relevant details and the most up-to-date New Zealand immigration regulations. Your personalized assessment results will inform you about which specific New Zealand visa program you are best-suited to apply for and this can help you to make an informed decision about your New Zealand immigration options.
QUESTION: What are the qualifications of your New Zealand immigration expert?
ANSWER: Our New Zealand Immigration Adviser that we work with is licensed by the New Zealand Immigration Advisers Authority (IAA) and, therefore, authorized to provide professional immigration services for people who want to apply for a visa to New Zealand. Thus, he can use his expertise to simplify the process for you of properly applying for a New Zealand Resident Visa through the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) or a Temporary Work Visa to New Zealand, depending on your eligibility.
QUESTION: What is the procedure to apply for a New Zealand Resident Visa?
ANSWER: The first step in the New Zealand immigration procedure is to receive a professional assessment from our licensed Immigration Adviser that we work with of your options to apply for a Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) Resident Visa to New Zealand. If you are evaluated as likely to meet the eligibility requirements to apply for a specific New Zealand visa, our Immigration Adviser can guide you throughout the procedure to submit your application for the visa to New Zealand’s government, making sure your application and all of the required documents are prepared and submitted correctly and answering your questions during the process.
QUESTION: How long does the New Zealand immigration procedure take?
ANSWER: The amount of time required for the New Zealand immigration procedure will depend on several factors, such as which type of New Zealand visa is being applied for (e.g., Residence Visa or Temporary Work Visa); to what extent the visa application is complete; and the amount of time required to verify the information contained in the visa application. In general, it can take several months to about a year, depending on the visa type and other variables. Our immigration expert can provide a more accurate timeline and further details after you have been evaluated.
QUESTION: How much does it cost to apply for a Resident Visa to New Zealand?
ANSWER: The cost can vary, depending on such factors as which New Zealand visa is being applied for, the size of one’s family, one’s country of citizenship, etc. In addition to the fee(s) for our professional New Zealand immigration services, there will be fees to have one’s English language skills evaluated (for example, by taking the IELTS exam), to have one’s education assessed and to receive a medical evaluation, plus New Zealand’s government will charge fees for filing the Expression of Interest (EOI), filing the New Zealand visa application and an immigration levy (fee). As of April 2016, the EOI fee is $530 NZD if filed online or $680 NZD if a paper-based EOI is submitted. The governmental fee to apply for a Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) Residence Visa ranges from $1,620 NZD to $2,505 NZD (as of April 2016), depending on the citizenship of the main applicant and which country they are living in. The immigrant levy helps New Zealand’s government to pay for immigration-related services and is $580 NZD (as of April 2016). The Residence Visa application fee and immigration levy both cover everyone included in the Residence Visa application (i.e., the main applicant, spouse/partner and dependent children, as applicable). Please note that the New Zealand governmental fees are subject to change at any time. You must also have enough money to pay for transportation to and from New Zealand, living expenses in New Zealand, etc. These are general estimates and our immigration experts can provide more specific information for your particular case after they have evaluated your details.