If you want to obtain New Zealand permanent residency, then you should start a specific immigration process. With the help of our immigration lawyer in New Zealand, you can complete the immigration formalities in a successful manner.
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How can your team of lawyers assist me in applying for residency in New Zealand?
You can rely on our team for full legal representationin obtaining residency in New Zealand. Some of the ways in which we can help you are:
- inform the client on the ways to acquire residency;
- provide advice on the eligibility criteria;
- assist in preparing the visa/residency application file;
- represent the client in front of all the institutions involved in the procedure;
- assist in appeals (these are held in front of the Immigration and Protection Tribunal), etc.
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Temporary residence permit types | working holiday, temporary work, family reunification, partnership, student, visitor |
Time needed to obtain the temporary residence permit (approx.) | it varies from minimum 21 days to maximum 6 months |
Temporary residence permit validity | it varies from 9 months to maximum 4 years, depending on the visa type |
| Documents for obtaining temporary residence | the passport, evidence on having sufficient financial funds, sporsorship proof (where required), travel tickets, the application form, the application fee payment, othe relevant documents that can vary based on the visa type one needs
|
| Mandatory registrations with state authorities (i.e. with the population/municipality register) | Immigration Office New Zealand handles the main immigration procedures |
| Dependents can join the temporary permit holder (Yes/No) | yes – it depends on the visa type received by the applicant |
| Temporary or permanent residency for investment purposes | yes, under the investor program (temporary residence at first, which can be changed into permanent residency if conditions are met) |
| Type of investments available for residency purposes | investments in various assets in New Zealand |
| Minimum investment amount | it depends based on the program ($750,000 for the Temporary Retirement Visitor Visa, $5 million for the Active Investor Plus visa) |
| Minimum temporary residence before applying for permanent residence | after minimum 2 years of living in New Zealand (but this applies to certain visa types) |
| Residency for individuals married to a citizen of the country | residence visa can be obtained after 12 months of living together |
| Documents for obtaining permanent residence | identity documents, documents attesting good character, the current visa issued by New Zealand officials, proof of commitment to New Zealand |
| Naturalization requirements | proof of permanent residency, proof of living in the country for the minimum amount of time (1,350 days in a 5 years period), meet the language requirements, meet the good character requirements |
| Citizenship after permanent residence | one can apply for citizenship after 5 years of permanent residency |
| Dual citizenship permitted (Yes/No) | yes, the law in New Zealand allows dual citizenship |
When can I obtain the right to permanent residency in New Zealand?
The right to NZ permanent residency can be granted to those who have lived here for a period of minimum two years.
Are there any groups of foreigners who can directly qualify for permanent residency in New Zealand?
Yes, the immigration law prescribes that there are certain groups of persons who can apply directly for NZ permanent residency.
This is the case of persons from Samoa, Fiji, Kiribati, Tonga and Tuvalu, who can enter a ballot where they show their intention of relocating to New Zealandand, in the case in which they are selected, then they will be able to start the formalities for permanent residency in this country.
What are some of the immigration programs that allow me to apply for permanent residency?
It is worth knowing that the right to NZ permanent residency can be obtained through specific immigration programs, and below we present a few of such programs:
- the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa – addressed to those who arrive here for employment purposes and who have a set of skills that are necessary for various industries;
- the Parent Retirement Resident Visa – available for elderly persons who want to retire in New Zealand and who can prove that they have sufficient funds to live here on an indefinite basis;
- Samoan Quota Resident Visa – it is organized as a ballot where the registered persons will be drawn based on a yearly quota and those who are selected will be invited to become permanent residents of New Zealand;
- Talent (Arts, Culture, Sports) Resident Visa – persons who work in these industries and who have been working here for two years can be invited to apply for a permanent residence permit in New Zealand in certain conditions.
The following video offers a short presentation on the process of obtaining New Zealand permanent residency:
Can I obtain residency for business/investment purposes?
Of course. Foreign businessmen can acquire residency (temporary and permanent) by applying for the Business Investor Resident Visa or the Active Investor Plus Visa. The latter is addressed to businessmen who can make significant investments in the local economy – you can read more on this subject here.
What documents should I prepare for my application?
In order to initiate the permanent residency application, it is necessary to prepare a set of documents imposed by law. These papers can vary in accordance with the type of immigration pathway the foreigner qualifies for (work, family reunification, business, etc.). In the list below, we present some of the mandatory paperwork:
- the current visa and the current residence permit;
- proof that the foreigner maintained the conditions of the visa;
- the passport;
- 1 photo;
- translated documents, in case of applicants who original documents are not issued in English;
- good character documentation (police certificates);
- proof of paying the processing fee;
- any other document that may be further required by the authorities.
What are the fees for my visa application?
The fee you must pay varies from one visa type to another. For instance, if you want to obtain residency in New Zealand through a Permanent Residence Visa, you will need to pay a processing fee that starts from NZD $315, while a Business Investor Resident Visa can cost NZD $14,890.
How many residency visas are awarded on a yearly basis?
As a general rule, the local immigration authorities grant a total number of visas for residency in New Zealand ranging between 85,000 visas to 95,000 per year, according to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.
How long does it take to process residence visas in New Zealand?
The application file will be processed in a given period of time, depending on the visa that you apply for; below, you can find a list regarding the time required for processing residence visas:
- the transfer of a visa that grants the right to residency in New Zealand can generally be completed in 1 day for 50% of the applications (it can take 2 days for 75% of the applications and 5 days for 90% of the applications);
- processing documents for traveling conditions of persons who can reside in New Zealand can be completed in 6 days for 50% of the applicants or in 8 days or 15 days (for the shares presented above);
- the Partner of a New Zealander visa, which can offer the right to NZ permanent residency, can be processed in a period of 4 months (in 50% of the cases), or in 7 months or 10 months;
- residency in New Zealand in the Skilled Migrant Program are processed in a period of 4 months;
- the procedure for the NZ permanent residency visa is generally completed in approximately 1 week.
In the infographic below, you can find out how to become a permanent resident in New Zealand:
What are my rights and obligations as a permanent resident?
In the list below, our immigration lawyer in New Zealandpresents some of the rights, benefits and obligations foreigners have as permanent residents:
- they must prove commitment to New Zealand;
- holders of NZ permanent residency permits are entitled to work, study and live in this country on an indefinite basis;
- they can purchase properties and apply for bank loans;
- they are registered for social security and health benefits;
- they also enjoy the right of traveling to and from New Zealand without restrictions;
- the person applying for permanent residency has the right to include close family members, including children with an age of up to 24 years old;
- they need to have their permanent residence visa in their passport;
- in the case in which the travel document expires, the holder must apply for a transfer of the permanent residency visa on the new passport.
What rights can’t I have as a permanent resident?
Although permanent residents have almost the same rights as New Zealand citizens, they do not have the right to:
- a NZ passport (as they are not citizens of the country);
- they can’t vote in any type of elections;
- they can’t work in specific governmental functions.
If you need further information and want to find out the list of documents you should prepare for your NZ permanent residency application file, do not hesitate to address to our lawyer.
