New Zealand - British Expat Forum

My partner, myself and our 3 year old are heading to NZ in October on holiday visas with a plan to stay and find work. Having met in NZ 7 years ago whilst on working holiday visas we have decided to return with a view to staying on permanently (work permitting).

My question is: Are we allowed to send cargo (we have around 2m cubed) not having a work permit or residency?

We currently live in La Réunion (French overseas department) and our cargo would go via France.

Thanks for any advice,

Rachel

Hiya,

*NB - This is not immigration advice*

You can enter on a holiday visa for 3 months (6 if you are from the UK), as long as you have evidence of funds to support you for the holiday and travel tickets or evidence of onward travel arrangements. (i.e. you wouldn't be able to get in unless you had your return tickets). If you don't have these, they may ask you to leave straight away.

They can also deny you entry if:
* The immigration or visa officer has reason to believe your application or information contained in your application is not genuine.
* The officer believes your purpose is not genuine, or that you do not intend to abide by the conditions of the permit.

Whilst they could *possibly* not tell if you were to receive your cargo overseas (I really don't know whether MAF / Customs talk to Immigration), I really wouldn't recommend it. There is a possibility that they would see that as a "non genuine" use of the visa.

Do also bear in mind that, depending on what areas you are looking to apply into, the job market is very tight at the moment. I've only just got my PR visa, and all of my previous applications (done from the UK and whilst at a job fair in Auckland - I'm still in the UK waiting to go out) have resulted in me being told to come back once I'm legally allowed to work in NZ.

Whilst going over to NZ to look for work is a good idea (employers do like you being "on the ground" for interviews), I would recommend that you wait until you have at least got a job offer and are starting the application for a work visa before arranging for cargo to be sent to you (do you have friends / relatives who could assist you with this - i.e. you leave it in secure storage, and then they are there when the removals company come to pack it?). It would also be cheaper in the long run if you end up being unable to find work straight away, or have to go back to La Réunion whilst waiting for your visa to go through - removals companies charge a fortune for storage if they don't have an address to deliver to!

Also - just a thought - if you are going to apply from NZ, then remember to take *all* documentation with you. They like their paperwork, and one of the big killers is the proof of partnership (lots of official documents like bank statements and bills in both your names, preferably at various addresses, covering at least a couple of years). Remember all qualification paperwork, birth certificates, any medical information (though as they are time limited, you will need to have your medical and police certificates done when you start applying, else there is a risk that they will run out before you get your application through, and that is very expensive!) Any details for proving previous work experience (pay slips, job descriptions, contracts etc) will also prove invaluable - they don't count CVs.

Also - do be aware of this article http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10581476 - it appears to be saying that even those with jobs are not necessarily being given permits.

Good Luck!
Jo

Well thanks for all the info. I realise it's probably not the best time to make the move but we are extremely motivated and it's pretty much now or never for us so...

We don't plan to come back to La Réunion even if things don't work out, so leaving stuff with friends isn't really an option. What about sending our belongings to friends in NZ? At the end of the day if we still haven't found work in 6 months we'll probably leave and return for another 6 months.

After reading the article you sent I am even less tempted to go via the EOI/ skilled migrant route.

We have to make a decision pretty soon about what to do with our belongings as we leave for the UK (for 3 months) in 3 weeks. We don't plan to send anything other than clothes/ books/ toys etc that we can't carry. Maybe we should just try to sell everything here and leave with as litlle as possible.

Thanks again for your advice and good luck with your own project too,

Rach

It sounds like you are very determined - probably the best way of getting through the immigration rollercoaster!

If you have friends in NZ that you could send belongings to, then that would be a good way round it 8) (I didn't even think of that, but then I don't have anyone in NZ to leave stuff with...)

I hope it all goes well!