Expression of Interest

[Ray_Pillay]

Hello everyone

I have a work permit for two years.I have 140 points.We have submitted an application in March through an immigration agent.We have not received any news as yet.The agent says we have selected into the pool.

Has anyone has any ideas on what is happening ?

Ray

[MotherBear]

Oh no!! Not the dreaded immigration agent! [smiley=Sick.gif]

I have yet to hear of anyone who's been satisfied with the services of these agents. They charge exorbitant fees and do very little for it. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, Ray, but the forums are littered with gripes from members who've had bitter experiences with them.

If you've got 140 points you should sail through the process quite quickly as 140 points is the magic figure you need for automatic selection. How is it you've only got a Work Permit, if you have enough points for PR? Sorry, but I'd bin your agent and save yourself a heap of money. Most, if not all, of our members have managed to get to NZ without the aid of such people and you can too. We all help each other for free, not that you should need much help if you've got that amount of points.

By the way, a hearty welcome to the forum. If you need any help, just ask.

[Ray_Pillay]

Thank you Mother Bear


Just been to see this agent of mine, only to find out he has not made any application yet.Now I have a problem in that wife and daughter visas has expired.Just phoned immigration services and was to told to apply under section 35A for extension of visas.
Can I have some help please.

Regards

Ray

[MotherBear]

Ray, so that I can understand your situation better, could you answer some questions, please?

How long have you been in NZ and which country did you come from originally?
You already have a Work Permit or is it a Work to Residence Visa that you have?
Why is it that your wife and daughter?s visas have already expired? ?Didn?t they go to NZ at the same time as you, under your Work Permit?
How is it that you have a Work Permit and not PR if you have 140 points?

If you have a Work Permit or a Work to Residence Visa you should be able to convert it into PR once you have complied with the rules.

I think you would have to apply for an extension of your wife and child?s visas to give you enough time to be able to sort out the mess that your agent has left you in.

Sorry about the questions, but something doesn?t seem right with all of this. ?Perhaps I?ll be able to help you better when I see your answers.

And don't pay your agent ANY money. ?He's done NOTHING for you. ?

[Ray_Pillay]

Hello Mother Bear
Thanks for advice.Heres answers to the questions.
1.Have been in New Zealand sice August 2005 and arrived from South Africa.
2.Have a work permit valid till 03/08/07.
3.Yes we arrived at the same time their visitors visas expired in April, on the understanding that the agent had lodged our EOI, which would have been a cake walk.
4.Have 140 points with work.
5.Spoke to immigration office and advice was to apply for visa extension under section 35A, also to lodge EOI at the same time.
6.Have discarded the agent and trying to sort paperwork myself.

Many thanks and regards
Ray

[MotherBear]

Ray, have you been into the NZ Immigration Services? website? ?

If you register for online services here , it?ll take you to pages where you can apply for your own EOI and it also mentions about extending visitors? visas although, if your wife and daughter?s visas expired in April, it could well be more complicated. ?

I can?t get into these pages myself as I don?t want to register because I?m hoping to go to NZ via a different route (Family Category) so I can?t see exactly what?s available on there. ?I believe the fee you pay for the EOI may be cheaper if you apply online and you can create your own personal file on there. ?You?ll need a credit card to pay the fee. ?If you work your way through the EOI paperwork, we?ll try to help you if you have any queries. ?Once you submit your application it will go into a pool and selections are made from this pool twice a month. ?You can stay in this pool for up to 6 months, but we?ll hope it?ll be a lot quicker in your case. ?It depends on how busy the relevant department is at the time and how quickly they want to push you through.?In your case, where time is of the essence, it might be an idea to apply for your police certificates as soon as you have the Decision Successful come up, as this is one of the things that can take time. ?
Can I ask at this point, how many points do you have without claiming points for your job? ?Progressing from a WP to PR would depend on having sufficient points without those from either a job offer or work experience in NZ.

If you apply online, you can watch the progress of your application on your personal file as it will tell you your status somewhere on your homepage. ?What you?ll be looking for is a ?Decision Successful? status. ?Once you have this NZIS should send you an ITA package to fill in and work on. ?This shouldn?t be quite so daunting as the EOI as much of it is confirming what you already did in the EOI, but this time you?ll have medicals and police certificates to sort out.

When you applied for your WP, wouldn?t it have been possible for your daughter (or you on her behalf) to apply for a Student?s Visa ? ?That would have got her sorted, as she could have had her visa for the same length of time as your WP. ?

Most, if not all, of our members have been successful in getting to NZ by doing it themselves, so it can?t be too difficult. Take it one step at a time and, although at first it seems a mammoth task getting everything together, it can be done. Meanwhile, if the NZIS is suggesting that you extend your family?s visas, I should go ahead and do that in the hope it will give you enough time to have your application processed and approved.

Good luck with filling in your EOI. ?I?d like to think that you?ll be pleased with yourself when you find you?ve done it all yourself AND saved a lot of money in the process.

[Ray_Pillay]

Hi

Been selected on the 25 October and have now sent in all documents for residence.
Thanks for your help.

On behalf of a friend in SA, he wants to know if he can get a permit/residence if he buys an existing business in New Zealand.

Regards
Ray

[Glenda]

Hi,

As far as a I am aware, you cannot just buy a business to get residency in NZ (though a few years back you could do this in Australia). ?You have to have sufficient funds to establish that business, a sound business record and character and, importantly, relevent business experience. ?

If your friend has his own, say, garage business in SA and wants a garage business in NZ there should be no problem if he can tick the above requirements; if he hasn't had a business before or wants to go into, say, tourism, then he will probably be refused.

Buying a business in NZ as part of a 'business plan' could be difficult as the LTBV can take 6 (or more) months to be considered. ?If your friend is confident, it is possible to purchase a business subject to grant of LTBV consent if the vendor is so willing.

Some folks find it easier to immigrate to NZ on the EOI route, work for a few months as required by immigration, then buy a business.

Hope that helps a little. ?All the nitty gritty can be found on the NZIS immigration site. http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migra...rtingabusiness
:) ? ?