Dependant Relatives Query

Can anybody please advise about the regulations in respect of Dependant Relative status, or advise where one can gain information about this.
My daughter is in Auckland and applying for residency; my son is planning to do similar next year. With no other children in UK, will this automatically allow my wife and I to emigrate when we retire? Or before?
Thanks, in anticipation

Hi,
Following the route of family sponsorship is a bit of a tricky area. From my understanding, your family in NZ has to have held residency for at least 3 years and can only sponsor a parent if they have no other relatives remaining in their home country. I'm not sure whether this means you can sponsor both of your parents if you have no other siblings left in the country, or whether you can only sponsor one parent, on the assumption that the other parent has passed away.

I've tried to research this question for you, but answers are not really forthcoming from the NZIS website! I shall continue to plow through the immigration operations manual to see if I can find a definite answer on that one.

As for moving the business, this would be a possibility if you can prove that your business would be of economic benefit to New Zealand. This meaning that your company has the potential to grow and remain financialy viable and also create employment opportunities for New Zealanders. You would initially need to apply for the Long Term Business Visa, and after 2 years you could apply for residency under the Entrepreneur category. This does, however, require all sorts of documentation such as a business plan, evidence of prior business management experience, proof of funds to keep you for 2 years (assuming that your business provides no income for its startup phase) plus the usual character and fitness evidence. Its also the most expensive route, with the application alone costing $2200 NZ Dollars.

Hope this is of some use!

Thanks for your help Taffy - very much appreciated. :)
I'll keep a watch on the thread to see if you come up with any more information.
Thanks again,
Ken

Hi Ken

Trust you have seen my answer on Family Quota. This is one area we looked at before going down the family quota road. Taffy is right there is a 3 year residency rule and if this is met, then provided you have more or the same number of children living in NZ as in UK you can apply under the sponsorship scheme.

Indeed my mother lives in NZ because she married again and her husband has one daughter in NZ and one still here in the UK. However although my mother lives there, I still have two grown up children in the UK and therefore I have more family here than in NZ and did not therefore qualify.

Sounds as if you may on the basis of more family in NZ that UK, although it seems neither of your children have lived in NZ for 3 years.

Cheers


Dave

Thanks for your comprehensive reply on the Family Quota, Dave.
You are one lucky begger - and I am a sad old Victor - but happy for you, sir :D :D There is hope then (unless the Kiwi gov't changes the family quota rules during the next 5 years before I can retire). 250 places is not a lot, however, considering the numbers of people emigrating right now. One further question, if I may? What constitutes "family"? If, for example one has a living sister and two living parents, but all of one's children are NZ Residents, does that qualify one for the Family Quota?
Good luck with your move - have you considered Napier? It's full of retired gentlefolk driving round in classic cars! My kinda town 8) :D

Hi Ken

Just to clarify, there are two separate schemes under which you can apply. Firstly there is the Family Quota scheme which is restricted to people who cannot qualify under any other scheme. This is the one where 250 names are drawn out of the hat every year. To qualify for this scheme you must be an adult child, grandchild, brother or sister or parent of the NZ resident who is sponsoring you.

However it seems to me you will have to be sponsored under the Family Category as you have 2 children living in NZ. In this scheme the issue is "centre of gravity of the family" and as you have 2 children living in NZ, provided you do not have 3 or more children living outside NZ, then you qualify under this scheme. The fact that you have other family members living in the UK does not matter. The scheme relates to children only.

There is of course the residency requirement before either of your children can sponsor you and as stated previously I believe this is 3 years.
So there is time enough before you retire. I would add that given that it can take 6 months to get an application approved, and then you have 6 months from that date to pay the ?100 migrant levy and get the visa in your passport, after which you have 12 months to actual arrive in NZ, it may be worthwhile starting the process a couple of years before you retire.

Yes we did consider Napier and having been to NZ 3 times we have travel around most of it. Napier is a bit out on a limb for us so we are looking at Blenheim on the South Island ( bags of sunshine) and the Cambridge/MataMata region of North Island (good house prices). Although I could name several other places where living would not be a problem.

Let me know if I can be of any further help.

Cheers
Dave

Tha's really helpful and encouraging clarification, Dave.
Thanks very much indeed :D
Good luck with your new life in paradise !

P.S What a useful Forum this is - congrats to those concerned :D