visitor visa

[wendie]

we are waiting for a case officer to look at our ltbv. in the meantime we have sold our house and when this is complete we plan to visit nz on a visitor visa and await the out come in nz.
we have read on your site that you have to leave nz for 6 months before they will issue you another visa.
so does that mean we will have to come back to gb even if our ltbv is approved whilst we are there?.
also, can we put our children in school while on a visitor visa?
yes i know that seems cruel, but we do intend not to come back. :icon_question:

Hi,

If you have the finances to wave under the nose of NZIS, then you can extend your visitors permits for up to 12 months (18 is some special cases).

If your LTBV is processed in the meanwhile, you will not have to leave NZ and come back as your new business permit will take over your visitors permit.

You 'can' send the kids to school on visitors permits, but you are liable to pay international fees. In reality though, most schools do not accept international fee paying students, so you may not get them in anywhere.

International fees are also about $16,000 a year!

[SteveyC]

No, correct me if I'm wrong but as far as I'm aware, it's only 6 months before they grant you another visitors visa. However there are ways wound this I've heard. Apparently if you do a hop over to Oz they stamp your passport for 6 months there and then come back and you get another stamp, as long as you leave enough time before your original vistor permit expires.
On the school thing, I think this is a no no I'm afraid, I can't see visitors getting access to all governement funded things, which is why they reccommend health insurance. They'll treat you for minor injuries in hospital but I don't think no essential ops will be carried out.