Tougher criteria for family members!

[MotherBear]

Just what I've been worrying about. Much longer and they'll shut us out altogether. They say we can visit though, but then we can do that now and without a visa. I don't see they're giving us anything, or am I missing something?

Tougher criteria for immigrants' family members
NZPA | Friday, 12 October 2007

Some immigrants who want to bring additional family members to New Zealand will face tougher rules under changes announced today.

Under the changes immigrants must be earning around $30,000 a year in order to sponsor parents to come and live here. Previously there was no threshold.

They must also guarantee to support them for five years – three years longer than is currently the case.

Under the changes, people wishing to bring a partner to New Zealand also face a tougher character test.

Other changes include:

allowing multiple entry visas for parents and grandparents, making it easier for them to visit family in New Zealand;

the withdrawal of the existing Family Quota category.

establishing quota places for parents (3100-3400), adult children (250-350) and adult siblings (1100-1250).

Mr Cunliffe said the changes made it easier to bring family members to New Zealand to visit, but tightened up criteria for residency in some instances.

"Parents and grandparents play a key role in family life. The new policies will make it easier for family from offshore to visit," he said.

"Enhanced character and sponsorship requirements ensure a transparent and sustainable family residence programme."

Mr Cunliffe said there would be no change to the overall distribution of different categories within the immigration programme with 60 per cent of places remaining available for skilled migrants, 30 per cent for family and 10 per cent for humanitarian placements.

Mr Cunliffe said the multiple entry visa for extended family members would make it a lot easier for them to visit.

Under the change family members can apply for a visa that allows multiple visits over a three-year period. Applicants will be able to stay for six months at a time up to a maximum of 18 months within the three years.

From here .

[Tribesman]

This probally means that the government there will make no payout for five years. Which is also bad news.

[MotherBear]

By 'payout' do you mean the government paying out a NZ pension (or superannuation as it's called there)?

You can only claim one lot of pension i.e. a UK one or a NZ one but there are rules about claiming the NZ one where you have to have contributed to the tax system for so many years (I think it's 10) before you can claim. There's something about having to claim the UK one and it can be topped up by the NZ one, if you're eligible to claim it.

[joemack]

Hi M.B.
Thats bad news for me and my wife as we are hoping to come to NZ in the new year. Do we know when the new rules come into force. Joe.

[MotherBear]

Originally Posted by joemack

Do we know when the new rules come into force. Joe.

Hi Joe,

On the news article dated 12th Oct. it refers to 'under changes announced today', so I don't know if that means they came into force that day or were just announced as coming into force at some future date. I've looked on the INZ site and there's nothing in there about it so far, although another article I posted about changes to rules for bringing household goods into NZ was in there. The actual page where it tells you about sponsoring parents still remains the same as before. I guess we'll just have to keep our eyes peeled to see if something more specific appears in the media or INZ site.

As far as I can see, the only changes that affect us parents who are being sponsored is that our sponsors must be earning $30k+ per annum and must be able to support us for 5 years instead of 2 as previously stated. The latter bit is somewhat unnecessary for us as we'd hope to be providing for ourselves, but I dare say it's important for those from some other countries where parents can't always support themselves and look to their offspring for this. The rest of the article refers to partners, visitor visa changes and the abolishment of the Family Quota, which was like a lottery for those who couldn't get into NZ any other way.

I would hope we wouldn't have to worry too much about this as it stands. My main worry is that something else will crop up before we have a chance to apply (from next August onwards). It's making me nervous the way they keep talking about too many older people in NZ putting a strain on the health system. Articles like this don't help either as both my hubbie and I have osteopenia (early stages of osteoporosis). I'd hate to think they'll now add this to their list of conditions thou shalt not have.

[joemack]

Hi MB.
Thanks for your reply to my question. Now can you let me know about the household goods rule you mentioned. Thanks Joe.

[MotherBear]

You should find it in here , Joe. It was in the Making the Move category. There's not really a lot on there, but thought I'd post it up in case it affected some folks.