How long when you receive your visa

Yes, you have up to 12 months from being granted PR to get to NZ to activate it otherwise it ceases to be valid. ?I, too, have been trawling through the NZIS' site looking for confirmation in the written word to post on here, but they really do send you round in circles and make things unnecessarily complicated. ?

PR means that you can stay in NZ indefinitely provided you comply with the conditions of your PR, one being that, during the first 2 years (i.e. until you get your Indefinite Returning Residents Visa) you have to spend roughly 6 months in the country.

If you then want to apply for citizenship, you have to wait for 5 years before doing so.

Thanks Mother Bear! :)

Frankly, that piece of information takes a load off my mind. 12 months means much more wiggle room for getting the house sold. For some reason I had 6 months stuck in my brain--too many deadlines and timelines too keep straight I guess.

12 months means much more wiggle room for getting the house sold. ??

If you find you're still pushed for time when you're told that you have PR in principal, as Moggy says above, you can delay your PR by a few months by withholding the migrant levy. You won't get your stickers until you pay up. 8-)

If you find you're still pushed for time when you're told that you have PR in principal, as Moggy says above, you can delay your PR by a few months by withholding the migrant levy. ?You won't get your stickers until you pay up. ? 8-)

Well ... eh ... uh ... When I sent my Application I sent along credit card info to pay the levy. :smacks head: I've been kicking myself since I read Moggy's post.

BTW, acknowledgement of receipt of my application came in the mail today. As many as 4 months in the queue to get assigned to a case manager, then 1 to 3 months to make a decision! They are absolutely trying to kill me! :P "Well, I guess you better start working on finding a job," quoth Mrs. KiwiHopeful. :)

Those are the anticipated maximums, so try not to fret yet. We were assigned a case worker after two months, and they originally wanted to interview us within a month of that.