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Requirementsforapermanentresidentvisa

Requirementsforapermanentresidentvisa
Tobeeligibleforapermanentresidentvisa(PRV),theprincipalapplicantinyouroriginalresidenceapplicationmust:
holdaresidentvisa,orhaveheldoneinthelastthreemonths
hold,orhaveheld,thatresidentvisaforatleasttwoyearscontinuously
havemetanyconditionsthatyourresidentvisawassubjecttoundersection49(1)oftheImmigrationAct
meetrelevantcharacterrequirements,and
havemetoneoffivecommitmenttoNewZealandcriteriasetoutbelow.
Ifyouwerenottheprincipalapplicantintheoriginalresidenceapplication,younormallycannotapplyforapermanent
residentvisaunlessyouapplyatthesametimeastheprincipalapplicantorlater.Seeourimmigrationinstructionsfor
RV1.20forexceptionstothisrequirement.

Undersomeresidencecategories,applicantsmaybegrantedPRVsstraightaway,notaresidentvisa.Anexampleofthis
isunderResidencefromWork,whereapersonmaybegrantedaPRViftheyworkforanaccreditedemployer,earna
basesalaryofatleastNZ$90,000peryearandmeetthenormalResidencefromWorkcriteria.

CommitmenttoNewZealandcriteria
1.YouhavespentenoughtimeinNewZealand
YouhavebeeninNewZealandasaresidentforatotalof184daysormoreineachofthetwo12monthportionsofthe
24monthsimmediatelyprecedingyourpermanentresidentvisaapplication.Youdonothavetoprovideanyextra
evidence,otherthanyourpassport(s).
2.Youhavetaxresidencestatus
YouhavebeeninNewZealandasaresidentforatotalof41daysormoreineachofthetwo12monthportionsofthe24
monthsimmediatelyprecedingyourpermanentresidentvisaapplication,andyouareassessedbyInlandRevenue(IR)as
holdingtaxresidencestatusforthetwoyearsprecedingyourapplicationforapermanentresidentvisa.Youmustinclude
evidenceofyourtaxresidencestatuswithyourapplication.Acceptableevidenceincludes:
astatementfromIRfortheperiodforwhichyouhavebeenassessedashavingtaxresidencestatus,or
theINZformConfirmationofTaxResidentStatus(INZ1006)completedandendorsedbyIR.

Note:If,undertheprovisionsofadoubletaxagreement,youalsohavetaxresidencestatusinanothercountry,you
willnotbeconsideredtohavetaxresidencestatusinNewZealandforthepurposeofmeetingtherequirementsfora
permanentresidentvisa.

AlistofcountriesNewZealandhasadoubletaxagreementwithcanbefoundontheInlandRevenuewebsite.
3.InvestmentinNewZealand
YouhavebeenapprovedresidenceundertheInvestorCategoryandmetanyconditionsimposedundersection49(1)of
theImmigrationAct2009,oryouobtainedresidenceunderanothercategoryandmaintainedaninvestmentof
NZ$1,000,000ormoreinNewZealandfortwoyears.

Thefundsmustbelawfullyobtainedandownedsolelybyyou,orjointlywithyourpartnerordependentchildrenincluded
intheresidenceapplication.ThefundsmustoriginallyhavebeentransferredtoNewZealandthroughthetradingbank
system,orhavebeenearnedoracquiredinNewZealand.TheymustbeinvestedinNewZealandcurrencyinaventure
capableofprovidingacommercialreturn.Thisdoesnotincludeahome,car,boatorsimilaritems.Thefundsmaynotbe
usedascollateralforanyloanduringthetwoyearinvestmentperiod,unlessthemoneyloanedremainswithinNew
ZealandandinNewZealanddollarsonly.Thefundsmaybetransferredfromoneinvestmenttoanotherprovidedeach
investmentmeetstheserules.
4.BusinessinNewZealand
YouhaveobtainedresidenceunderanycategoryandhavesuccessfullyestablishedorpurchasedabusinessinNew
Zealandatleast12monthsagothatistradingsuccessfullyandbenefitingNewZealandinsomeway.Youmusteither:
haveestablishedorpurchasedthebusinessoperatinginNewZealand,or
ownaminimum25percentshareholdinginanexistingbusinessinNewZealand.
WithyourapplicationyouwillhavetoprovideasetofyourlatestbusinessaccountscertifiedbyaNewZealandchartered
accountantandastatementfromthemconfirmingthatintheirviewyourbusinessisagoingconcern.
5.EstablishedbaseinNewZealand
YouhavebeeninNewZealandasaresidentforatotalofatleast41daysinthe12monthperiodimmediatelybefore
lodgingyourpermanentresidentvisaapplication,andallmembersofyourimmediatefamilywhowereincludedinyour
residenceapplicationhaveresidedinNewZealandforatotalofatleast184daysinthetwoyearperiodimmediately
beforelodgingyourpermanentresidentvisaapplication.Also,either:
youownandmaintainafamilyhomeinNewZealand,or
youhavebeengenuinelyemployedfulltimeinNewZealand,inpaidemployment,foratotalofatleastninemonthsin
thetwoyearperiodimmediatelybeforelodgingyourpermanentresidentvisaapplication.Employmentinvolving
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Requirementsforapermanentresidentvisa

paymentbycommissionand/orretainerisnotacceptable.
Ifyouareapplyingonthebasisofowningafamilyhome,youmusthavepurchaseditwithin12monthsofyourfirstday
inNewZealandasaresidentandstillownthatpropertyeithersolelyorjointlywithmembersofyourimmediatefamily
whowereincludedinyourresidenceapplication.

Withyourapplicationyouwillhavetoprovideevidenceofowningandmaintainingyourhomeorevidenceofemployment.
Evidenceofowningandmaintainingahomemayincludeyourresidentialpropertytitledeedmortgagedocuments,rate
demands,homeinsurancepapers,andaccountsforthetelephone,electricity,gasorwater.

Evidenceofemploymentmayincludewrittenconfirmationofyourfulltimeemploymentfromyouremployer(s).Ifyou
areselfemployed,youshouldprovideevidenceyouhaveestablished,purchasedorholdsharesinabusinessinNew
Zealand,andareactivelyinvolvedinmanagingoroperatingthatbusiness.

HowdoIgoaboutapplyingforapermanentresidentvisa?
PageLastUpdated:22Jul2015

http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/stream/alreadyinnz/residents/nextsteps/prvrequirements.htm

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