WikiEmbassy

Archive for the ‘New Zealand’ Category

As a first step, New Zealand will simplify the visa process for Chinese nationals by opening a joint immigration and tourism office in Shanghai following China’s demand for easy visa services.

New Zealand Immigration Minister Jonathan Coleman said this office reflects New Zealand’s increasing commitment to meet growth in the China market, one of the country’s fastest growing tourism markets.

Annually, New Zealand rakes some USD318.49 million from Chinese tourists, China’s Xinhua news agency reported, citing Coleman as saying on Tuesday.

About 131,000 Chinese visitors came to New Zealand in the year to June, an increase of 25 percent year on year, while business visitors increased by 10 percent, and Chinese students accounted for a quarter of the 90,000 international students studying in New Zealand each year.

The Immigration New Zealand (INZ) was issuing multiple entry visas for Chinese citizens as standard practice, allowing holders to enter New Zealand as many times as they like for a maximum stay of six months in total.

“This will remove a real source of frustration for Chinese who wish to visit New Zealand regularly at short notice,” Coleman said, adding that the visa application form had been reduced in length, and now can be obtained in dual Chinese and English language.

Soon, INZ will establish visa application centres in Beijing, Guangzhou and Hong Kong to make the application process easier and quicker.

“What this also highlights is the important link between immigration and tourism and how better collaboration between both sectors can help boost New Zealand’s tourism industry,” Coleman said.

Source: Bernama

By issuing Vietnam visa on arrival for those who travel to Vietnam by air, Vietnam visa process was streamlined. For more information about Vietnam visa on arrival, please visit the website http://www.vietnam-visa.com.

To maintain a person’s lawful status in New Zealand, a new interim visa system will come into effect from today that will help overseas students, workers and visitors extending their stay.

To be eligible for an interim visa, a person must hold a valid temporary visa when their application for another temporary visa is accepted by Immigration New Zealand.

In most cases, an interim visa will be granted automatically by electronic means.

The interim visa will be valid until a person’s application for temporary visa is decided up to a maximum of six months.

Source: Sifi

Tip: If you want to get Visum Vietnam free of charge, please visit http://vietnamhotels.net for more details.

Growing problems for New Zealanders trying to obtain British visas will be up for discussion in talks with British ministers this week.

As part of efforts to slash immigration levels by 2015, the British Government last year announced a cap on the number of workers it would allow in from outside the European Union (EU).

From April, the number is to be limited to 21,700 a year, compared to about 28,000 in 2009.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague and Defence Secretary Liam Fox arrive in Auckland on Thursday for two days of talks, and Foreign Minister Murray McCully said the migration cap was among a number of issues on the agenda.

“The history of the relationship since the United Kingdom joined the EU has been that some of those special features in the relationship have been diminished and we’re looking to try and slow that process down and reverse it where possible,” Mr McCully told NZPA.

“We would call for an acknowledgment of the special character of the relationship, the fact that New Zealanders have got strong family relationships in particular.

“We’re looking to try and ensure that we can get the best possible deal we can for New Zealanders, that’s basically the point.”

Mr McCully said the talks also presented an opportunity to develop New Zealand’s relationship with the EU.

“The relationship that UK has with the European Union is now very important relationship for them, but they have also been very strong supporters of ours in our dealings with the EU,” he said.

“We have been trying to develop a more comprehensive partnership with the EU, we have individual agreements with the EU … but there’s no comprehensive basis to the formal relationship and we’ve been quietly looking to move that ahead.”

Concerns that have continually been raised about an expensive departure tax to be introduced for flights to New Zealand would also be reiterated, Mr McCully said.

“It’s a structural issue, deferring it is not something that I think they’d be open to doing,” he said.

“We’d be hoping to see the review that’s being undertaken result in a system that does not penalise the nations that are furthest away from the UK, including the close friends in New Zealand and Australia.”

Mr McCully said a central focus for the talks would be on security issues, and the role of Commonwealth countries would also be discussed.

“The Foreign Secretary has made it clear he wants to give a higher priority to Commonwealth issues and to the opportunity for the Commonwealth to be a more constructive force.”

Mr McCully expressed particular interest in discussion about the Commonwealth, saying he was a strong advocate for the group being a stronger player.

“It should be a more potent force on the world stage than it is.”

Source: NZ Herald

Get trouble with Vietnam visa on arrival? Please visit http://www.vietnam-visa.com

I have more than one nationality. Do I require a visa?
If you have more than one nationality, whether you require a visa depends on which travel document you intend to travel on. If it is a passport of a country whose nationals require a visa, you will also require a visa even if you have another nationality for which no visa is required. The country in which you are residing is irrelevant to whether you require a visa, although you must be residing legally in the country in which you submit your application.

Do I require a visa with a travel document for a third country?
Yes. Persons with travel documents for aliens and refugees issued by third countries always require a visa no matter what their nationality or which country issued these documents. An exception is made for refugees with travel documents issued by 16 European countries: Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

Nationals of certain countries also require an airport transit visa to change aircraft at a Dutch airport, even though they do not actually enter Dutch territory.

Countries whose nationals need an airport transit visa:

Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Colombia, DR Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana**, Guinea *, Guinea Bissau, Iran, Iraq, Nepal, Nigeria**, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Syria

* Nationals of Guinea do not need an airport transit visa for Belgium provided they are in possession of a valid visa for one of the EER-countries, Andorra, Canada, Japan, Monaco, San Marino, United States of America or Switzerland.

** As from 1 May 2008 nationals of Ghana and Nigeria do not need an airport transit visa for Benelux, Germany, Italy and Spain provided they are in possession of a valid visa for for the United States, Canada, Japan, EER-countries and Switzerland

Contact information: http://www.vietnam-visa.com/embassy/Netherlands

Broadly speaking, there are two types of work visa or permit. (Visas are issued overseas and convert to permits in New Zealand.) First there is the Work To Residence Visa and second there is the General Work Visa. We look at both, starting with work to residence.

Work To Residence (WTR)

The most desirable work visa is the Work to Residence Visa.

If you can get one, qualifying for permanent residence is straightforward. All you need to do is work in NZ for two years.

There are three main ways for job-seekers to obtain WTR;

• WR1 Talent (Accredited Employers)

• WR2 Talent (Arts, Culture and Sports)

• WR3 Long Term Skill Shortage List.

All allow you to work in New Zealand for 30 months. They are multiple entry visas so you may enter and leave New Zealand as often as you wish.

Getting a Talent Visa

The two talent visas are similar.

For most people interested in moving to New Zealand, the WR1 – accredited employer route – will be more useful.

For both types of talent visa you must be aged 55 years or younger, meet the requirements for health and character, and have found an employer (WR1) or organisation of national repute (WR2) that wishes to make use of your talents in New Zealand.

Additionally, for WR2 Talent (Arts, Culture and Sports) you need to have exceptional talent in your field, be prominent in your field, be sponsored by a New Zealand organisation of national repute and satisfy the immigration service that your presence in New Zealand will enhance the quality of New Zealand’s accomplishments in your field.

Almost three hundred and fifty New Zealand employers have gained accreditation to offer jobs qualifying for WR1 Talent Visas. Talent visa jobs must be for at least two years duration, for at least 30 hours per week, in the employer’s main business activity and offer a minimum annual salary of $55,000 (if you work more than 40 hours per week, the salary must be calculated at 40 hours).

Getting a Work Visa for Long Term Skill Shortage List (LTSSL)

If you are fortunate enough to find your skills on the Long Term Skill Shortage List you will qualify for permanent residence in New Zealand after you have worked here for two years.

You have to meet the same requirements for health and character as WR1 and WR2 and should be under 53 years old when you apply for the work visa as you need to be less than 56 years old to be eligible for residence after two years.

The NZIS has to be satisfied that your training or experience qualifies you for the job you have been offered. The current Long Term Skill Shortage List consists mainly of general, medical and IT skills.

General Work Visas

If you cannot secure work with an accredited employer, or if your skills are not on the Long Term Skill Shortage List, you may be able to get a General Work Visa for New Zealand.

This is a slightly less prized visa than a WTR visa because it does not lead automatically to permanent residence.

To secure a general work visa you need a job-offer.

There is no age limit on general work visas. This may sound attractive if you are older and wish to settle in New Zealand.

You need to remember, however, that General Work Visas do not lead to residence. So, if you intend applying for residence, you will need to do this under the Skilled Migrant Category and this is age limited. You must be less than 56 years old to qualify.

General work visas are granted for a maximum of three years. Further work permits will be issued as required, provided employment is still available. There are special five year visas which are issued if your New Zealand job is classified as skill level on the ANZSCO and your salary is at least $55,000

The most convenient job you can be offered in order to obtain a General Work Visa is one on the Immediate Skill Shortage List – the ISSL.

This is because, for most jobs, if a non-accredited employer wants to offer a job to someone from overseas, they first need to prove they’ve tried and failed to find a suitable New Zealander for the job. This is called a labour market test.

BUT, if the job is on the ISSL (or LTSSL), employers don’t need to prove this.

The difference between the ISSL and the LTSSL is that LTSSL jobs are in areas of ongoing skills-shortages. Jobs on the ISSL are those in which the skills-shortages are supposed to be temporary. Temporary, however, can still mean a number of years.

You need to remember that your qualifications need to be of the same standard as New Zealand’s qualifications to be accepted.

If your qualification is not listed, you will need to apply to the NZQA’s Qualification Evaluation Service who will assess whether your qualifications are acceptable in New Zealand.

Contact information: http://www.vietnam-visa.com/embassy/NewZealand

To enter New Zealand you must have a passport valid for 3 months after the date of your intended departure.

You must also be carrying an onward/return ticket to a country you have permission to enter.

British Citizens and passport holders are entitled to enter New Zealand for up to 6 months and do not require a visa or visitor’s permit.

Citizens of Australia are also exempt from having to obtain visitor permits when holidaying in New Zealand.

Passport holders from the following countries do not need to apply for visitor visas or permits, and may visit New Zealand for up to 3 months:

Andorra	Hungary	Poland
Argentina	Iceland	Portugal*
Austria	Ireland	Qatar
Bahrain	Israel	Romania
Belgium	Italy	San Marino
Brazil	Japan	Saudi Arabia
Brunei	Korea (South)	Singapore
Bulgaria	Kuwait	Slovak Republic
Canada	Latvia*	Slovenia
Chile	Liechtenstein	South Africa
Cyprus	Lithuania*	Spain
Czech Republic	Luxembourg	Sweden
Denmark	Malaysia	Switzerland
Estonia*	Malta	United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Finland	Mexico	Uruguay
France	Monaco	USA*
Germany	Netherlands	Uruguay
Greece*	Norway	Vatican City
Hong Kong*	Oman

*Residents of countries marked with an asterisk should visit the New Zealand Immigration website or New Zealand Embassy for further details of their New Zealand visa allowance.