How to sponsor your family into New Zealand Part 1

March 22, 2009 by Avalon
Filed under: Getting to New Zealand, NZIS & Immigration issues 

If like me, you actually cant bear living apart from your family, and they also wouldn’t mind living in the same hemisphere as you – you do have the option of bringing them into New Zealand as residents just because they are your family.

For many migrants to New Zealand, it is not possible for our parents to emigrate to New Zealand via the Skilled Migrant route, either because they are too old (anything over 55 counts) or because they don’t have the kind of skills you need to be a skilled migrant.

For this – there is the Family Sponsorship: Parent Category.

So – what do you need to know?

Firstly, there are some things you have to have done in order to be allowed to sponsor your parents:

1/ Most important, is that you have to pass the “Centre of Gravity” test. This is all about how many brothers and sisters you have, and where they live in relation to your parents. If you have just one brother or sister, there is no problem, and the “Centre of Gravity” is split equally between New Zealand and your parent’s home country.

There can be a problem if you have 2 or more siblings however. Say you have two brothers.

For the centre of gravity to be deemed New Zealand, half or more of the siblings have to be living in a different country to the parents. So if you live in New Zealand, your parents live in the UK, but your two brothers also live in the UK, you are not eligible to sponsor your parents.

If however one of those brothers moved to the US, then the Centre of Gravity is no longer the UK, and you can sponsor your parents quite happily.

Be aware that half brothers and sisters count when Immigration New Zealand determine the centre of gravity.

2/ You have to have been a resident of New Zealand for 3 years.
This means from the date you have your residency permit. (not just your VISA). If you first came to NZ on a Visitors visa, and then transferred to a residency permit – the 3 years starts from the day you got the visa, not from the day you entered the country.

3/ You have to have lived in New Zealand for at least 184 days (6 months) for each of the 3 years before you make the sponsorship application,

4/ You need a household income of at least $29,897.92 which cannot come from benefits (2009 figures)

5/ You need to be physically living in New Zealand at the time you put the application in.

6/ You will be required to sign a declaration on the sponsorship form that basically says you will provide for your parents if necessary, and repay any benefits that they may receive from the NZ government for the first 2 years.

What documents do you need to send in as the Sponsor?

1/Certified copies of either your residence permit, or if you are a citizen, a certified copy of your Passport or letter from the Dept. Internal affairs granting you citizenship.

2/ Certified copies of document proving your income: IRD Summary of Earnings, wage slips, job contract or bank statements.

The sponsor fills in Sponsorship Form 1024 which can be downloaded here.

So what do your parents need to do?

Your parents also need to fill out the standard Residency Application: Form 1000, which you can download here.

They simply need to satisfy:
Good Health Requirements
Good Character Requirements.
They do not need to prove income (you have already done that), nor do they need to have a job in order to apply.

They will need to provide:
Police Certificates less than 6 months old
Medical Certificates less than 3 months old
Application fee (£435 if applying in the UK, $660 USD if applying if the US, $700 if applying in New Zealand)

Coming next…. What is the process and how long does it take?

Related posts:

  1. How to sponsor your family into New Zealand Part 2
  2. How to Sponsor your family into New Zealand Part 4: What is an acceptable standard of health?
  3. How to Sponsor your family into New Zealand Part 3: Medicals Explained
« Frugal moneysaving tip for New Zealand.
How to sponsor your family into New Zealand Part 2 »

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Comments

8 Comments on How to sponsor your family into New Zealand Part 1

  1. Christine on Sun, 22nd Mar 2009 3:55 pm

    2. Fantastic – I’ll be following this with great interest as we plan to do this this year.

    You’ve laid everything out in a really straightforward manner – really helpful – thanks!

  2. Avalon on Sun, 22nd Mar 2009 4:46 pm

    3. Cheers :) I sincerely hope you have an easier time of it than we did ;) On the very positive side – it is highly unusual to have as many problems as we did – we just seemed to hit every obstacle known to man.

    Good luck – and dont hesitate to let me know if you need any help!

    Hugs
    Hxxx

  3. James Goksina on Thu, 2nd Apr 2009 5:23 am

    4. Was searching all over inet for citizenship application form and got here.Very useful info

  4. Ed Garrett on Sun, 19th Apr 2009 1:12 pm

    5. http://www.expatexposed.com
    Read this site thoroughly before spending all that money.
    Do not be put off by the squabbling.
    Go with the purpose of seeking information about the downside and to see if you are one of those people who would make successful migrants.
    Many migrants move on from NZ, and for good reason.

  5. Avalon on Sun, 19th Apr 2009 6:28 pm

    6. Thank you – but this site is neither presenting NZ as a 100% pure haven of peace and love, and neither will it present NZ as a hell hole. For most of us migrants it is mostly great with a few not so great things. I have to be honest – I dont really have time for places like ENZ that insist your views have to be positive (When Fiji does it we are all up in arms!), but by the same token a lack of balance on the other side doesnt actually help potential migrants either. There will alwasy be migrants who do not like thier New Life in New Zealand – and the main purpose of my blog and my book (you are welcome to buy a copy and see for yourself) is to show that there are pros and cons to immigrating here. And to do it in a place where people dont have to deal with squabbles! Having been crapped on severely for daring to have a different point of view on a forum – im done with them :)

    Hxxx

  6. admin on Sun, 19th Apr 2009 7:00 pm

    7. PS – you could always put a link to this blog on your site – that would be nice :)

  7. Tracey on Wed, 12th Aug 2009 10:56 am

    8. Thanks so much for those info, i ve been searching for that =.=

    Can I just sponsor my parents to come here under a Visitor visa then once they are in NZ, we will transfer it to a residence permit? Because the date of issue of my Visa is last Aug and I just got my Residence this year, dont wanna wait for another 2 years to see them, I miss them so much. I am from Vietnam and it could be a problem with the “center of gravity” because my 2 younger brothers (dependent) are in VN. But my parents are divorced and my brothers are living with my dad. Will it be a problem to sponsor my Mum and my Step-dad +.+? Its complicated and I am so worried about that :”(

  8. Avalon on Wed, 12th Aug 2009 1:10 pm

    9. Tracey – I am sorry but I am not allowed to answer your questions under the new draconian Immigration Advsiors Act laws that came into force a few months ago.

    Now you have to work it our for yoruself or pay a licenced avisor to answer such questions.

    I am trying to get this law changed – but even If i do it will take a lot of time.

    If yu read the Saga of an immigration Nightmare there is actually a lot of information in there as well that you may find useful. You shoudl also read my recent posts on the IAA.

    I am truly sorry that I cannot help you.

    Hugs

    Helen

Tell me what you're thinking...
and oh, if you want a pic to show with your comment, go get a gravatar!