China Romance
All About China => Visas, Immigration and Emigration => Topic started by: kiwisteve on May 22, 2012, 06:00:07 am
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Anna has agreed to come here to NZ for a holiday and to meet my family. Firstly she is getting a passport, and has gone to start that today, but I haven't heard back so far.
The other day she was talking about a friend who is a visa "agent" who is helping her to get a visitor visa. I was sceptical and said the forms are all online, and it is straight forward so we can do it ourselves. Her friend's fee was 3000 RMB and I am not sure if that includes all the incidental fees. I said it would only cost us 1060 RMB if we did it ourselves. She came back with her friend doing it for 2000 and pointed out that it would save her a trip to Beijing (from Chengdu). I am really sceptical, but it is her decision and she does seem to have all sorts of contacts for everything. She is very smart.
Her friend says I need to supply a letter of invitation saying where she is staying who is paying for her travel and accommodation etc. I have no problem doing this, but in the visa application forms I read this was not necessary. So I am wondering if this person really knows what they are doing. Maybe they are going by standard forms necessary for other countries. There was a specific form online for a sponsor, but this has different information requirements than what the agent was asking for.
Any ideas?
Steve
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A letter of Invitation is definitely needed for the US, along with Tax Records .. Employment Proof .. Proof of Citizenship .. ect. Cost for us was $150 with a Lawyer and that didn't sound too bad.
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Steve if your partner is a applying for a visitors visa then it may be the same as the Australian requirements,She must know you inside-out and will be asked many questions about you and must also show that she has commitments in China to show strong reason to return and not take flight and not return to China, Remember, Everything about you including things like your email address and family names and ages, And yes i had to provide a letter of invitation and tax return records too, John.
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Steve, as John mentioned everything is in the Australian requirements section on here. As NZ is our little brother I can not see there being much different paperwork wise. A letter of invitation, group certificates as apposed to tax returns and Do NOT forget or underestimate the questions about your family life etc. these are important and I know of people who have all the boxes ticked and have failed this last hurdle and been denied a tourist visa. Email the question and answers to her so she can have them ready when they ring, I am not saying that she may not know them but in the heat of battle she may get confused and to have them ready is to be forewarned. As for the friend doing the paperwork I do not know, I completely understand what you are saying about them being straight forward. My wife and I did all our own paperwork and everything was fine. Good luck and I am enjoying reading your story too.
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Thanks guys.
I have sent a draft letter of invitation (even though it is not required for a tourist visa to NZ as far as I can tell), along with a copy of my passport etc. I'm waiting to hear back from her friend as to whether they need financial statements.
I have been trying to get her details and her family's names for a long time. It doesn't seem a priority for her - everyone is just called older brother or girlfriend, or nephew - names don't seem to be so important. Even after spending several days with one of her brothers in China, it wasn't until after I returned home that I actually learned his name. I still don't know the other brother's name - haha. I hope she is doing better with my family. I will send her all the info I can think of just in case.
cheers,
Steve
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Steve, I would be a little more careful with who I'm sending my financial statements or any other personal info to. I don't see why they would need YOUR financial statements for a Tourist Visa? You get spun into the whirlwind of hope and feelings meanwhile they pick you pocket (or bank account?). Don't send info not needed especially to someone you don't even know.
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If he's going to vouch for her financially while she is visiting, he has to prove he can support her. http://www.vfs-canada.com.cn/pdf/PRV_211211.pdf (http://www.vfs-canada.com.cn/pdf/PRV_211211.pdf) is a list of things the chinese consulate in Hong Kong requires for a Canadian temporary visa. Specifically the last part:
Proof of inviter’s income and financial situation in the form of
independent, third-party documentation from a Canadian source
which is reliable or easily verifiable. For example, but not
limited to: Canada Revenue Agency Notice of Assessments
[NOA], employment letters showing salary, pay stubs, banks
statements, Statements of Remuneration Paid or financial
statements prepared by a licensed professional.
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If he's going to vouch for her financially while she is visiting, he has to prove he can support her.
Never heard of such nonsense. Why would he need to "vouch for her financially" or "prove he can support her"? she's visiting not moving there? or staying for work.
btw the link you gave is for "Checklist for Private Visitor Temporary Resident Visa Application" key word, Resident. Tourist & Temporary Resident can not be the same thing (visa)?
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Vince, its actually not that unusual. I know of another country that requires proof of finances when going there on a tourist visa.
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Well it's not the US?
The B1 visa is designated for temporary business travel, including travel for negotiating contracts, attending exhibitions and conferences, short-term training, and consultations with suppliers and customers, etc.
The B2 visa is designated for tourist activities, such as sightseeing, visiting friends and relatives, obtaining medical treatment, etc. The B1 and B2 visas are not valid for employment in the United States.
All B1/B2 applicants should prepare to present the following documentation and any other relevant information at the time of the interview:
Valid Passport: B1/B2 visa applicants must have passports valid for six months beyond their intended period of stay in the United States. If your passport will expire less than 6 months from the date you plan to leave the United States, or is damaged, or you do not have a page for a visa, please get a new passport before your interview.
One Photograph: Two inches square color photograph, less than 6 months old, against a white background, full frontal view. The photo should be glued to the printed DS-160 confirmation page. Click for more information on photo requirements.
Original Bank Receipt for Application Fee: The application fee may be paid at any CITIC Bank branch in China.
Completed Visa Application Forms: DS-160 online application form.
Evidence of Why You Will Return to China: Please present proof of economic, social, family, or other commitments that will help demonstrate that you intend to return to China after a temporary stay in the United States. Evidence can vary depending on the applicant’s personal situation. The following are mere suggestions that may help the consular officer to assess your intentions to return to China. This is not an exhaustive list of what applicants should present at their interview: Hukou Registration, ID card, proof of employment, pay statement that shows regular monthly salary, and bank books with regular deposits and withdrawals.
Invitation Letter: If you are invited to visit someone in the United States, provide information about who is inviting you, purpose of travel, and planned itinerary or schedule. No invitation letter is needed if you are only sightseeing in the United States.
If Traveling for Business: Bring specific information about where you will go, who you will meet, what you will discuss, and what products you plan to buy in the United States. The following documents may be helpful: detailed letters from U.S. business partners indicating the purpose of the trip; copies of contracts or other agreements with U.S. business partners; and information on machines, software or other equipment to be examined, tested or purchased in the United Sates, such as brochures or product catalogues.
If Going to Visit Family: You should provide proof that you have a genuine, ongoing relationship with the person inviting you, and provide information about his/her immigration status in the United States. The following documentation may be helpful: Hukou registration or other proof of genuine family relationship, photos with the U.S. family members in recent years, copy of his/her U.S. passport or green card, copy of his/her passport and U.S. visas, etc. If you previously stayed in the United States longer than the period given on your I-94 form at the U.S. port of entry, you should present the original letter of extension issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
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It's actually quite common to date a woman that is not your financial equal. It must be nice to date all those rich girls that come to visit you.
Canada does not have a "tourist visa". It's called a temporary resident visa. Welcome to the rest of the world Vince.
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I feel bad for you guys up there in Canada but Kiwisteve is in New Zealand. Is that also a temporary resident visa? Doesn't seem right being this way.
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I have been trying to get her details and her family's names for a long time. It doesn't seem a priority for her - everyone is just called older brother or girlfriend, or nephew - names don't seem to be so important. Even after spending several days with one of her brothers in China, it wasn't until after I returned home that I actually learned his name. I still don't know the other brother's name - haha. I hope she is doing better with my family. I will send her all the info I can think of just in case.
I have been married two and half years and my wifes two older sisters are still called big elder sister and small elder sisters. I have no idea of their names. This is fairly common here.
Also when I took my wife to the uk in September 2009 we had to supply proof of the money she had available herself in banks.
We are shortly going for another visa soon so will find out what requirements are needed for second visitors visa.
Willy
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Hi Vince, When my wife applied for her passport, She was asked why she wanted one,She replied to visit me here in Australia and she was asked to supply my last 3 tax returns,??? , I was a bit confused at this request but supplied them, I was also asked to supply them along with financial statements when we applied for the tourist visa, John.
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Vince, I think you may have missed the point. It is not to provide your bank details, it is evidence that the person applying as the sponsor fot the person visiting has funds to support the visit, or has some form of employment, hence the tax group certificate. This is because on their visit you are their sponsor and are therefore responsible for them during their visit. Sometimes a little unfair but that is the law. As far as I am aware it only applies to countries like China etc. where there can be a suspicion of the person not returning or where the exchange rate for their currency may not be that great. There is nothing under normal Australian rules that I am aware of, but so many come here from Asian countries under a tourist visa and work, which is illegal under a tourist visa. It just another immigration tool use to try and stop this. So in the end it is best to supply what they want and a little more to get a favourable outcome.
I even had to supply some details when we sponsored Xia's mum to come here for a visit when she had the baby. I hope this clears up any misunderstandings.
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I read through the NZ requirements again. An invitation letter is not required for a visitor visa as such, but in my case as I am also a sponsor (to guarantee her expenses while here and if necessary pay for her return ticket), it can't hurt. They do like a covering letter outlining the reasons for the visit and the nature of the relationship etc, so the invitation letter I sent yesterday covers all that.
Today I went ahead and filled out the 2 forms I need to do as well, even though her friend has not asked me yet. Tomorrow I will get the documents certified, then scanned and send them to her to include with her application.
Yesterday we had a big misunderstanding. She effectively told me she was tired of me, was going to give me up, and did not want to marry me. Well, I just stopped the qq video, refused to answer her calls and generally shut down wondering what the hell just happened. Anyway, long story short, it turns out it was that time of the month, and I was supposed to comfort her etc and not ignore her... Well, I was married for 25 years but it seems I still know nothing about women!
Also, we have some hilarious translation issues sometimes. Today I said that we needed to be more patient with each other to avoid misunderstandings, and the translation said something like "we need more patients...".
All good now.
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John, Jason and the rest
I understand what your saying. There is a sponsorship for the Tourist visa? I still think it's nuts.
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Zombie,
Funny you should mention the property titles. Yesterday she asked me for mine, and I cannot understand why. Nowhere in the forms for tourist visa or sponsors does it ask for this. I only had to get a signed statement from my bank that I had sufficient funds to cover her length of stay, possible medical bills and deportation etc. The thing is I don't actually own the place I live in at the moment, so I supplied my rental agreement. I own other properties but that is a different story, and I assume they are more concerned about the accommodation availability at my current address, rather than my other business assets.
The problem is I do not know her friend at the travel agency or visa company as she calls it at various times. I am sceptical that they really know what they are doing in terms of the NZ requirements. So I went ahead and sent Anna the 2 NZ forms she needs to complete (with or without this visa company's help). Also I completed (and had all documents certified) the 2 forms I need to complete as her sponsor, and sent them to her along with the covering letter. I just hope the visa company knows what they are doing otherwise we may have to start again and I imagine it may be harder the second time if denied initially.
Yes, I have met her - I visited her and her family a few weeks ago. We have plenty of evidence of our relationship, but I'm uncertain as to how much of this they will require just for a visitor visa. I imagine I will need this for when she applies to come here permanently which would not be for more than a year from now.
Steve
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Hi Steve...
Been there, done that. It took a 3 year war of attrition,
but my lovely mongolian/chinese wife now has NZ residency.
Some random thoughts:
[1] It is illegal ( fines/jail) for anyone to offer immigration advice to someone
applying for a NZ Visa of any sort, unless the advisor is qualified as an immigration
agent. This is to prevent untold ripoffs of applicants, mostly by their compatriots
I regret to say. The application forms are very strict in this regard. If
you say that you were given advice, and the person is not registered, your
application is returned, without the fee refund.
IF you say you were not given advice when in fact you were, the visa can be
cancelled on the basis of it containing an incorrect statement - ie you lied.
You are probably familiar with the case of Bill Liu from China currently before the
courts in NZ
[2] That being said, informal advice from families, of a non systematic nature
and not for a fee, is OK - ie we still have free speech :-)
Further, the complete Operations Manual for INZ is available on line. Its a
little daunting, but it contains the criteria that INZ case officers use for assessing
applications. Its well worth a read - in fact mandatory
[3] You are considering a <<chinese>> lady right?? be aware that all things chinese
are discussed at considerable length and in great detail in Mandarin before
the 'collective' arrives at a decision. Quite often this decision is wrong - ie
at variance with the INZ Ops manual. But it has been agreed on by people of the
Middle Kingdom, so it must be right. This is an introduction to what will become familiar
to you.. how to gently suggest that there might be a better alternative than what
she and her friends have decided, without anyone loosing face. If you do not yet
have vast reserves of patience, you soon will :-)
[4] The stats put out by INZ show the success rate from the DIY applicants was
about the same as those who use Immigration advisors. The latter may have less
straight forward cases, so the stats may be skewed, and some advisors use fear
to facilitate their fee :-). So check the INZ website!!
[5] There are two hurdles - INZ overseas, and INZ here in NZ. My experience with INZ
in China was that it was a battle - the answer is No, now what was the question??.
One criteria they use is to preclude those who might become overstayers or who are not genuine.
( China is number 2 in the overstayer category. )
So INZ look for incentives that the applicant will return to China at the end of the visa.
This can include money in the bank ( eg $50K RMB for 6 months) a house and family in
china, or a substantial job which will give them leave to visit NZ..
[6] If you are granted a visitors visa, you will need to demonstrate that she is a visitor.
I have heard of cases where the "visitor" married shortly after arrival, and was sent
back to China, because clearly the purpose of the trip was not to visit but to facilitate
an arranged marriage ( INZ became aware of a large number of phillipinas who used
this option back last century.. the politicos told them to close the floodgates )
I arranged visits from Fox Glacier, to North cape, all photographed, to make it clear
that my lady was indeed a genuine tourist.
[7] There is a bit of a catch 22 regarding relationship as a ground for a visa - INZ
will only consider an application for residency if you have been together for 12 months or more
How to be together?? Either live as two in NZ or as two in China. If you are together for
6 months or more you can apply for a work visa on the basis of your relationship,
which will than allow you time to demonstrate that it is genuine , exclusive and likely to endure.
I have a friend who lives closeby. His lady was denied a visa on the grounds of risk of
becoming an overstayer. He left his job, went to live in China for 6 months, then gained
a work Visa for her )
[8] I should also add that INZ staff in NZ are generally helpful and professional, tho the
wait time for the help line can be very long. Again, if you staudy the Ops Manual first you
will be able to ask thoughtful questions, and hopefully get a thoughtful response .
You should also make sure you get the most up to date forms - ie the online PDFs
They change quite often..
If all this sounds a bit daunting, it is. Brace yourself :-)
The upside is that I now have an absolute delight of a wife, who could not be happier
to have found her true LaGong...
Last night I cooked up a Shuan Yang Rou (Mongolian Lamb Firepot) tho the
lamb is from Southland :-), lit the fire and opened a bottle of lovely NZ Syrah...and..
We are both happy.. Its as good as it gets
Peace
David K in Auckland
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David K that is a terrific broadsheet on the N Z requirements , which I am sure will be helpful to many , regards Sujuan and Robert in Melbourne .
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But wait... Theres more.. ;-)
Here's the URL for the INZ manual
http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/general/generalinformation/operationalmanual/ (http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/general/generalinformation/operationalmanual/)
And here's an URL about paying for Immigration advice
http://www.immigration.govt.nz/branch/BeijingBranchHome/immigrationadvice.htm (http://www.immigration.govt.nz/branch/BeijingBranchHome/immigrationadvice.htm)
Plus the attached doc, re a visit on the basis of relationship, originally downloaded,
which I cannot now find on the Beijing website
Therein is the fishhook about the stature and duration of the relationship...
And also this useful summary, again which I cannot find on the current Beijing website..
..see P2 for a neat little flowchart....you could run this past your lady???
So thats the easy part..
The more challenging will be to establish a good working relationship with
your lady that will withstand the frosty eyed scrutiny of INZ china...
I understand you are in software, so you will already have the infinite capacity
to absorb being failed by a system devoid of emotion :-)
Good luck....
It can be done..
.. When the Gods smile on you, the rewards are great..
Peace
David K in Auckland
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David,
Thanks heaps mate, I will download those docs and do some reading over the next few days. I really appreciate the advice and what you and all the bros have done here on this site and I hope we can meet up one day when my lady is here.
cheers,
Steve
(I am in Auckland also)
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Hi David - just commenting on your detailed post:
[1] It is illegal ( fines/jail) for anyone to offer immigration advice to someone
applying for a NZ Visa of any sort, unless the advisor is qualified as an immigration
agent. This is to prevent untold ripoffs of applicants, mostly by their compatriots
I regret to say. The application forms are very strict in this regard. If
you say that you were given advice, and the person is not registered, your
application is returned, without the fee refund.
IF you say you were not given advice when in fact you were, the visa can be
cancelled on the basis of it containing an incorrect statement - ie you lied.
You are probably familiar with the case of Bill Liu from China currently before the
courts in NZ
[2] That being said, informal advice from families, of a non systematic nature
and not for a fee, is OK - ie we still have free speech :-)
Further, the complete Operations Manual for INZ is available on line. Its a
little daunting, but it contains the criteria that INZ case officers use for assessing
applications. Its well worth a read - in fact mandatory
She has assured me they are a proper qualified company. Personally I don't see the point in paying someone to help fill out a couple of forms that seem straight forward to me, but then again she is a bit impatient and daunted by all the detail needed. I've got that Op Manual and am working through it now thanks.
[5] There are two hurdles - INZ overseas, and INZ here in NZ. My experience with INZ
in China was that it was a battle - the answer is No, now what was the question??.
One criteria they use is to preclude those who might become overstayers or who are not genuine.
( China is number 2 in the overstayer category. )
So INZ look for incentives that the applicant will return to China at the end of the visa.
This can include money in the bank ( eg $50K RMB for 6 months) a house and family in
china, or a substantial job which will give them leave to visit NZ..
Yes she should have no problems satisfying these criteria.
[6] If you are granted a visitors visa, you will need to demonstrate that she is a visitor.
I have heard of cases where the "visitor" married shortly after arrival, and was sent
back to China, because clearly the purpose of the trip was not to visit but to facilitate
an arranged marriage ( INZ became aware of a large number of phillipinas who used
this option back last century.. the politicos told them to close the floodgates )
I arranged visits from Fox Glacier, to North cape, all photographed, to make it clear
that my lady was indeed a genuine tourist.
Yes I will be showing her around as much as finances permit - I want her to be happy after all that this is where she wants to live.
[7] There is a bit of a catch 22 regarding relationship as a ground for a visa - INZ
will only consider an application for residency if you have been together for 12 months or more
How to be together?? Either live as two in NZ or as two in China. If you are together for
6 months or more you can apply for a work visa on the basis of your relationship,
which will than allow you time to demonstrate that it is genuine , exclusive and likely to endure.
I have a friend who lives closeby. His lady was denied a visa on the grounds of risk of
becoming an overstayer. He left his job, went to live in China for 6 months, then gained
a work Visa for her )
I can't see how this should matter for a visitor visa. If everything goes to plan then we won't even be applying for residency for another 15 months or more.
cheers,
Steve
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Hi Steve.. Looks like you've got all bases covered re your INZ learning curve...
And all the best with your relationship...
I've been quite touched with the brothers on this site. most of whom have
been severely singed previously, as they slowly learn to trust again
Peace
David K
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An update:
It took her another 6 weeks or so before her tourist visa application was finally submitted. I was getting more and more concerned as she never gave me any info or copies of her documentation despite me asking many times. I guess the visa company was requesting more and more info from her during that period.
Anyway, great news - she called the embassy yesterday and her visa has been approved. She has already bought tickets to fly here to visit me in October. We will have a month together. So now I've got to work extra hard so that I can justify taking time off work when she's here, and I've got to get the house ready for her, find out as much as I can from the local Chinese community so she can get the food and stuff she wants, as well as plan some sight-seeing trips for us around NZ, visiting family and friends and all that.
cheers,
Steve
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Congratulations Steve, October will soon be here and you will be together, Good luck, John.
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Don't forget to buy a good quality Wok. In a month that is going to do a lot of work. ;)
Willy
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I agree Willy, I brought a lesser quality wok and it already is in need of replacement after 4 months of use ;D John.
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size matters!!! and also quality. I am sure they also use it for babies bath as well. ;D
Willy
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The first time I visited Peggy's mother I saw a huge wok in the kitchen and I asked her if it was for misbehaving son-in-laws. After much laughter from the three women in there the answer was yes.
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Congrats on the visa Steve, time will drag upto October for you and will fly through to November in the blink of an eye....like most here been there done that........where did all the time go??? But it will all be worth it...make sure you keep some evidence for your case file of her trip, little things like going to view furniture or such...so the consulate can see you both made some plans together there for the future..just a thought.
I am sure they also use it for babies bath as well. ;D
I banned Xia from using ours for a baby bath......sure she needs to be clean but I also need to eat.......so I bought her a babies bath, atleast she can not cook with it....... ;D ;D ;D
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Well done Steve..
However, this is but the beginning of a steepish learning curve.
Again, I mention the usefulness of patience, particularly as she is dealing through a china based immigration advisor
[1] You may have read recently that some 300 Chinese students in NZ were discovered to have made visa application
that were fraudulent ( dodgy qualifications, forged baank statements) that were traced back to two Beijing based
immigration agencies. Agencies are now required to be registered with INZ, mostly as a protection against
vulnerable immigrants being ripped off by their compatriots. Further, of the 7500 students visa applications from India
over half had some element of fraud present. Caveat emptor!
[2] You have been given a one month Visa. What they don't tell you is that the process of application for an extention of
a visa can take over a month, so applying for an extention should be a priority. We didn't know this and had a period when
my wife was in the country illegally while the extention was being processed. This has been somewhat fixed
by the process of an interim visa to cover that processing period gap. Check with INZ - she should have a case number
if her visitors visa has been approved!
[3] How you handle it is up to you, but I strongly suggest that future visa extentions should come from you in NZ.
INZ inside NZ are quite civilised as long as you obey the rules. Overseas office are an entirely different matter in my experience.
Being able to respond promptly in English to any concerns they may have make life a LOT easier.
Guess this will be part of the early tests of how your relationship unfolds ;D
[4] Going round NZ is a great Idea - Ive attached some Pics of our trip.
Suggest you take pics aplenty, as it establishes that she is a visitor, and builds up a profile of your developing relationship
should you decide to make it permanent.
INZ will consider an application for a work visa for your lady if you can convince them you have been in a genuine
relationship for 6 months or so, and intend to apply for residence later- so you will need those visitor visa extentions
[5] You will have no troubles finding Asian food suppliers aplenty (e.g China Town, Ti Rakau Drive )
Best thing is to clear a couple of shelves completely, and then take her shopping so she can select what she wants
in these shelves. Chinese ladies tend to be very particular; one brand of Soya sauce is excellent, another apparently
identical, mediocre. We pakehas have no way of telling which is which, and it is wise not to reveal one
ignorance in these matters too soon ;)
In fact I would caution against going overboard on Chinese cuisine, and establishing a balance with european
foods. I noticed that every third word on China TV/ Radio was Chungoa and there seems to be a campaign
to stress the correctness of all things chinese, and the cultural inferiority of 'other' Could be a overcompensation
for the opium wars / boxer rebellion / great leap forward - I don't know.
But meeting in the middle is a good strategy, and not just for the family bed ;)
Certainly I had to establish that just because it was 'chinese' did not neccesarily make it 'right'
You may also find the same thing with chinese medicine- My wife wanted a treatment that consisted
of black funguses, tree bark and accupressure. I was able to demonstrate that antibiotics (
freely available over the counter in CHina) did the trick a lot better
[6] While the first flush of new relationship is a wondrous thing, be aware that you are not entering into
a relationship with a girl, but with a family. There is a whole matrix of obligations and traditions
that you are expected to understand, although not neccesarily to accept.
Let me give you an example:
I fought a long and hard battle with Immigration re Yan, and finally prevailed. I ended up with a wife
whose sensitivity and devotion ( and beauty) are beyond anything I could have wished for.
However, she has a 21 Year old son in China, and she wanted him to have the benefits of life in NZ as well.
So I applied for residency for him as well, and after but a few hiccups, this was granted.
He turned up at the airport, a strapping 6' 100 Kg build. But it was very soon that I discovered
that inside, there was a demanding, dependant 12 year old, who had always had everything done for him
( 2 doting grandparents, in this case 1 doting mother) and he assumes that this is his entitlement.
He also has a huge appetite - see this clip
www.youtube.com/watch?v=52azqInBO64 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52azqInBO64#ws)
Apparently this phenomenon is not uncommon - the local schools, who have a lot of fee paying
chinese students call it "the little prince syndrome". So I have been landed with the job of
turning a spoilt boy into a man, with all the considerable strains it puts on our marriage..
So I would check out this sort of potential hand grenande early on in the piece.
[7] Be also aware that the family system is also a banking system. Brothers and cousins lend
where there is a need, but the obligation to repay is solid. Also there is the obligations to support
parents in their old age. So I'm helping to square off old ( and unannounced) debts which were not
mentioned until after marriage...
Thats it from Me ;D
I'm sure all will go well for you, but help from those who have been
down the path, and perchance fallen into a few of the potholes, is what this forum is about
Go Well
Peace
David K in Auckland
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Actually, slightly wrong Youtube clip
Heres a better one
WWT Slimbridge: Juvenile cuckoo being fed by reed warblers (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvx5JD3VyxI#ws)
But you get the drift :-)
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Thanks for all the info guys. I live in a small apartment right now with an electric stove, so I don't know about the wok. When she gets here I'll check out getting a gas burner or something if she needs it. Good idea about getting pics of us shopping together for the files.
The 1 month visit is all the time she can get from her job at this stage, so I don't think we'll be applying for an extension. If she comes over again next year wouldn't it be a whole new application? I thought from reading the docs that her visa applications had to be made in China. I would much rather do it from here if at all possible.
Anna has a 15 year old daughter, so we will eventually apply for them both to come here, but that is further down the track. Her daughter is already very independent (she boards at school during the week) and is often cooking the meals for them both. She speaks no English unlike her younger cousin who converses well, so she'll need to improve that before coming to school here.
cheers,
Steve
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Not wanting to put a spanner in the works but maybe Anna will no longer be of school age by the time her application gets granted!!!!
A Wok is the most important thing. When my wife goes to the with me we have a problem finding her food that she is used to. Western Chinese food is not to her taste. That is why we only stay for 10 days a time otherwise her 95 lbs would shrink to nothing.!!!
They have small electric plates to cook on here here so electric is no problem but a wok is essential if you want her to feel at home.
Willy
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Hi Steve
[1] Each Visitor visa application, or application for a visa extention is considered a completely new application, together repeat paperwork and a repeat fee :(
The reason given is that circumstances may change between applications... Check the INZ Website
[2] To be considered for residence on the basis of a relationship, you actually have to be living together for 12 months or more in an exclusive and stable
relationship likely to endure - although there is the possibility of a temporary visa on the basis of your relationship -
see http://www.immigration.govt.nz/NR/rdonlyres/04C0685F-1088-4ECE-B5A7-D6E1183B983F/0/INZ119930July2012.pdf (http://www.immigration.govt.nz/NR/rdonlyres/04C0685F-1088-4ECE-B5A7-D6E1183B983F/0/INZ119930July2012.pdf)
[3] I gained residency for my wifes son as a dependent student 18-24yo. About 6 months after we applied, they removed this category of applicant-
and there are now more complex requirements, which you will have to balance in with requirement [2] - see http://www.dol.govt.nz/immigration/knowledgebase/item/1176 (http://www.dol.govt.nz/immigration/knowledgebase/item/1176)
Happy planning and Good luck :-)