New and applying for New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship (Temporary) visa (subclass 461)

[Shan]

Hi Everyone

 

What an awesome and supportive forum this. Thank you all for your valuable contribution and experiences you share on this emotional journey.

Just a quick intro/background. My parents immigrated to NZ about 20 years ago, became citizens and now reside in Perth. I stayed behind in South Africa due personal reasons. Since then I married and have two girls aged 12 and 20. After many years of thinking/contemplating if we should join our family we have finally decided to make the move.

 

We don’t have the skills that Australia is looking for so the best visa option is the New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship (Temporary) visa (subclass 461). Which allows a person to live, work and study for 5 years. We can apply again once the visa expires.

 

We are in the process of getting all the required documents from Home Affairs: Unabridged birth certificates (They told me this can take up to 4 months) and passports as well as Police Clearance Certificates from SAP. We also need to prove family relationship which I suppose is unabridged birth certificates, family tree etc. Once we have the required documents we will then lodge our application. Which we are planning to do by end of July 2017.

 

My tummy turns every time I think about it and I get scared. Is it the right thing going on a temporary visa? How will we be treated being foreigners, this is such a scary thought. When you in your own country you feel entitled. 

 

My little daughter starts grade 8 next year, how are the kids towards foreign kids. Will we get jobs? We in the financial industry. How long will it take to find work? 

 

I think we are quite fortunate as my parents and siblings are settled and we already have a support structure. But this is still a daunting and scary journey. We will be leaving good jobs. We going to use our pension to help sustain us till we get back on our feet. What is going to happen when we are older and going on retirement as we are dipping into our retirement. We have a bonded home and our goal was to pay it up and that would have been part of our retirement.  Now we have to start from scratch. All the what if's.

 

• Has anyone been granted this Visa and how long did it take? The turnaround time 8-11 months. I called immigration and they said it could even be longer?
• How easy was it to apply for a new one?
• Can you apply for PR?
• How do you find work on a temporary visa? Do you apply at agencies? Are companies open to hiring on this visa?
• Has anyone immigrated with young adult kids and how was the transition for them?

 

Thanks so much!

 

Edited July 8, 2017 by Shan

[TeeTMI]

Hi Shan

 

Welcome to the forum.

It is not clear from the above post and you have not stated the relationship you are relying on to obtain the 461 visa.  You might like to check the double check the definitions, before you spend money obtaining all the documents and/or seek professional advice.  From the above information it is not clear that you are eligible for this visa? 

 

Tee

[Shan]

Hi Tee

 

Thank you for your response. Apologies for my delay in responding. I have read through the definitions and I am eligible as I am the child to the New Zealand Citizen and a member of the family unit. I can also include family members in my application.  

 

We have lodged our application on 1 August and waiting in anticipation for a CO to make contact.

 

Just for interest sake  or if anyone else has questions I have added the below:

Eligibility

Who could get this visa

You might be able to get this visa if:

·         you are not a New Zealand citizen

·         you are a member of the family unit of a New Zealand citizen

·         your New Zealand citizen family member is not an Eligible New Zealand Citizen

·         your New Zealand citizen family member is living in Australia on a Special Category visa (subclass 444) or will be travelling with you to Australia and will be granted a Special Category visa (subclass 444) on arrival.

You must be related to the New Zealand citizen as one of the following:

·         their partner

·         their child/step-child or their partner’s child/step-child

·         the dependent child of you or your partner's child/step-child.

 

Family

You can include your child/step-child or your partner’s child/step-child in you visa application at the time of lodgement.

For detailed information regarding who you can include in your application see including family members in your application.

These family members will need to provide evidence that they are members of the family unit of the New Zealand citizen. They must also be able to meet Australia's health and character requirements.

 

Including family members in your application

This information is for people who can include a family member in their application for a visa, other than a refugee, humanitarian or protection visa.

For information on including family members in a refugee, humanitarian or protection visa application see Form 1497i Including family members in your refugee, humanitarian or protection visa application (110KB PDF).

Not all visas are the same. Read the requirements for the visa you are applying for to confirm who can be included in your application.

A member of your family unit can be your:

·         partner – married or de facto (same or opposite sex)
or

·         dependent child, up to 23 years of age (there are some exceptions, see below under Eligible child below).

If your child is born after you lodge your application (but before it is decided), the child will automatically be included in your application(s). It does not matter if the child is born in or outside Australia. You will need to tell us about the birth as soon as possible.

Partner

Your partner can be married to you or they can be your de facto partner. Your de facto partner can be the same or opposite sex. You must prove:

·         the relationship is genuine and continuing

·         your partner is at least 18 years of age when the application is lodged (there are some exceptions)

·         you are not related by family (if you are in a de facto relationship)

·         you and your partner have a mutual commitment to a shared life to the exclusion of all others, and

·         you live together, or do not live separately on a permanent basis.

For a married partner, the marriage must be legal under Australian law. For a de facto partner, the relationship needs to have existed for 6 or 12 months before you lodge the application. The length of the de facto relationship depends on the visa you are applying for.

Eligible child

To include a child as migrating with you in your visa application, the child must:

·         be your child or a stepchild from a current or a previous relationship (in certain circumstances);

·         not be married, engaged to be married, or have a de facto partner; and must be:

1.    under 18 years of age
or

2.    over 18 years of age but not yet turned 23, and be dependent on you or your partner
or

3.    over 23 years of age and be unable to earn a living to support themselves due to physical or cognitive limitations and be dependent on you or your partner (Note: The child will still need to meet Australia’s health requirement)
or

4.    a dependent child of a child who is eligible under 1, 2 or 3 above.

 

Thank you and have a great day.

Shan