Applying for Australian Permanent residency for me and my wife

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ricks82

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#129025 1-Sep-2013 14:41

I am a New Zealand citizen and my wife is NZ permanent resident. We both are wanting to move to Brisbane.
Can we both apply for Australian Permanent Residency before we move there?

And if we can't apply from here, what would be the process and steps for my wife to be able to become AU permanent resident?

Really appreciate if someone can shed some light here..

Thanks

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#887800 1-Sep-2013 14:44

Have you looked at the official Australian.gov website?

billgates

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#887801 1-Sep-2013 14:47

http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/travel-documents/new-zealand.htm

Do whatever you want to do man.

gehenna

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#887842 1-Sep-2013 17:05

You don't need to do anything, once you get there you're a permanent resident. Just get a tax file number from the ATO and you're good to go. You can set up a bank account before you go there sometimes - depends on the bank you're with.

As for your wife, you might have to do some paperwork.

sbiddle

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#887843 1-Sep-2013 17:07

gehenna: You don't need to do anything, once you get there you're a permanent resident. Just get a tax file number from the ATO and you're good to go. You can set up a bank account before you go there sometimes - depends on the bank you're with.

As for your wife, you might have to do some paperwork.

The OP will be sweet, but it's no so simple for his wife as she's not a NZ passport holder.

Is there a reason you want to be an Aussie citizen? Normally most people would only want to do this if it's required for work or to vote!

ricks82

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#887971 1-Sep-2013 21:51

Thanks for all the quick answers.
I've already had a look at the immigration website. It's absolutely no problem for me to move and obtain residency there. However my wife is holding Russian passport and she really would like to be able to find a full time job there and also obtain AU permanent residency and passport in the future.

Batman

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#887975 1-Sep-2013 22:01

wow

gehenna

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#888097 2-Sep-2013 09:34

Setting aside the fact that you have a Russian bride (sorry, had to)....

I guess it depends on the VISA rules for Russian's entering Australia.

Though if you're married can she not now become a NZ citizen, meaning she is then subject to the same rules as you for moving to and working in Australia?

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wellygary

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#888154 2-Sep-2013 10:33

gehenna: You don't need to do anything, once you get there you're a permanent resident. Just get a tax file number from the ATO and you're good to go. You can set up a bank account before you go there sometimes - depends on the bank you're with.

As for your wife, you might have to do some paperwork.

Be Very careful with your terms

Yes as a NZ citizen you can go and live/work in Australia indefinitely, *But* and this is a very big but, you are not a Permanent resident,You will be issued a "long term" temporary visa, that will exclude you from a whole lot of things that other regular permanent residents are entitled to..

http://www.immi.gov.au/media/fact-sheets/17nz.htm#b

chiefie

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#888171 2-Sep-2013 10:56

How long has your wife been living in NZ? Can she get NZ Citizenship first before you both moving over to Australia?

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ricks82

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#888219 2-Sep-2013 12:05

She's not eligible for NZ passport until 2015 (she's been living in NZ since 2004 but didn't receive her permanent residency until 2010)

Under NZ policy, you need to have Permanent residency for 5 years before becoming eligible for a citizenship / passport (regardless how long you have been living in the country)

Under AU policy, You must have been living in Australia on a valid Australian visa for 4 years immediately before applying, including 1 year as a permanent resident

So depending on whether or not she can get permanent residency in AU, we will make decision to move there or not..

gehenna

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#888225 2-Sep-2013 12:18

I think Australia is very hard on their immigration policy, so you might be out of luck on this one - or in other words you might be better to hold off until she can get NZ citizenship first.

Wellygary: you're right, terminology is everything. Though for all intents and purposes for work you're treated like a permanent resident....and any time I applied for anything I was treated like a permanent resident since they don't have fields in their paperwork for "Kiwi interloper".

NonprayingMantis

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#888240 2-Sep-2013 12:26

ricks82: She's not eligible for NZ passport until 2015 (she's been living in NZ since 2004 but didn't receive her permanent residency until 2010)

Under NZ policy, you need to have Permanent residency for 5 years before becoming eligible for a citizenship / passport (regardless how long you have been living in the country)

Under AU policy, You must have been living in Australia on a valid Australian visa for 4 years immediately before applying, including 1 year as a permanent resident

So depending on whether or not she can get permanent residency in AU, we will make decision to move there or not..

Assuming you can get a 2 year temporary visa for her for Oz, then you can still live there and then, when the time is right, apply for the NZ citizenship (and hence be able to stay in Oz indefinitely). The requirment to live in NZ for residency only applies for something like the first 2 years of residency, whcih you are probably past now

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#888244 2-Sep-2013 12:30

you are treated like a permanent resident until you want money - then ... sorry, you do not qualify for any money.

but if you don't intend to get any money that's fine.

money as in
- disability allowance
- social allowance
- certain medicare high user discount cards
- emergency allowance
- any allowance

of course if you're in luck all the time, healthy all the time, don't suddenly need anything you will think you're a PR ... until one day ...

wellygary

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#888281 2-Sep-2013 13:34

ricks82: She's not eligible for NZ passport until 2015 (she's been living in NZ since 2004 but didn't receive her permanent residency until 2010)

Under NZ policy, you need to have Permanent residency for 5 years before becoming eligible for a citizenship / passport (regardless how long you have been living in the country)

Under AU policy, You must have been living in Australia on a valid Australian visa for 4 years immediately before applying, including 1 year as a permanent resident

And the temporary permits that Kiwis get given on arrival are not "valid visas" for the purposes of permanent residency/citizenship,

gehenna

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#888282 2-Sep-2013 13:34

"Any allowance" isn't correct.

I was paid the LAFHA (Living Away from Home Allowance) via the ATO last time I lived/worked there in 2009.

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