Frustration and anger
I'm not sure how much time I've spent these last few days on the phone with various immigration officers. And how FRUSTRATING and ANNOYING it can be at times... One barely spoke English and clearly had no idea what was going on. Another was giving me a bitchy attitude answering all my questions with "There's nothing I can do for you. That's the way it is." Only one - Vincent - was acutally pleasant to talk to and giving me advice and an update.
So here's what's happening... My current visa expires next Thursday. By now Immigration New Zealand has officially accepted my application for a work permit based on a partnership to a Kiwi. It will take them approx. 60 days to process and decide whether I will be granted such a visa or not. Meanwhile I have received my interim visa which will allow me to stay in the country up to the point where they make that decision.
The problem is: I won't be able to work!!! I told my boss today and of course he wasn't very happy about it. He's trying to figure something out and has made a few phone calls already. We'll see if he is any succesful. If not next Thursday will be my last day at work and then I'll be unemployed :-(
To give you an idea of how competent NZ immigration officers are here a few things I have been told in the past few months...
A: You don't need a police clearance certificate at this point.
That I got told in March. In June my first visa application got sent back to me - because it was missing a police clearance certificate.
B: You will automatically be granted an interim visa. That will extend your current visa up the point when we make a decision about your application. Since you already have a working visa that means you will be able to continue working.
Well, at least the first part was right. As for the other - I just got told today I will only get a general interim visa which does NOT allow me to work.
C: Immigration sent me my interim visa via email attachment.
Which is good and fast- only I couldn't open it. Had to send it to a friend in LONDON via email who could transform it and sent it back to me in the right format.
So... gotta get ready for one of my last days as an employee. I'll keep you up to date...
So here's what's happening... My current visa expires next Thursday. By now Immigration New Zealand has officially accepted my application for a work permit based on a partnership to a Kiwi. It will take them approx. 60 days to process and decide whether I will be granted such a visa or not. Meanwhile I have received my interim visa which will allow me to stay in the country up to the point where they make that decision.
The problem is: I won't be able to work!!! I told my boss today and of course he wasn't very happy about it. He's trying to figure something out and has made a few phone calls already. We'll see if he is any succesful. If not next Thursday will be my last day at work and then I'll be unemployed :-(
To give you an idea of how competent NZ immigration officers are here a few things I have been told in the past few months...
A: You don't need a police clearance certificate at this point.
That I got told in March. In June my first visa application got sent back to me - because it was missing a police clearance certificate.
B: You will automatically be granted an interim visa. That will extend your current visa up the point when we make a decision about your application. Since you already have a working visa that means you will be able to continue working.
Well, at least the first part was right. As for the other - I just got told today I will only get a general interim visa which does NOT allow me to work.
C: Immigration sent me my interim visa via email attachment.
Which is good and fast- only I couldn't open it. Had to send it to a friend in LONDON via email who could transform it and sent it back to me in the right format.
So... gotta get ready for one of my last days as an employee. I'll keep you up to date...
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