Avoid the Visa Traps

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There is so much that can go wrong with a visa application that advice on getting it right would fill an encyclopaedia on the subject. We have some tips on making sure you are prepared to avoid disappointment, expensive mistakes, and loads of stress.

• Apply early. Make lodging a visa application a priority. We are all time poor, but it is unrealistic to apply late and then expect the system to prioritise your application in time to arrive in NZ or start work, study or a holiday.

• Make sure your passport is valid for a least 6 months beyond the date you intend to depart New Zealand. Some countries can take many months to renew a passport – apply early.

• If there are any health or character issues take advice from a trusted and experienced licensed immigration adviser. You may think it is not important or all that serious but in many applications this can be a reason for long processing delays or declines. Don’t take a risk thinking it will be ok - its probably won't be.

• Immigration problems (expired visa, application declined, history of deportation, excluded from any country etc) will only get worse the longer you leave talking to an experienced professional. Take advice and work on a solution before events get out of your control.

• When travelling to New Zealand or departing the country always check the visa requirements for any countries you transit through on the way and the final destination country. A website worth checking out for international visa advice is here.

• Keep certified copies of documents in a safe place and the originals somewhere easily accessible just in they are needed. A certified copy is a photocopy that has been certified as a true copy of the original by a JP, lawyer or court official. Many visa applications require birth certificates (with parents names on it), marriage/divorce documents, qualifications and work references to name just a few. It can be very time consuming and frustrating when you are away from your home country to start gathering a long list of documents that you left behind.

• Copies of electronic visas (e-visas) and visa labels in passports should be stored on smart phones and laptops that travel with you. Its easy to lose a piece a paper but you are more likely to protect your electronic device. Make sure you have protection on your device to avoid anyone accessing your personal visa information.

In the last 12 months Licensed immigration Advisers (LIAs) or exempt people (lawyers etc) were highly represented in the number of visa applications lodged. 45% of student visa applications, 41% of work visa applications and 37% residence visa applications were represented by an LIA or exempt person. Despite visa applications being online and accessible 24/7 the process remains complex, full of unexpected traps and the risk of failure. This is not a sales pitch – the stats speak for themselves. Talk to licensed and experienced professionals for sound immigration advice.

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