SPECIAL CATEGORY VISAS TO NEW ZEALAND

PACIFIC ACCESS CATEGORY VISA TO NEW ZEALAND

The Pacific Access Category is based on New Zealand's special relations with some Pacific countries, and provides people from these countries work and education opportunities in New Zealand. The Pacific Access Category is a ballot system with limits on the number of people able to be granted residence through this category every year. The limits are: 75 citizens of Kiribati, 75 citizens of Tuvalu and 250 citizens of Tonga.

NEW ZEALAND PACIFIC ACCESS CATEGORY VISA BASIC REQUIREMENTS

To make an application for residence under the Pacific Access Category (PAC), applicants must first register during the official registration period. (For the 2008 ballot, registration ran from 1 April to 30 April).

To be eligible to register, principal applicants must have been born in a PAC country or born overseas to a PAC citizen, and be between 18 and 45 years.

If their registration is drawn, Immigration New Zealand will issue an invitation to apply for residence. An application for residence then needs to be made within 6 months of the invitation.

To qualify for residence, applicants need to meet health and good character criteria. Principle applicants will need to have an acceptable offer of employment that meets minimum income requirements if a partner and dependants are joining them, and meet minimum English language requirements.

NEW ZEALAND PACIFIC ACCESS CATEGORY VISA ENTITLEMENTS

Approved Pacific Access Category applicants will be issued a permanent residence visa and/or permit, which gives holders (and approved family members) the flexibility to settle and work anywhere in New Zealand indefinitely.

A returning resident's visa (RRV) will also be issued allowing the holder to travel in and out of New Zealand for up to two years as a New Zealand resident. After two years, applicants may be eligible for an Indefinite RRV subject to meeting the relevant residency requirements.

Permanent residents are entitled to the same rights and benefits as New Zealand citizens, including free access to public schools, subsidised tertiary education and other support, such as student loans, and subsidised public health services. Permanent residents may also apply for citizenship after satisfying the relevant residency requirements.

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