Emigrate To New Zealand - How To Sponsor Your Parents - Part 1
If like me, you actually can't bear living apart from your family, and they also wouldn't mind living in the same hemisphere as you - you do have the option of bringing them into New Zealand as residents just because they are your family.
For many migrants to New Zealand, it is not possible for our parents to emigrate to New Zealand via the Skilled Migrant route, either because they are too old (anything over 55 counts) or because they don't have the kind of skills you need to be a skilled migrant.
For this - there is the Family Sponsorship: Parent Category.
So - what do you need to know if you wantto sponsor your parents to come and live in New Zealand?
1. Most important, is that you have to pass the "Centre of Gravity" test.
This is all about how many brothers and sisters you have, and where they live in relation to your parents. If you have just one brother or sister, there is no problem, and the "Centre of Gravity" is split equally between New Zealand and your parent's home country.
There can be a problem if you have 2 or more siblings however. Say you have two brothers.
For the centre of gravity to be deemed New Zealand, half or more of the siblings have to be living in a different country to the parents. So if you live in New Zealand, your parents live in the UK, but your two brothers also live in the UK, you are not eligible to sponsor your parents.
If however one of those brothers moved to the US, then the Centre of Gravity is no longer the UK, and you can sponsor your parents quite happily.
Be aware that half brothers and sisters count when Immigration New Zealand determines the centre of gravity.
2. You have to have been a resident of New Zealand for 3 years.
This means from the date you have your residency permit (not just your Visa). If you first came to New Zealand on a Visitors visa, and then transferred to a residency permit - the 3 years starts from the day you got the permit, not from the day you entered the country.
3. You have to have lived in New Zealand for at least 184 days for each of the 3 years before you make the sponsorship application.
4. You need a household income of at least $29,897.92
This cannot come from benefits (2009 figures)
5. You need to be physically living in New Zealand at the time you put the application in.
Note: this applies to the sponsor - not to the parents.
6. You will be required to sign a declaration on the sponsorship form
This basically says you will provide for your parents if necessary, and repay any benefits that they may receive from the New Zealand government for the first 2 years.
What documents do you need to send in as the Sponsor?
- Certified copies of either your residence permit, or if you are a citizen, a certified copy of your Passport or letter from the Department of Internal affairs granting you citizenship.
- Certified copies of documents proving your income: IRD Summary of Earnings, wage slips, job contract or bank statements.
- The sponsor fills in Sponsorship Form 1024 which can be downloaded from http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/general/formsandfees
So what do your parents need to do?
Your parents also need to fill out the standard Residency Application: Form 1000, which you can download from the same webpage.
They simply need to satisfy:
Good Health Requirements
Good Character Requirements.
They do not need to prove income (you have already done that) nor do they need to have a job in order to apply.
Police Certificates less than 6 months old
Medical Certificates less than 3 months old
Application fee (435 if applying in the UK, $660 USD if applying if the US, $700 if applying in New Zealand)
