[ the pic above is not about the subject of this post, it’s just a representation. thanks for reading! ]
ANO ANG REASONABLE na panahon para sa yo, kasamang OFW or former OFW, na maghintay bago mapili o maging residente ng isang bayang pinaglilingkuran mo?
Pagkatapos mong mag-settle down, dalhin dito ang pamilya mo at sanayin at kilalanin ang bagong kapaligiran, kailan mo masasabing, o sige handa na akong maging regular member ng lipunan dito , di na ako bisita at makikinabang na rin ako sa proteksyon at benepisyo nitong nilipatang bayan?
Sa karamihan ng aking mga natanong, anywhere from three years to five years, mayroon mga umaabot ng 10 taon, depende unang una kung pasok ka na sa requirements at nasa tamang (immigration) pathway or category. May mga exception na lulampas pa riyan, di makaabot ng requirements or minamalas at at naaabutan lagi ng bagong rules.
Pero record na siguro itong nakilala kong 16 years na work visa holder at malapit nang mawalan ng pag-asa bago nakapag-apply nang liyamado at finally nabigyan ng pinaka-inaasam na NZ Resident Visa?
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That’s the story of my friend Rey, who didn’t mind our using his real name, but stopped short of allowing use of his pic. (That’s not him in the pic by the way, it’s just a representation of him. 🙂 ) He arrived here with family when US President Barrack Obama was still in office, found out he wasn’t eligible for many of the pathways (or immigrant pathways) that the advice he received told him he was a strong candidate for residency. And then for one reason or another he found a way to stay, and stay, and stay, and then… but let him tell you how it happened na lang:
When did you arrive in New Zealand? Any special reason you chose NZ?
I was overaged then (for Australian residency) when we arrived in NZ in 2007. During that time, we were also waiting for the approval of our permanent residency in Canada. (Obviously, their Canadian application was denied.)
Did you start to give up becoming PR (Permanent Residency) at any time here?
After applying for how many times, and even after hiring an Immigration Lawyer and failed. We almost lost hope.
(in our conversations with him, it was either one thing or another. Kung hindi kulang ang wages nya, kulang ang position nya. If he was OK in one category, he was lacking in other categories to fully pursue a successful residency application.)
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(When all seemed lost and Rey’s family had run out of options, the 2021 Resident Visa scheme was announced, whose requirements Rey fit perfectly. Just in time, as there was no other option for Rey outside of going back home, after 16 years, had the 2021RV not been offered.)
And finally did you feel like the one off (the One-Off Residency Visa) was the answer to all your family’s dreams and frustrations?
Well, it’s like thanks for making us residents after more than 10 years. At least our sacrifices paid off.
(Rey and family became part of the 84,000 successful applicants under the 2021 Resident Visa program, a badly needed blessing, parang huling huling last bus talaga.)
Their only regret ? At the time of their approval, Rey felt that by then, they had become too old to be eligible to buy and be approved to borrow money for property. But the waiting was worth it.
Hard work, tyaga and a little prayer pays off. In this case a little of all, for the last 16 years.
Mabuhay ka Rey!
