Visa requirements for NZ PPL

[matthew.gyi]

Hi, I'm travelling to NZ this November to do my PPL and have a handful of schools that have been recommended to me. I'd like to visit the schools before committing myself to one, but the requirements for a student visa state that you must have an invite to train at a school before you can get the visa.

I'm thinking it might be best for me to get a free 6 month travel visa then apply for a student visa once i've found the right school.

Does anyone have any advice about this or know about the logistics of applying for a student visa once in NZ? I plan to be there for about 8-9 months.

[27/09]

If you are only coming to do your PPL I don't think you need a student visa. You can just come as visitor, in fact if you are a UK national I don't think you would need any visa. I know we don't need a visa to go to the UK and as far as I know it's the same for a UK national coming here.

I think the student visa thing is for those people who need to have a visa and are coming here for an extended time to do their PPL, CPL, MEIR etc. The student visa is a better option for them than a visitors visa, e.g. I think the student visa allows the student to have some employment while they are studying.

Check out the requirements on the NZ Immigration website.

[ZK-NSN]

Just over-stay, nobody really cares. You might even be able to claim the dole while your here.

[hightower1986]

No visa required I just turned up got 6 months stamped in off I trot, dead easy! Just wish I was still there!

[matthew.gyi]

Oh ok, that's good news. If my return ticket is more than 6 months from my arrival date will I still be ok getting through customs?

Thanks for your help guys.

[hightower1986]

Id say no, think you will probably need to apply for a student visa and that means going to a school that would accept and sort this out I think, can you not do it in 6 months? Lot less hassle!

[hightower1986]

Oh yeah and you need to be outside of NZ to apply for the student visa

[Abu Bebo]

Hi Matthew

I travelled to New Zealand in 2001 without an outward passage and as I arrived at some ungodly hour of the morning, I had to wait the wrong side of customs until the Qantas ticket office opened the next morning. I then purchased a fully refundable ticket to Australia and was allowed to enter on a six month visitor permit. Pity my poor friend who had come to meet me and slept on a bench the right side of customs until I finally arrived :eek:
The next day I visited the Qantas office in Auckland and cancelled my fully refundable ticket :ugh:
I then spent a few weeks travelling round New Zealand looking for the right place to fly, which had to be a NZQA approved school to get my student visa, which I got without leaving the country. Of course, things may have changed since then...
I have taught many students from the UK in New Zealand who all travelled over on a six month visitor's permit, as their study was for less than three months.
All the best in your travels and happy landings,
A.B.