Getting a visa for New Zealand with a conviction

bonbomb

I am from ireland and am thinking of going to new zealand on a working holiday visa.
I have a british passport so that should intitle me to access to new zealand for 6months without a visa.The only problem is i have two prior convictions one for assault five years ago when i was 18 and another for taking a bottle of wine out of a shop when i was drunk without paying for it, for which i served 3weeks in a minimum security prison.These things happened a long time ago when i was immature and foolish.I am wondering is there anything i can do to help my chances of being accepted for the visa and if i dont get the visa can i still go over for 6months with these charges?
Your help is much appreciated....Thanks in advance.

irishh_bob

bonbomb wrote: »

I am from ireland and am thinking of going to new zealand on a working holiday visa.
I have a british passport so that should intitle me to access to new zealand for 6months without a visa.The only problem is i have two prior convictions one for assault five years ago when i was 18 and another for taking a bottle of wine out of a shop when i was drunk without paying for it, for which i served 3weeks in a minimum security prison.These things happened a long time ago when i was immature and foolish.I am wondering is there anything i can do to help my chances of being accepted for the visa and if i dont get the visa can i still go over for 6months with these charges?
Your help is much appreciated....Thanks in advance.

sounds like you made a few mistakes when you were young , not the end of the world but the rules wont change for you , im not sure whether NZ allow people in with convictions , the usa doesnt afaik , do you know anyone in the guards who might give you a charechter reference which shows you are a reformed charechter

bonbomb

i am currently waiting for my garda report which will have the convictions and when they were.The gard i was asking said that there will be a charachter reference with that saying i didnt reoffend.I am also trying to get a reference from the govenor of the prison to say that i did not get in trouble while i was in there and that i was released early on good behaviour. I will have a charachter reference from my current boss aswell, im just hoping that this will be enough.

mrkobain

http://glossary.immigration.govt.nz/Goodcharacter.htm

This is what they look for officially so going by this you are probably ok, but make sure you tell them everything when applying.

bonbomb

mrkobain wrote: »

http://glossary.immigration.govt.nz/Goodcharacter.htm

This is what they look for officially so going by this you are probably ok, but make sure you tell them everything when applying.

i hope so...thanks

Plug

Lads anyone have any info on this regarding OZ? My brother is in a similar situation with more convictions than above but no prison time or assault:rolleyes:

bonbomb

i was talking to a girl in visa bureau and she recons that its easier to get accepted for a visa to oz then nz! if you go on to 'visa first live', you can ask them any questions you want....i found them helpful.

gustafo

i met plenty of people in oz and nz who either had served time or had convictions and they were on a whv, they just didn't declare it when they applied for the visa.

now if your hoping to get sponsored or any other long term visa you are better off declaring it.

Plug

So do they not actually check your criminal conviction, I thought that may be on your passport or pps? Thanks.

Zambia

Plug wrote: »

So do they not actually check your criminal conviction, I thought that may be on your passport or pps? Thanks.

That's not what was said , because some people got in does not mean DIAC don't check. Chances are with no prison time he should be right.

Plug

Can getting a reference from a Guard that he is of good character be of any help? He really wants to go but we always said his past would bite his bollox at some stage.
I'll get him to tell the truth on the visa application. Would it take much longer for the whv to process if he is marked down with convictions? Thanks.

bonbomb

ya it will help if he gets a few references showing that he has changed from the time he got in trouble, it takes 6weeks to process with convictions and he got should write up a few personal account of things like what happened and that it was a long time ago and how things are different etc... he will also need to get a police certificate, it just states the offence, date of the offences and the penalty he got for them ie. fined x amount.

Plug

1)So he has to pay for the visa first then apply online and declare his convictions etc.
What if they refuse him does he lose out on the $270 or is that refundable?

2)Is there an option list to select the convictions on the online application form or does he have to state them separately? How does that work?
And where can he give in good character references etc?

Plug

Plug wrote: »

1)So he has to pay for the visa first then apply online and declare his convictions etc.
What if they refuse him does he lose out on the $270 or is that refundable?

2)Is there an option list to select the convictions on the online application form or does he have to state them separately? How does that work?
And where can he give in good character references etc?

Anyone?:o