Q&A: Can I Move To NZ First And Apply For A Visa Later?

A reader recently asked,

“Me and my family want to move to New Zealand and are going through an agent at the moment but have now sold our house and want to move faster . Could we just go and get a job and apply out there without returning to the UK?”

My answer:

Yes, you can simply move out to New Zealand and apply for a job and attain a work visa later. However, it is a little risky. NZ has a visa-free condition of about three months for people living outside the UK—if you’re coming from the UK, it’s six months. After that time period, you must then apply to stay longer–which means you must also adhere to their conditions of extension.