Criminal Record - Working Visa For New Zealand.

[dieseldick]

i was in prison many years ago in early 80,s and 90,s for all types of criminality plus armed robbery . armed robbery was in 1987 which i got 2 years imprisonment.

will i declare these on the visa app for work for NZ, clients are very intersted in my CV . i have a lot of expirience plus certification ie fire fighting / permit to work certs / working at height certs .

should i declare all ???? i suspect they will know at a click of a button anyway though on my criminal disclosure than i got 3 years ago there is nothing on it, stating all are spent. must add i have not been in trouble for about 20 years now only one drunk drive charge in 2005.

[dieseldick]

must add, i committed these crimes in belfast - uk. i have both UK ans irish passports, so i could use my irish passport then come under irish checks ?

therefore any checks maybe will not show up if i use my irish citizenship / passport ?

[sandyRoe]

I hope you get your visa. The conviction for armed robbery in Belfast back then might have put you on a database somewhere as a 'terrorist', whatever your motive was.

[dieseldick]

at court back then ( when i was 18 yrs old ) the armed robbery charge was put down as a drunken escapade. i have no drug charges or sexual charges , ever.

been clean 20years.

[waterboatman]

It's in your favour that you are being honest dd. I can't say what the NZ authorities will make of it as I don't know. But if they are reading this I hope they think the same and give you your visa. I would!

[bhg481]

You'll look (and feel) a right chump if you don't declare it and then find they won't let you enter the country because they already know abbout it. A complete waste of time and air fare.

[jno]

Under section 15 of the Immigration Act 2009 we will not grant you a visa, entry permission or a visa waiver if:

you have been convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for 5 years or more (this applies even if any of your offences have later been taken off the record),
in the past 10 years you were convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for 12 months or more,
you are subject to a period of prohibition on entry to New Zealand under section 179 or section 180 of the Immigration Act,
you have been removed or deported from any country, including New Zealand,
you are excluded from New Zealand under any enactment.

Sounds as though you'd be in the clear, even with the drunk driving charge.

There's also a good character requirement if you plan to stay more than two years.

http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/stream/work/worktemporarily/

[IggyB]

The UK doesnt share criminal record info routinely, so there would be no click of a button here. If you declare i think they would then ask you to get a police certificate. Maybe you should get one now and see what comes up?

https://www.acro.police.uk/police_certificates.aspx

[dieseldick]

is it easier with a working visa and a company gets your work permit etc and a sought after qualified employee ? i will maybe use my irish nationality / passport. in that case how could they possibly check as i have never committed any single crime in ireland

[hc4361]

You won't thank me for saying this, Dick, but I am shocked you can even think about going as far away from the UK as possible when things are so difficult for your daughter.

[jno]

maybe he's planning to take his daughter?

[EDDIE51]

I was just about to post the same thought as hc4361 !
DD, getting your daughter and the Ex sorted is FAR more important.
You will have very little chance to do much from the other side of the world!
Unless of course you ARE intending to take your daughter with you, in which case I apologize and wish you well.

[RATTER15]

I think you need to declare everything, they are very thorough at the NZ border, I think if you have spent 12 months or more in prison they may not let you in, they are very strict and could reject you once you get to NZ. If they think you are trying to deceive them by not being honest about passports they will kick you back onto a plane home again.

[Islay]

You should declare it, whilst criminal convictions are not shared routinely, if they decide to check and believe me they do you could be kicked out of the country and you would not get any more chances at that job.

Declare it and they will look on it favourably.

[237SJ]

"Whilst criminal checks are not shared routinely" They are not shared at all. It is against the Data Protection act to share information outside of the EU.

[RATTER15]

237SJ, I don't think that is correct, I have seen it quite a few times on the New Zealand Border Control documentary, maybe they get you to sign an authorization, they also know what passports have been issued to you.

[RATTER15]

this may help. https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Traveling_with_a_criminal_history

[237SJ]

Yes, you have to sign, declare etc but if you don`t, they don`t know anything about you unless they have reason to suspect that you are lying and make a request for information. The information is not routinely shared outside of the EU

[RATTER15]

Its a big risk to take by not declaring everything, they may put you back on a plane in New Zealand. I would rather be honest and fess up.

[jno]

I've posted the NZ rules above. Dieseldick should be okay. His offences were too long ago.

[dieseldick]

yes, i have issues with xwife and my daughter but i need a job, i cannot sit around everyday with no work, my savings are going fast. i love working.

so declare it ? even though it is not showing on my disclosure ?

thanks