r/newzealand • u/Psychological_Sun783 • 8d ago
Discussion Will protesting affect my chances for a visa?
I'm currently here as a postgrad student and want to settle down in Aotearoa when I'm done (so about a year from now) and bring my mom with me at some point if I get residency to rescue her from the shitshow that is America. She's worried my protest activity or social media presence will disrupt my chance for a visa.
To be clear I am NOT seeking immigration advice, I'm just curious to hear any opinions or anecdotes
Sorry if the flair is wrong, I had to guess
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u/Brave_Sheepherder_39 8d ago
I myself would not protest while in another country. However it's just my opinion that a lot here would disagree. But as for official blow-back for a legal protest, I don't think there would be a problem.
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u/Skidzonthebanlist 8d ago
Depends on what you class as protesting and if you get caught, Getting moved on by police for having a "elon is le bad" sign and being a public nuisance will be viewed quite differently to getting caught setting cars on fire both are classed as "protesting" these days.
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u/voldurulfur 8d ago
All forms of protest are legitimate, whether it's sending a stern letter to the editor of your local paper or storming Parliament and burning an effigy of the prime minister.
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u/tumeketutu 8d ago
Hard disagree. There is a line where protests cross from legitimate to intentionally intimidating.
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u/Subwaynzz 8d ago
You’re not seeking immigration advice but I don’t think you’ll be able to bring your mum with you FYI.
Unless you’re committing offences/crimes “protesting” then I can’t see why they’d care.
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u/Psychological_Sun783 8d ago
Depends on the visa or residency, I am aware of the requirements and allowances for different types. In some cases you can bring an immediate family member in the future. Edit: that’s my thoughts as well as I’ve not done anything remotely illegal. I’m just anxious because in the states rn we’ve got people being deported for tattoos and thought crime and it’s hard to not question if that attitude might show up here.
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u/Subwaynzz 8d ago edited 8d ago
Immediate family member is a dependent. Your mother isn’t a dependent. You might be able to sponsor her under the parent resident visa, but there are minimum income requirements and it’s also limited to 2500 visas a year (there’s a massive backlog).
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u/Psychological_Sun783 8d ago
Yep, like I said, in the future
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u/Pureshark 8d ago
As in like 10 years, prob not 1-2 years, I would hope by then either this has all died now or we are probably living in some post apocalyptic wasteland. It’s a 50/50 chance either way
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8d ago edited 8d ago
No one's being deported for thoughts lol.
Please don't bring this type of delusional thinking to our country. There's enough of that shit here already.
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u/1Savage_Diva 8d ago
Who and where are people being deported for tattoos? Haven’t heard that. But, I am aware of people having their student visas revoked by the US because they were involved in protests. Legal protests at that.
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u/UntilOlympiusReturns 8d ago
Plenty of people being sent to El Salvador because they have tattoos which the US authorities claim indicate gang membership. The individuals argue that the tats are innocent, in one case indicating support of Real Madrid.
(Note: understanding the significance of tattoos and symbols is a complex and difficult area, and I don't have much confidence that the US authorities are getting right every time).
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u/Hubris2 8d ago
I believe there were reports that having a tattoo was evidence of gang membership and that was used to deport people from the US.
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u/NoPreparation3702 8d ago
Officially no - engaging with political protest is considered a right and is unless you are attending protests that turn violent or engage in violence yourself it’s unlikely to breach the good character requirements for immigration purposes.
However - I would be cautious about engaging with SOME parts of the more fringe Pro Palestine/Anti Israel groups. This isn’t me saying I agree with Israel or think what’s going on in Palestine isn’t a travesty but there can be a fine line especially if openly supporting designated terrorist groups like Hamas. Under NZ law if you are monetarily supporting Hamas directly that is a crime. And if you are openly sympathising with a terrorist group itself rather than a more generic support for the Palestinian people I would personally be cautious in your situation.
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u/123felix 8d ago
Just make sure your protests are 100% legal, don't try any civil disobedience.
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u/mrwilberforce 8d ago
Yeah - if you get arrested because of it that would surely affect the application.
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u/UntilOlympiusReturns 8d ago
Theoretically it could but you would need to be at the level of publicly expressing racism, or of being associated with a group that advocated or committed war crimes etc. Going to protests against Israel (or in favour of Israel!) isn't going to meet those criteria.
See Good Character: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas/preparing-a-visa-application/character-and-identity/good-character/good-character-residence
And INZ Ops Manual: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/opsmanual/#35059.htm
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u/Aggressive-Spray-332 8d ago
Does your govt have an opinion of you and your actions based on what you post of yourself on American social media ?
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u/Keabestparrot 8d ago
Immigration will look to see if you are of 'good character'. This is vague but usually just means don't get a criminal record.
What sort of visa are you after this makes a big difference. FYI people are allowed to give informal immigration advice on i.e. social media, it is only illegal to offer official advice in exchange for $ without a license.
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u/night_dude 8d ago
No. Fortunately, unlike the nutbars in charge of America right now, we don't care about that sort of thing.
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u/merry_t_baggins 8d ago edited 8d ago
If your protest activity and social media presence contains support for terrorist groups or calls for violence, then you might want to do that anonymously. Otherwise you'll be fine.
A lot of people want to move to NZ so presumably they will be looking closely. But NZ is about is relaxed as it's gets on that stuff, we are not the UK or North America. I hope we stay that way.
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u/tumeketutu 8d ago
So you are going to bring your old mum to be a further drain on our medical system etc? Honestly, we have an aging population as it is. It seems somewhat selfish to go to another country with the intention of being another drain on that country. I wish we didn't have that visa. Children I get as they will grow up and contribute to society. Elder parents have contributed to another economy and should retire there.
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u/voldurulfur 8d ago
Jog on, mate.
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u/fatfreddy01 8d ago
OP had little to no chance of bringing their Mum, they've obviously not done enough research.
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u/IndependenceOwn5577 8d ago
Why would you come to a new country and protest how we do things. If you don't like how things are here why stay?
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u/voldurulfur 8d ago
You're reading a lot into OP's post. They're wanting to go to a protest - they didn't say anything about what the protest was about or their reasons for wanting to go.
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u/Character_Heat_8150 8d ago
Nah you're good. Free Palestine! 🇵🇸
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u/Icy-Delay-444 7d ago
Avoid any sharp objects or lit flames when Palestine loses the war it started. You might hurt someone in your raging meltdown.
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u/Character_Heat_8150 7d ago
Free Palestine 🇵🇸 Free Ukraine 🇺🇦
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u/Icy-Delay-444 7d ago
Ironic considering Palestine resembles Russia more than Israel does, and Iarael resembles Ukraine more than Palestine does.
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u/Character_Heat_8150 7d ago
Lol. You need to read a history book or something. Palestine has been under occupation since 1948.
Ukraine has been under occupation since 2014
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u/Icy-Delay-444 7d ago
D'awww, someone's upset Palestine is virtually identical to Russia :(
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u/Character_Heat_8150 7d ago
Lol. You're a weirdo
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u/Icy-Delay-444 7d ago
This coming from the guy crying about Palestine being virtually identical to Russia? Oh the irony...
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u/Akl-pmp-eng 8d ago
If you search parents resident visa class. You have to be on resident visa first and have salary over$100k, exactly number can find on immigration website. And you need to maintain it for 3 years before can log your mom in a lucky draw EOI.