INZ Refunding Levies and Fees For Visa Applications That Cannot Be Approved

The Minister of Immigration has decided to lapse visa applications that cannot be approved due to the ongoing border restrictions. Immigration New Zealand (INZ) will refund application fees and levies for people who applied for a temporary visa from outside New Zealand before or after 10 August 2020.

Immigration New Zealand currently has about 50,000 temporary visa applications on hand that will be refunded mainly visitor, student and work visa applications.

Applications excluded from lapsing and refunding are:

• Applications made from a COVID-19 quarantine free travel zone where you have notified INZ in writing before 30 June 2021 that you are still in a COVID-19 quarantine free travel zone, and want your application to be processed.
• Applications based on a relationship (partner or dependent children) to a New Zealand citizen, residence class visa holder or temporary visa holder.
• Work visa applications under any of the following categories: Post-study work, Work to Residence, Entrepreneur Work Visa Category and Global Impact Visa Categories.
• An application for a work visa to arrange the transfer to, and investment of funds in, New Zealand after your application for residence under the Investor 1 or Investor 2 Category has been approved in principle.
• Applications based on a relationship (partner or dependent children) to a principal applicant with a temporary visa application that is listed above.

Applicants already in New Zealand whose existing temporary visa was automatically extended by special direction will be contacted by INZ. They can choose to withdraw or proceed with their application.

The affected visa applicants do not have to ask for a refund as INZ will email them or their representative over the next few months when their refund is being processed.

For applications submitted and paid online, the credit card used will be refunded. If a third party has made the payment on the applicant’s behalf (such as a Licensed Immigration Adviser), it is the applicant & representative’s responsibility to arrange reimbursement of the refund as INZ will not mediate between them. In some cases, INZ may need the refund request form to be completed to make sure the refund is given to the correct bank account.

Future applications will not be affected by this.

If you have any queries or would need more clarification regarding this, please contact please contact Immigration Advisers New Zealand Ltd by sending an email at contact@nzimmigration.info or call us on +64 09 3790219.

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