Category: Updates

Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has made some changes to Temporary Entry instructions effective 14 February 2022.

The changes have been made to:

• Show that the border exception for replacement cargo crew covers all commercial ships.
• Add new border class exceptions for external auditors, specialist tech workers and wool handlers.
• Expand the existing border exception for shearers.

Applicants will have to meet certain INZ requirements to be eligible for the above-mentioned border exceptions.

Get in touch with Immigration Advisors New Zealand Ltd, which provides up-to-date immigration information so you can consider opportunities and prepare yourself for the future. To know all the required procedures, contact us at contact@nzimmigration.info or call on +64 09 3790219.

Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has made changes to immigration instructions to provide more flexible working conditions for specific migrant workers working in healthcare and supermarkets.

This is only applicable under the COVID-19 Framework, red and orange zone settings.

Until 31st January 2023, for any student visa, work visa, or interim visa holder (who held an eligible student or work visa immediately before this visa) working under COVID-19 Protection Framework for red and orange zones, the following will not be defined as ‘Work’:

• Any tasks associated with the supply chain of a supermarket and was an employee of that supermarket on the day before the region entered the red or orange zones.
• Any task related to working as a COVID-19 vaccinator/tester, or working as a critical health worker for their employer until this date.

These changes are effective from 3rd February 2022.

To gain a better understanding of the above changes to the immigration instructions and to learn more about them kindly get in touch with us.

Please do not hesitate to contact Immigration Advisers New Zealand Ltd. at contact@nzimmigration.info or call on +64 09 3790219.  Our experienced team of Licensed Immigration Advisers will be happy to guide you.

The New Zealand government has announced its 5-step plan to re-open New Zealand borders, commencing 27 February 2022. The border will initially open to vaccinated New Zealand citizens and visa holders coming from Australia, then from the rest of the world, and finally to all other vaccinated visitors.

Fully vaccinated New Zealanders and other eligible travellers from Australia will be able to enter New Zealand without staying in MIQ from Sunday 27 February. Two weeks later, they can come from all other countries. Critical workers and skilled workers will be eligible to enter New Zealand from this date. The working holiday scheme will also resume.

From 12 April, 5,000 international students and other eligible temporary visa holders will be allowed to enter. After that, the border opens to Australians and other travellers who do not require a visa to enter New Zealand. All other international visitors will be allowed to enter New Zealand from October.

The Five phases are:

Phase 1:

When: From Sunday, 27th February 2022 from 11.59 pm

• Fully vaccinated New Zealanders and other currently eligible travellers from Australia will be able to travel to New Zealand and, instead of going into MIQ, will be able to self-isolate
• Eligible travellers must have spent 14 days in Australia and meet the health requirements before travelling.

Phase 2:

When: From Sunday, 13th March 2022 from 11.59 pm

Those who will be allowed to enter New Zealand are:

• Fully vaccinated New Zealanders and other currently eligible travellers from around the world will be able to travel to New Zealand.
• Critical purpose work visa holders and skilled workers earning at least 1.5 times the median wage
• Highly skilled workers’ family members who may have been separated from their loved ones
• Working Holiday Scheme will reopen in a phased manner.

All travellers must meet health requirements before traveling.

Phase 3:

When: From Tuesday, 12th April 2022 from 11.59 pm

Those who will be allowed to enter New Zealand are:

• Large international student cohort of up to 5000 students for semester two
• Temporary visa holders who are currently outside New Zealand and hold valid visas can enter New Zealand as long as they meet the visa requirements.

Phase 4:

When: From July 2022

Those who will be allowed to enter New Zealand are:

• Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents and other foreign nationals travelling from Australia
• Visitors from visa waiver countries
• Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) holders

The border exemption pathway for critical workers will be phased down at this time since the new AEWV category will eliminate the necessity for it. In addition, the new AEWV will be restricted to jobs that pay more than the national median wage.

Phase 5:

When:  From October 2022

The normal visa processing resumes.  The border opens for all other New Zealand visa holders, including visitor and student visas, unless the visa is closed or paused.

Key Points:

1. Managed Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ) requirements

Travellers entering New Zealand from all countries, excluding those from a quarantine-free travel zone, must undergo a 10-day stay in controlled isolation and quarantine (MIQ) beginning 23rd December 2021. Before boarding an aircraft, you must get a Managed Isolation Allocation system voucher verifying your spot in a managed isolation facility.

2. Quarantine-free Travel

Travelling between New Zealand and safe zones is easier with no quarantine. On arrival in New Zealand, visitors from safe zones will not be required to enter quarantine or controlled isolation.

3. Vaccination and COVID-19 Test

Most visitors to New Zealand must have a negative COVID-19 test result 48 hours prior to their scheduled departure. Before visiting New Zealand, most non-New Zealand nationals must be fully vaccinated.

For more details, please see the link here.

According to Immigration Minister, Kris Faafoi, the reopening of the border to a variety of visa holders is a vital component of New Zealand COVID recovery strategy.  This strategy is a huge step forward in tackling skills and labour shortages, and it will help to get back on our feet faster.

To gain a better understanding of the above changes to the immigration instructions and to learn more about them kindly get in touch with us.

Please do not hesitate to contact Immigration Advisers New Zealand Ltd. at contact@nzimmigration.info or call on +64 09 3790219.  Our experienced team of Licensed Immigration Advisers will be happy to guide you.

Immigration New Zealand has made some amendments to the immigration instructions effective 1 February 2022.  This has been done to impose further travel bans on people who were responsible for 2021 military coup and related human rights violations in Myanmar.

This includes persons who wholly or in part meet the following criteria:

• hold membership in the State Administrative Council and/or
• were instrumental in the February 2021 military coup and/or
• were or have been responsible for the violent suppression of peaceful anti-coup protestors and/or
• were responsible for other human rights violations, including those against the Rohingya, prior to the coup.

Get in touch with Immigration Advisors New Zealand Ltd, which provides up-to-date immigration information so you can consider opportunities and prepare yourself for the future. To know all the required procedures, contact us at contact@nzimmigration.info or call on +64 09 3790219.

A number of visitor visa products will be migrated onto ADEPT on 31 January 2021. Two new forms have been developed and one form has been amended as a result of this migration onto the new system.

The new forms are:

• INZ 1256 – Sponsor or Supporting Declaration Form
• INZ 1268 – Bank Confirmation Details Form

The updated form is:

• INZ 1224 – Visitor Visa Declaration Form

INZ 1256 – Sponsor or Supporting Declaration:

When a sponsor or supporting partner requires a third party to help them complete the Sponsor or Supporting Partner form, this form serves as a certification that they provided them with permission. It will be submitted together with their online Sponsorship or Supporting Partner form.

INZ 1268 – Bank Confirmation Details:

If a person does not want to submit their bank statements, pay slips or a letter from their employer to demonstrate they have adequate finances to support an applicant, they can utilize this form instead. The form is now a separate document that they can give to the bank, and which must be returned with an official bank stamp. The form must be submitted together with their online Sponsorship or Supporting Partner form.

INZ 1224 – Visitor Visa Declaration:

The form has been updated to be used for:

• Reconsideration of the decision of a declined visitor visa and Variation of Conditions (VOC) of Visitor Visa
• Visitor Visa Declaration, containing links to the Immigration New Zealand Terms of Use and Privacy Rights webpages, so that the wording is similar to that of the online form
• Communication with the client will take place through the online account from which the application is filed

Besides the above, the INZ 1200 – Additional Information form has also been updated, though it is not a part of ADEPT. The ethnicity and religion questions have been removed as a result of the modifications. This form will also be in use from 31 January 2022.

NOTE:

The old version of the forms INZ 1244 and INZ 1200 will be accepted by Immigration New Zealand until 31 May 2022.

To gain a better understanding of the above changes and to learn more about them kindly get in touch with us.

Please do not hesitate to contact Immigration Advisers New Zealand Ltd. at contact@nzimmigration.info or call on +64 09 3790219.  Our experienced team of Licensed Immigration Advisers will be happy to guide you.

Immigration New Zealand (INZ)has announced that theimmigration instructions have been updated to allow the migration of visitor visa applications from the current processing systems to the Immigration Online system. The changes have been implemented from 31 January 2022. These modifications include measures that specify when an electronic system may decide that the criteria for granting a visitor visa under instructions at V2 and V3 have been satisfiedand when the case will be sent to an immigration officer for further review.

The changes also specify:

1. when the sponsored persons or their sponsors must submit a relevant form; and
2. if an online system does not require a medical certificate or chest x-ray certificate, an immigration officer may request one if it is necessary to determine whether the applicant is in good health.

General Instructions regarding Visa Processing Procedures

Under section 26(4) of the Immigration Act 2009, a new general instruction on the sequence and method of processing visa applications has been introduced for immigration officers. This general instruction outlines how immigration officers will handle applications submitted once improvements to Immigration Online have been implemented.

It covers the following topics:

1. Performing tasks given by the improved Immigration Online system;
2. Performing tasks related to the final collecting of information, evaluation, and decision; and
3. Pre-decision quality checks.

Automated processing and granting

Under the following immigration guidelines, an automated electronic system may decide whether an application meets one or more of the requirements for a visitor visa:

• V2 General visitor • V3.5 Business visitor • V3.25 Children entering New Zealand for adoption • V3.30 Children adopted overseas before their New Zealand Citizenship is confirmed • V3.35 Culturally arranged marriage • V3.40 Entry to New Zealand for the purpose of medical treatment or consultation (and/or escorts of patients) • V3.45 Applicants wanting to obtain occupational registration in New Zealand • V3.50 Persons associated with a Contracting Party to the Antarctic Treaty and other Antarctic travellers
• V3.55 Visiting Media Programme • V3.60 Pitcairn Islanders • V3.65 Conference delegates • V3.70 Crew members joining vessels for aircraft • V3.80 Visitors arriving by yacht or private aircraft • V3.81 Owners and crew of super yachts • V3.85 Sports people, support staff, match and tournament officials and media and broadcasting personnel associated with sports events, tours or tournaments • V3.95 German law students and graduates • V3.115 Work visa holders dismissed during a trial period • V3.130 Visiting academics • V3.140 Approved arts or music festival • V3.145 Short-term live entertainment acts • V3.155 Persons departing New Zealand during COVID-19

Automated grant of temporary entry class visa:

An applicant who satisfies the requirements of the immigration instructions may be granted a visitor visa using an automated electronic system for the following:

1. General visitor
2. Business visitor

Regardless of the above, an automated electronic system will not grant a temporary entry class visa to a person who:

• has particular alerts or warnings; or
• does not appear to meet health or character requirements; or
• has an active appeal; or
• is liable for deportation; or
• has an open case or appeal with the Deputy Secretary or the Minister; or
• is a student funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade or the New Zealand Scholarship Programme; or
• is the subject of compliance action; or
• is the holder of a visa issued by the Immigration and Protection Tribunal under section 210 or 216 of the Immigration Act 2009

In circumstances where the above applies, a manual examination of the identified concern will be conducted and an immigration officer will decide whether to issue or deny a visa.

Note that when a decision is made by an automated electronic system, it must be treated as if it were made by an immigration officer who is authorized to make the decision under the Immigration Act 2009.

To gain a better understanding of the above changes to the immigration instructions and to learn more about them kindly get in touch with us.

Please do not hesitate to contact Immigration Advisers New Zealand Ltd. at contact@nzimmigration.info or call on +64 09 3790219.  Our experienced team of Licensed Immigration Advisers will be happy to guide you.

The Immigration New Zealand (INZ) announced that more than 200 rural contractors (agricultural and horticultural mobile plant machinery operators), 450 BATM-class deep-sea fishing crew, and 615 BATM and non-BATM class deep-sea fishing crew will be granted visas as a result of changes to border class exceptions in immigration instructions.

The existing border exception for replacement cargo crew has been expanded to include all commercial shipping, with the exception of the crew who want to work in New Zealand rather than depart right away, and are on ships that are pleasure watercraft and crew on ships powered solely by manual or sail power.

The above changes are effective on and after 21^st January 2022.

To gain a better understanding of the above changes to the immigration instructions and to learn more about them kindly get in touch with us.

Please do not hesitate to contact Immigration Advisers New Zealand Ltd. at contact@nzimmigration.info or call on +64 09 3790219.  Our experienced team of Licensed Immigration Advisers will be happy to guide you.

RSE Border Exceptions

As per the immigration instructions, the annual limit on the number of visas issued under Recognized Seasonal Employment (RSE) capped at 14,400 for each year ends on 30^th June.  For the year ending on 30^th June 2022, Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has announced that this annual limit includes people who entered New Zealand on the RSE Limited Visa and are currently onshore and holding a limited visa on 1^st February 2022.

These instructions are effective from 2^nd January 2022.

Revised Air Border Order for Australians

Furthermore, INZ has announced that persons holding an Australian passport, or Australian permanent residence visa or Australian resident visa may be granted residence on arrival in New Zealand if they are not excluded under Sec 15 or Sec 16 of the Immigration Act 2009.  Despite this, the immigration officer may decline to grant residence to a person if they have not complied with an obligation specified in any order made under section 11 of the COVID-19 Public Health Response Act 2020.

These instructions are effective from 16th January 2022.

Teachers’ Class Exception

Additionally, an amendment has been made to the teacher class exceptions, where the eligibility criteria have been removed. The only requirement to be met is that the Early Learning teachers and Primary/Secondary teachers in State and State-integrated schools must be certificated and registered with the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand.

These instructions are effective from 16th January 2022.

If you have any queries or require assistance regarding the above information, please do not hesitate to contact Immigration Advisers New Zealand Ltd. at contact@nzimmigration.info or call on +64 09 3790219.  Our experienced team of Licensed Immigration Advisers will be happy to guide you.

Overview

Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has announced that the general instructions on the order and method of processing visa applications have been updated. This updating indicates that resident visa applications will be prioritised in date order (unless other priority criteria apply), regardless of whether the applicant is onshore or offshore.

In other words, offshore residence applications will now be allocated and processed in the same order as onshore applications unless they fulfil additional prioritising requirements.

Please read the Amendment Circular by INZ reflecting this change here for complete details.

2021 Resident Visa

INZ continues to prioritize the processing of the Resident Visa for 2021. Because of the streamlined application and evaluation process, these applications will be processed faster than skilled residence applications, such as Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) or Residence from Work (RFW), because of the streamlined application and evaluation process. As a result, INZ will handle most of these Resident Visa applications for 2021 within a year.

While the majority of the INZ skilled residence staff will be assigned to processing 2021 Resident Visa applications, they will still keep a small team of Immigration Officers on-hand. INZ will process skilled residence applications where the principal applicant is not eligible for the new 2021 Resident Visa or chooses not to apply.

INZ is giving offshore resident visa applicants more information about their possibilities. For detailed information on the 2021 Resident Visa, please read here.

Tertiary aged children will be given the status of domestic students

Beginning early January 2022, children aged 17 to 25 (inclusive) who are eligible to be included in their parents’ 2021 Resident Visa application will be considered domestic students for tertiary study until 31st December 2023.

They can apply for a dependent child student visa, which will allow them to attend any tertiary provider as a domestic student if approved.

Successful candidates may be given a visa with the same expiration date as their parents’ temporary visa or until 31st December 2023. (whichever comes first).

Enrolment Evidence

If the student wants to work part-time for 20 hours per week, proof of enrolment is required unless the applicant’s parent has previously applied for a 2021 Resident Visa that includes the applicant as a dependent (at the time of filing their student visa application).

If the applicant does not desire work rights, proof of enrolment is not necessary.

Process for the application

In the interim, applications should be submitted on paper using the INZ 1012 – Student Visa Application form. INZ is working on creating an online form for this visa.

By the 7th January 2022, an Amendment Circular including immigration guidelines will be issued.

To understand the definition of domestic student in New Zealand, please read here.

If you have any queries or require assistance regarding the above information, please do not hesitate to contact Immigration Advisers New Zealand Ltd. at contact@nzimmigration.info or call on +64 09 3790219. Our experienced team of Licensed Immigration Advisers will be happy to guide you.

The instructions issued vide this amendment circular allows changes to immigration instructions. These changes will:

• Allow eligible resident visa holders who were granted their resident visa offshore to enter New Zealand for the first time on that visa (provided the entry permission instructions which applied on the date they submitted their application allow this), and
• Make clear the policy intent of the Immigration Act 2009 (the Act) concerning decision-making for the grant of a visa or entry permission for temporary and resident visa applications.

Under immigration instructions E7.1, which deals with the processing of applications, it is highlighted that

• An immigration officer, while determining a temporary application from an offshore person, must have no reason to believe that person would be refused entry permission if the visa is granted.
• The immigration officer should also consider the most recent version of the relevant Border Entry instructions when the application was made.

In a significant clarification, a mention is made that an immigration officer, while making decisions as related to these immigration instructions, is not required to consider whether the applicant is likely to be granted entry permission as an exception to instructions.

It is understandable that with so many policy changes and the exceptions to the same, you may have questions or concerns.

If you have any queries or require assistance regarding the above information, please do not hesitate to contact Immigration Advisers New Zealand Ltd at contact@nzimmigration.info or call on +64 09 3790219.  Our experienced team of Licensed Immigration Advisers will be happy to guide you.

Refer Link

The amended instructions issued vide this amendment circular allows entry permission to be given to those resident visa holders who were granted their visa while outside New Zealand and are arriving in New Zealand for the first time while holding that visa. However, the changes have been related to those entry permission instructions in place when they applied for a residence visa.

These amendments will allow entry into New Zealand by Immigration NZ to those visa holders who applied for their resident visas before NZ Immigration put COVID-19 border restrictions.

Changes also mention that entry into New Zealand will be allowed to people granted a 2021 Resident Visa while they are outside of New Zealand.

The amendment circular mentions clearly that entry permission includes the holder of a resident visa granted while outside of New Zealand who:

• Applied for that resident visa on or before 30th November 2021; and
• Is arriving in New Zealand for the first time as the holder of that visa; and
• The entry permission instructions in effect on the date of the resident visa application allowed holders of that visa to travel to and enter New Zealand.

The entry permission covers those who applied for a resident visa on or after 1st December 2021 and were granted a resident visa outside of New Zealand under the 2021 Resident Visa Category.

However, a person subject may still be granted entry permission by an immigration officer, or by the Minister of Immigration, as an exception to instructions under s 108(9) or s109(7) of the Immigration Act 2009.

It is understandable that with so many policy changes and the exceptions to the same, you may have questions or concerns.

If you have any queries or require assistance regarding the above information, please do not hesitate to contact Immigration Advisers New Zealand Ltd at contact@nzimmigration.info or call on +64 09 3790219.  Our experienced team of Licensed Immigration Advisers will be happy to guide you.

Refer Link

Changes have been made to immigration instructions for people who are allowed to travel to New Zealand while there are border restrictions in place.  The ‘compassionate entrance exceptions‘ criteria establishes exceptions for family and medical grounds for travel. It also confirms that a humanitarian situation occurring outside of New Zealand has no bearing on a request to visit the country.

People who meet the ‘compassionate entry requirements’ or who have a valid invitation to apply (ITA) based on previous humanitarian requirements are now eligible for critical purpose travel to New Zealand.

Compassionate Entry Requirements

A person meets the compassionate entry requirements, if they have an extraordinary family or medical circumstances that necessitates immediate travel to New Zealand over and above any other country.

Factors that are not considered relevant when determining if the applicant meets the compassionate entry requirements whether:

• The applicant has been impacted by a humanitarian situation occurring outside of New Zealand
• The applicant has submitted an application, sponsorship registration or an Expression of Interest for a New Zealand visa

Compassionate Entry Requirements For Family Reasons

This includes unusual family-related circumstances that necessitate a person’s travel to New Zealand to provide support, in order to avoid serious harm.  The factors to be considered here are:

• The applicant has a close personal connection/relationship to someone in New Zealand, either through family or otherwise
• Whether the circumstance entails unusual family trauma or the provision of assistance for a juvenile/minor
• Whether the applicant’s close personal connection in New Zealand has any alternative support choices
• Whether New Zealand is their main place of residence and the length of time they have been away from New Zealand

An important thing to note here is that the separation of close family members as a result of COVID-19 does not fulfil the compassionate entrance level in itself. Alternate border exceptions, such as the family relationships category, have been introduced by the New Zealand Government to allow entrance of such certain groups.

Compassionate Entry Requirements For Medical Treatment

• If a person is seeking entry on compassionate grounds because they require medical care/treatment in New Zealand, must have the support of the Ministry of Health or a District Health Board
• An exception will not be granted if the applicant can adequately delay or receive treatment outside of New Zealand

It is understandable that with so many policy changes and the exceptions to the same, you may have questions or concerns.

If you have any queries or require assistance regarding the above information, please do not hesitate to contact Immigration Advisers New Zealand Ltd. at contact@nzimmigration.info or call on +64 09 3790219.  Our experienced team of Licensed Immigration Advisers will be happy to guide you.

Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has announced changes to the general instructions regarding prioritising the order and manner of processing residence class visa applications.  These changes came into effect on 24 November 2021.

Residence class visa applications which includes the 2021 Resident Visa, Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) or Residence from Work will be processed in lodgment date order. 

Further prioritization criteria will apply within each category.

Priority will be granted to applications submitted before 1^st March 2022 for the 2021 Resident Visa category if the candidate had as of 29 September 2021:

• Made an application for residence under the SMC; or
• Made an application for residence under Residence form Work Category; or
• Submitted an Expression of Interest (EOI) for SMC; and
• The application or EOI, includes a dependent child aged 17 years or above

Prioritization will also be given to certain permanent residence class visa categories such as:

• Afghan Emergency Resettlement Category
• Refugee and Protection Category
• Refugee Quota Family Reunification Category
• Community Organisation Refugee Sponsorship Category Pilot

Furthermore, priority will also be given to any other residence class visa applications where the applicant is in New Zealand or is in a country that is a Quarantine Free Travel (QFT) Zone and has lodged a residence class visa application from that country.

If you have queries or require assistance regarding the above information, please do not hesitate to contact Immigration Advisers New Zealand Ltd. at contact@nzimmigration.info or call on +64 09 3790219.  Our experienced team of Licensed Immigration Advisers will be happy to guide you.

On 1 December 2021 at 6.00 am, Phase 1 of the 2021 Resident Visa opens to applicants. To better prepare the applicants for this, Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has provided some updates.

Document checklist

Immigration New Zealand has provided an application document checklist to ensure that applicants have the relevant documents before applying for the visa.

Also, INZ has made an informative video explaining the process and criteria to help the applicants apply under Phase 1.

Interim Visas

To ensure that applicants awaiting a decision on the 2021 Resident Visa remain lawful in New Zealand, INZ will grant interim visas of up to 12 months while the applications are under process.

The interim visa will allow the applicant the same rights as their current temporary visa.

Applicants will not have to apply for an interim visa as INZ will automatically issue an e-visa up to 7 days before the current visa expires unless the applicant has lodged a temporary visa application.

More information about interim visa requirements & conditions can be found here.

Visa Processing

The last date for submitting applications is 31 July 2022 so there is plenty of time.

Priority has been given to the processing of 2021 Resident Visa applications under the General Instructions Order.

Updates regarding processing timeframes will be provided regularly on the INZ website from early December onwards.

Get in touch with us at Immigration Advisers New Zealand Ltd., which provides up-to-date immigration information so you can consider opportunities and prepare yourself for the future. To know all the required processes and information contact us at contact@nzimmigration.info or call +64 09 3790219.