More immigration officers are returning to offices outside Auckland from Monday next week, which means that Immigration New Zealand (INZ) will be processing both online and paper applications.
Mail redirected Mail has now been redirected from the Auckland documentation office to offices outside the city. Some paper applications have also been moved for lodgement and processing. There will be delays in the receipting and lodgement of paper applications as these applications are processed by other offices. Online VOC request process Online requests for a Variation of Conditions (VOC) of a work visa went live last Friday. Requests will be processed in the order received, with priority given to paper VOCs submitted prior to lockdown. Only conditions related to work visas can be requested through this channel. Application refunds Clients who have submitted both a paper and online application will be eligible for a fee refund on one of these applications. Immigration New Zealand will work with the client once the application is assessed. Exceptional circumstances Individuals in exceptional circumstances awaiting a decision on a paper-based temporary visa application are encouraged to contact the Immigration Contact Centre (ICC) to discuss the options available to them.
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Changes have been made to the family reunification requirements for "onshore teachers" who would like offshore families to join them in New Zealand.
These instructions are effective from 13 August 2021. To help provide essential services in supermarkets while New Zealand remains at Alert Level 3 or 4, already employed temporary migrants in supermarkets can:
An application for a variation of visa conditions is not needed – eligible workers will automatically benefit from these changes. From 01 September 2021, migrants will still be able to access support for travel costs to return home from the INZ Repatriation Fund. The INZ Repatriation Fund will be available for six months, or until the remainder of the fund has been used. Support for repatriation The remainder of the INZ Repatriation Fund will be used to pay for the repatriation of eligible migrants, which includes:
To be eligible, migrants need a letter from their foreign mission (Embassy, High Commission or Consulate) advising that neither they nor the foreign mission can pay the cost of repatriation. The money paid for the flights by INZ must be repaid by the migrant, on request by INZ, at a later date. If they do not repay the costs of the flights, they may not be granted a visa to travel to New Zealand in the future. How to apply
To apply for the INZ repatriation fund, migrants need to contact their foreign mission for a letter advising that neither they nor the foreign mission can pay the cost of repatriation. Contact details for foreign missions in New Zealand can be found through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s website: www.mfat.govt.nz/en/embassies The letter needs to include:
Current processing of online visa categories
Staff who are home due to the current COVID-19 restrictions and are able to work are processing the following online visa products:
On 19 July 2021, changes were made to Essential Skills visas to streamline application processing and increase visa duration for some workers who are staying with the same employer. We encourage you to use the new online application form for Essential Skills Work Visas, available from 31 August 2021. Reconsideration process for temporary entry visas An interim reconsideration process of a temporary entry decision for onshore applicants has been set up during lockdown. Please note applicants requesting reconsideration via the Immigration Contact Centre by your lawyers or immigration advisers must still do so within 14 days. Visa Processing during Lockdown. If you submitted your paper visa applications, for information security and privacy reasons, paper applications cannot be removed from the office and cannot be processed at current alert levels. Migrant Exploitation Visa Employment New Zealand and Immigration New Zealand can help protect migrants from being exploited. This process is now online. Check here.
INZ made some changes to its immigration instructions to allow the entry of NZ visa holders who are residents in Afghanistan.
Reinstate flexible measures for migrant workers (a student or work visa holder, or interim visa holder) in supermarkets in regions of New Zealand that are at alert levels 3 and 4.
Changes have been made to immigration instructions to broaden the eligibility criteria of marine crew to include ‘specialist marine workers’.
These changes are effective from 13 August 2021. Immigration New Zealand (INZ) is operating under the same Alert Level 4 lockdown requirements as all businesses, which means our offices are currently closed and most INZ staff are now working remotely.
While working remotely presents challenges to some of our people, our visa processing workforce have the ability to work from home, which means we are focussing on online applications, including border exceptions. We are doing our best to continue processing as many visa products as possible under the current restrictions, including providing further training to staff. Note that the current COVID-19 restrictions do impact our ability to process paper applications. INZ’s drop boxes are closed and no mail or courier parcels are able to be opened. These will be held at the courier depot in the meantime. We understand the uncertainty this recent change of alert levels may have on visa applicants, but we remain committed to processing applications as quickly as possible. INZ will take a pragmatic approach to requests for further information, taking into consideration the difficulties that some applicants may have in responding or providing additional information. We encourage applicants to scan pending documents and email them to their Immigration Officer.
Changes have been made to immigration instructions to:
Until 30 August 2021, visa applications made on the basis of the applicant’s relationship (partner or dependent child) to an Essential Skills Work Visa applicant or visa holder, should be made using the updated paper form (INZ 1198, INZ 1012 or INZ 1017). From 30 August 2021, the updated online forms will be available from here. |