Immigration New Zealand Totally Explained

Everything about Immigration New Zealand totally explained

Immigration New Zealand or INZ (previously called New Zealand Immigration Service or NZIS) is a part of the Workforce group of the New Zealand Department of Labour. It is responsible for managing the benefits and consequences of immigration to New Zealand.

Visas, Permits and Exemptions

Visas and permits are issued by INZ staff in offices throughout New Zealand and around the world. Visas are also issued by certain posts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (New Zealand).
Under the Immigration Act 1987 a visa represents permission to travel to New Zealand and a permit is permission to be in New Zealand. All permits expire when the holder leaves New Zealand. Possession of any visa other than a Returning Resident's Visa doesn't entitle the holder to a permit as of right, rather the grant of a permit is decided by the immigration officer at the port of entry.
Because of understaffing turnaround times to process visa or permit application have steadily increased over the years. Currently INZ expects to process visa applications within 60 working days after an application is lodged. According to INZ, processing a residence application usually takes 6 to 9 months, while endorsing a passport with Residence Permits and Returning Resident's Visa after 'approval in principle' has been granted takes up to 30 working days.

Visas

Visas can be of the following types:

Visitor Visa
Work Visa
Student Visa
Limited Purpose Visa
Residence Visa - for first time Residents
Returning Resident's Visa (RRV)
Transit Visa - the holder is entitled to transit through a New Zealand airport for a maximum of 24 hours, the holder may not apply for a permit of any sort

Visas are generally issued in one of three forms:

A computer printed label issued by an Immigration Officer or Visa Officer working for Immigration New Zealand.

A hand written label issued by a Visa Officer working for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

An electronic record in the computer system of Immigration New Zealand.

Permits

Permits come in the following varieties:

Visitor Permit

Work Permit

Student Permit

Limited Purpose Permit

Residence Permit Permits are generally granted in one of three forms.

A stamp placed into a passport by a Customs Officer at a port of entry.

A label placed into a passport by an Immigration Officer within New Zealand.

An electronic record in the computer system of Immigration New Zealand.

Visa and Permit Exemptions

Unless otherwise provided for in legislation, regulations or policy all non-New Zealand citizens are required to hold a visa before boarding a flight to New Zealand. Immigration New Zealand has been using the Advance Passenger Processing (APP) system, which is cornerstone of the various border screening initiatives to risk-manage passengers. It is an electronic system connected to virtually all airlines worldwide. Passengers on arrival must apply for and be granted a permit to be in New Zealand. Certain classes of person are exempt from the requirement to hold a visa or a permit in certain circumstances.
   Diplomats accredited to New Zealand are exempt from the requirement to hold a permit to be in New Zealand, as are military forces in New Zealand with the agreement of the New Zealand government.
   Australian citizens and people who hold a current Australian Permanent Residence Visa or a current Australian Resident Return Visa are generally exempt from holding a visa or a permit unless there are character issues which preclude their entry into New Zealand.
   British citizens and other British passport holders who produce evidence of the right to reside permanently in the UK can visit for up to six months without a visa.
   Citizens of the following countries are exempt from holding a visa to travel to New Zealand for visits of up to 90 days:
¹ Greek passport holders whose passports were issued on and after 1 January 2006 (Greek passports issued before 1 January 2006 are not acceptable for travel after 1 January 2007.)
² Residents of Hong Kong travelling on Hong Kong Special Administrative Region or British National (Overseas) passports
³ Including nationals of the USA

Organisational Structure

INZ is divided into several groups, including:

Service Delivery

Responsible for most onshore and offshore visa and permit branches

Auckland/Waikato Region

Manukau Branch

Northern Region Documentation Centre (Manukau)

Henderson Branch

Auckland Central Branch

Hamilton Branch

Southern New Zealand/Australia Region

Palmerston North Branch

Centralised Student Processing Unit (Palmerston North)

Wellington Branch

Business Migration Branch (Wellington)

Christchurch Branch (responsible for Sub Branches in Dunedin, Queenstown and Sydney)

Asia Region

Beijing Branch

Shanghai Branch

Hong Kong Branch (responsible for MFAT buddy posts in Seoul and Tokyo)

Bangkok Branch (responsible for Sub Branch in Dubai and MFAT buddy posts in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City)

Singapore Branch

Manila Branch

Jakarta Branch

Taipei Branch

New Delhi Branch

Europe/Americas Region

London Branch (responsible for Sub Branch in the Hague and MFAT buddy posts in Washington, Los Angeles, Santiago, Buenos Aires, São Paulo, Mexico City, Ottawa, Paris, Rome, Berlin, Madrid, Warsaw and Ankara, Pretoria)

Moscow Branch

Service Design

responsible for policy and systems development

Business Information Branch (Wellington)

Service International

e-Branch (Auckland) Processes applications lodged through Online Services. This includes student applications from approved education providers and Working Holiday Visas for many countries.

National Contact Centre (Auckland) The first point of contact for phone/email enquiries from clients in New Zealand and Australia.

Refugee Status Branch (Auckland) Decides applications for refugee status made by persons within New Zealand.

Refugee Quota Branch (Auckland) Selects offshore refugees in order to meet the government’s humanitarian obligations.

Pacific Division (Manukau) Administers the Pacific Access Category and the Samoan Quota. Branches in the Pacific are now responsible to the Pacific Division.

Suva Branch (responsible for MFAT buddy posts in Tarawa, Port Vila, Port Moresby and Honiara)

Apia Branch (responbible for MFAT buddy posts in Niue and Rarotonga)

Nukualofa Branch

Border Security

Compliance Operations (Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch) The main responsibility of Compliance Operations is locating and removing persons who are unlawfully in New Zealand. Compliance Operations is also responsible for managing the detention of persons who are refused entry at New Zealand airports, including asylum seekers.

Onshore Border Operations (Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch) This branch is responsible for any immigration issues arising at New Zealand’s physical border (air and sea). At present all staff are located at Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch airports.

Offshore Border Operations (Auckland) This branch operates the Advance Passenger Screening Support Office in Auckland and organises the Airline Liaison Officer programme at selected offshore airports. Staff are shared with Onshore Border Operations through a rotating roster.

Fraud Investigations (Auckland) Fraud Investigations is tasked with investigating and prosecuting migration related offences under the Immigration Act 1987 and the Crimes Act 1961.

Central Verification Unit (Auckland) Responsible for verification of all aspects of residence applications under the Skilled Migrant Category.

Immigration Profiling Group (Wellington) Processes applications which are deemed to be “high risk”. This branch was established in 2005 after a number of persons associated with the regime of Saddam Hussein were found to have been issued New Zealand visas.

Immigration Intelligence Unit (Wellington) Receives and analyses intelligence which is relevant to the immigration field. Supported by intelligence analysts in Compliance Operations, Border Operations, Refugee Status Branch and the Immigration Profiling Group.Further Information

Get more info on 'Immigration New Zealand'.

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