Processing time frames

How soon can you expect your temporary visa application to be finalized?

The tables below show the percentage of temporary applications processed in the branch within 25 days for the last three months.

Mumbai

Visa type	Aug 2015	Sept 2015	Oct 2015
Student	92%	93%	91%
Visitor	94%	93%	95%
Work	85%	83%	83%

 

New Delhi

Visa type	Aug 2015	Sept 2015	Oct 2015
Student	NA	NA	NA
Visitor	87%	89%	91%
Work	67%	72%	76%

 

We expect to receive a complete application to enable us to make a quick decision, for information regarding what documentation is required please refer to the relevant checklist.

In some cases, additional information is needed for INZ to decide your application, for example a labour market check or a medical referral. If this is the case the processing of your application may take longer. We are committed to delivering timely service and we will keep in touch with you throughout the process of your application and explain any delays in the process.

Visitor visa and work visa applications

The processing time frame is between one to five weeks. Complete applications will be decided quicker than incomplete applications. All applications are subject to verification checks and the average processing times are as given above. However, the processing time may differ across different applications depending on the level of verification deemed necessary.

If the application does not include the required documentation, it is likely that the application will take longer to be processed.

Student visa applications

All student visa applications are processed by the Mumbai Area Office. The processing time frame is between two to four weeks depending on the level of verification and assessment required. If a decision can’t be made within these timeframes, you will be notified.

Partnership/Entry for a cultural marriage/Partner of a worker

You will hear from Immigration New Zealand within 10 working of INZ receiving your application. The processing time may differ across individual applications based upon the documentation provided with the application.  It is likely the processing of an application may take longer where the documents mentioned in the checklist are not submitted with the application.

Partner/Dependents of a student

Applications for Partners or Dependents of student or work visa holders can be decided only once the supporting partner’s application has been completed. In cases where the supporting partner’s application is still in process, the partner or dependent application will be placed in a queue and allocated only once the supporting partner’s application is finalised. You will hear from an Immigration Officer within 4-6 weeks of the decision made on supporting partner’s application.

It is likely the processing of an application may take longer where the documents mentioned in the checklist are not submitted with the application.

Residence Applications:

The order and manner of processing residence applications are stated below :

a. First priority

• Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) applications with job offers will have priority;
• All business categories;
• Residence from Work category applications :
  • Talent (Accredited Employer);
  • Talent (Arts, Culture and Sport);
  • Long Term Skill Shortage List;
• Refugee Policy;
• Partnership and Dependent Child applications where the partner or parent is,
  • a New Zealand citizen, or
  • the holder of a permanent resident visa, and who has been absent from New Zealand for a period of at least two years prior to the date of the application being accepted for consideration apart from short visits within that period. (Note that in the case of a partnership application the New Zealand partner and the applicant must have been living together for 12 months or more in a partnership that is genuine and stable).

b. Second priority

• Partnership and Dependent Child applications (other than those stated above).

c. Third Priority

• Parent category;
  • Tier 1
  • Parent applications lodged prior to 16 May 2012
  • Tier 2
• Adult Sibling and Adult Child category.

Family residence applications

Partner and Dependent Child

All applications lodged under this category are processed by the New Delhi Area Office. You will hear from Immigration New Zealand within 10 working days of INZ receiving your application lodging your application .  Partnership and Dependent Child residency applications will be allocated to an Immigration Officer within 4 weeks of lodgement. These applications are normally processed within nine months of being allocated to an Immigration Officer

Parent

All applications lodged under this category are processed by the New Delhi Area Office Demand for non-priority residence places currently exceed the number of places available. There have been changes made to immigration family instructions which will help New Zealand attract and retain skilled migrants, and ensure that family migrants can settle well and are self-sufficient.

See the Parent Category web pages for more information.

The time taken to allocate an Expression of Interest (EOI) or an application for processing varies depending on which tier you submit your EOI under, or whether you have an application lodged under the previous Parent Category.

If you have already lodged a Family Parent Category application before 16 May 2012, your application will remain in a queue until a place becomes available. These applications will be processed after tier one EOIs.

Parent category residence applications are usually processed within 12 months after allocation.

Sibling and Adult Children

All applications lodged under this category are processed by the New Delhi Area Office.  On 16 May 2012, the Sibling and Adult Child Category of residence closed. Immigration New Zealand (INZ) no longer receives applications for residence under this category. INZ will return any applications under this category received on or after 16 May 2012 without processing them (no fee will be charged).

Any applications for residence under the Sibling and Adult Child Category that were accepted for processing by INZ on or before 15 May 2012 will be processed. These will need to meet the requirements of the residence instructions that were in place at the time the application was accepted by INZ.

These applications will be processed with other Parent Category applications in order of the date received and if there are places available after processing of tier one Parent Category applications.

See the Sibling and Adult Children web pages for more information.

Skilled Migrant Category

Effective 3 November 2013, all applications lodged under this category are processed by the London Area Office of Immigration New Zealand. Expressions of Interest (EOIs) for clients residing in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan will also be processed at London Area Office.

Please continue to submit your EOIs to the pool for processing.

For more information regarding Skilled Migrant applications and Expressions of Interest (EOIs) timeframes, refer to our London branch page.