Effective from the end of January 2024, certain New Zealand immigration applications will be available electronically using Immigration Online (instead of using a paper-based application):
- Permanent resident visa
- Second or subsequent resident visa
- Variation of travel conditions of a resident visa.
Currently, these applications are submitted using paper forms, limiting an applicant’s ability to track the progress of their applications online.
What to Expect
Moving to Immigration Online means applicants:
- can check their application status online without having to call the INZ contact centre, and
- no longer have to submit physical documents, such as passports.
Foreign nationals are only eligible for a Permanent Resident Visa once they have held their resident visa for at least two years.
- If someone was outside of New Zealand when their resident visa was issued, the start of the two-year period is when they arrived in New Zealand on their resident visa.
- Submitting an application within the two-year period may result in the application being declined, meaning customers will need to reapply and pay an additional application fee.
Immigration New Zealand (INZ) notes that an update sent to some Resident Visa 2021 holders on December 5, 2023 may contain an incorrect date for when they will be eligible for a Permanent Resident Visa, and they should check the eligibility criteria before they apply.
Erickson Insights
Erickson Immigration Group will continue monitoring developments and sharing updates as more news is available. Please contact your employer or EIG attorney if you have questions about anything we’re reporting above or case-specific questions.