New Zealand Immigration Service
| Ta Ratonga Manene | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Minister responsible | |
| Parent department | Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment |
Immigration New Zealand (Māori: Ta Ratonga Manene; INZ), formerly the New Zealand Immigration Service, is the agency of the New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment responsible for issuing travel visas and managing immigration to New Zealand.
Visas 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 2009, a visa is an authority for an individual to travel to, or stay in New Zealand (under the Immigration Act 1987 a visa only allowed you to travel to New Zealand and a permit allowed you to stay). A visa has conditions that indicate what the holder of the visa may do.
Because of understaffing turnaround times to process visa 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.
INZ is divided into several groups, including:
Responsible for most onshore and offshore visa and permit branches
responsible for policy and systems development
Processes applications lodged through Online Services. This includes student applications from approved education providers and Working Holiday Visas for many countries.
The first point of contact for phone/email enquiries from clients in New Zealand and Australia.
Decides applications for refugee status made by persons within New Zealand.
Processes and provides treatment for refugees upon arrival.
Selects offshore refugees in order to meet the government’s humanitarian obligations.
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 detained and liable for deportation from New Zealand.
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