A update about offshore SMC applications:

  1. Reason why they don’t process applications. Processing of applications where individuals are outside New Zealand has largely been put on hold. Under section 43(1)(b) of the Immigration Act 2009, Immigration New Zealand (INZ) is unable to grant a visa to any individual who is unlikely to meet entry requirements to New Zealand. With the current border restrictions in place, almost all applications for entry permission must be refused.
  2. Only some partnership offshore applications are being processed: As of 16 September 2020, INZ has been processing and deciding offshore applications for some relationship-based visas, if they are supported by a New Zealand citizen or resident. The processing of al other offshore applications remains on hold.
  3. **Still no decision on when INZ will start processing offshore applications: **No decisions have been made on when the border restrictions will be lifted or when processing of all other offshore applications will commence. The Government, in the meantime, continues to review the way our borders are managed.
  4. Offshore applications can’t be prioritised: Applications that don’t meet either criterion for prioritisation are allocated to an immigration officer in the order they are received if the principle applicant is in New Zealand. If the principal applicant is outside of New Zealand their application will remain in the offshore non priority queue.
  5. Number of offshore SMC/RFW applications lodged since Jan 2021 https://fyi.org.nz/request/14520/response/54597/attach/3/INZ%20RESPONSE%20Signed%20DOIA%202021%201344%20Seenivasan%20Ramasubbu.pdf?fbclid=IwAR2xArBfA38UvBsMO3OW6s6DY20lCIPI-C6_OoZN0dYxkhDN0C3x8nAAZeE

FYI finally reopened all OIA requests (recap: on 02 FEB 2021 fyi.org.nz closes public access to other persons’ requests, which resulted in dozens of similar requests been made every single day, finally it’s been reviewed and now we have access to OIAs again)!