Prioritization of New Zealand Resident Visas for 2022

New Zealand Ministry of Home Affairs has set up an email escalation process this week to prioritize 2022 Resident Visa requests from people who are currently living apart from their offshore partners and dependent children.

In order to receive priority consideration for a 2022 resident visa, candidates must fulfil a number of requirements. For instance, the offshore partner must have been dating the onshore partner before the border limitations connected to COVID.

If your 2021 Resident Visa application includes family members who are overseas, you can email them to request that your application is prioritized.

Unfortunately, they are only able to respond to requests for prioritization once the application has reached the "under assessment" stage. This is due to the fact that they must do several important checks before acting on any requests for urgent processing, including identity verification, character verification, and possibly a health check.

Free New Zealand Immigration Assessment Form

If your application hasn't yet reached the "under evaluation" stage but you are still qualified for priority processing, you can email us and your application will be assigned for assessment once it does.

The INZ Employment Visa Escalation process allows applicants to ask that their application be given priority.

Process for Speeding Employment Visas

Utilize the Employment Visa Escalation (EVE) procedure to have your employer-specific visa application handled quickly.

Typically, they begin processing visa applications in order of the date they were received. You can use the Employment Visa Escalation system to obtain a "priority allocation". If they grant your request, your application will be processed quickly.

Criteria for urgent processing

• You must be the primary applicant for the visa
• A legal representative or a licensed immigration adviser
• Be applying for an eligible employment visa
• Be applying five days or more after submitting your visa application, and
• Be clear about why they should process your visa application quickly in order to request urgent processing.

Visas that qualify for expedited processing

Only 4 employer-specific employment and residence visa types are eligible for urgent processing:

• Temporary work permits for a specific employer and position.
• Residency under the categories of NZ Skilled Migrant or Residence from Work.
• A resident visa for 2022 is currently "under assessment."
• An Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) is still being evaluated.

Once an application reaches the "under assessment" stage for a 2021 Resident Visa or an AEWV, it can only respond to requests for urgent processing. This is due to the fact that they must do several important checks before acting on any requests for urgent processing, including identity verification, character verification, and possibly a health check.

Other types of visas, such as those based on partnerships, working holidays, visitors, students, and post-study visas, cannot be obtained using the EVE procedure.

Requests for 2021 Resident Visas

You can email the New Zealand Ministry of Home Affairs to ask that your application be given priority if it contains family members who are abroad and is currently in the "under assessment" stage.

If your application hasn't yet reached the "under evaluation" stage but you are still qualified for priority processing, you can email them and your application will be assigned for assessment once it does.

How to send an inquiry

Write to the New Zealand Ministry of Home Affairs an email and include:

• Your entire name and birth date
• Information about any other applicants you listed, such as a partner or dependent child.
• Enter the passport information.
• Enter the number on your application.
• If you are aware of it, your INZ client number.
• A justification for your need to have your application escalated.

What occurs following the submission of your urgent processing request?

Within five working days, they evaluate your request and email you to let you know the results.

We evaluate each request based on the following criteria:

• Your individual situation;
• Humanitarian considerations; and
• Any issues of national importance

The NZ ministry of home affairs will begin processing your application as soon as they can if they grant your request.

For more information and updates regarding New Zealand Immigration you can contact our New Zealand immigration experts.