The table below shows the percentage of applications processed in the branch within 25 days for the last three months.
In some cases, where more information is needed to support an application, for example a labour market check or a medical referral, applications can take considerably longer than 25 days. Other than the table above, we are unable to predict how long each individual application is likely to take, but we are committed to delivering the fastest possible service and we will keep in touch with you throughout the process of your application.
New Zealand carefully plans allocation of residence places. The Government's annual residence programme gives priority to skilled and business migrants and the partners of returning New Zealanders. Demand for places under the capped family stream (which consists of parent, adult child and sibling residence cases) currently exceeds the number of places available.
Family Partnership and Dependent Child applications (under Family Category) will be processed before other categories. We expect to allocate your Family Category application for residence (under these criteria) to a case officer within six months of acceptance of your application.
All other types of Family Category applications (Parents, Adult Siblings, and Adult Child) will have a lower priority. There is a current waiting time of 18 to 24 months for a place to become available within the cap. In practice this means that an application will usually take from 18 to 24 months from the time of lodgement to be allocated to a case officer for assessment.
We encourage people who do not meet the criteria for priority processing and who are under 56 years of age to look at their eligibility under the Skilled Migrant Category.
If an applicant chooses to travel to New Zealand before their application is approved, then they will only be granted a standard temporary entry class visa with normal entitlements, except in the most exceptional of circumstances. These people will then be expected to leave New Zealand once their visa expires. Such people are unlikely to obtain a visitor visa extension in New Zealand.
The Pool draw which would potentially allocate your Expression of Interest (EOI) to the Wellington Branch occurs every two weeks.
An immigration officer will make an initial assessment of your EOI within two to three weeks of the pool draw, however at times this may take longer.
If you are successful in your EOI you will receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) pack. Please read the instructions carefully.
Once the pre-populated application form is returned to our branch and you lodge your residence application, your case officer will take on average nine to twelve months to make a final decision on your application. (Processing times largely depend on whether you have supplied your case officer with everything they have requested in your Invitation to Apply and any verification that is required.)
Things that may delay a Skilled Migrant application include:
If you were issued a Work to Residence Visa (Job Search Visa) offshore under the Skilled Migrant Category and have successfully found skilled employment in the lower North Island please send a copy of your employment contract and job description to the Wellington Branch. Your documents will be allocated to an Immigration Officer and your Skilled Migrant application will continued to be processed. We will endeavour to make the final decision within 2 months of receiving your documents.
