With Students Online, the education provider becomes the international students’ point of contact for applying for student visas.

The provider helps the student correctly complete the application form and takes responsibility for ensuring the student meets immigration requirements.  This involves:

• holding of the students’ passport
• assisting students to ensure they have all the correct documentation to complete the application form – including medicals and police clearance reports
• checking they have sufficient funds for living and accommodation costs;
  and
• checking they have a return flight ticket home or sufficient funds to buy one.

Once the provider is satisfied that all requirements are met, they then apply to INZ for the student visa on behalf of the students.

Immigration New Zealand has devoted account managers for Students Online applications and can process applications, print labels for approved applications and return them to the education provider within 48 hours. The provider sticks the visa label into the passports before returning them to the students.

In some cases, however, the application may be referred to an Immigration New Zealand branch.