The Minister of Immigration, Jonathan Coleman, has announced that interim visas will be granted to everyone who has a residence application lodged with the INZ Christchurch branch, who is in New Zealand and whose current visa will expire on or before 31 May 2011.

The interim visas will be valid for six months from the expiry of the person's visa or until a subsequent visa application is decided for them.

So that no-one’s immigration status is affected by the earthquake, six-month interim visas will also be granted to anyone whose work, visitor or student visa application was lodged at Immigration New Zealand's Christchurch office at the time of the earthquake. These will be processed electronically on expiry of their existing visa.

Residence visa applicants will be granted open work, student or visitor conditions depending on the type of temporary visa they currently hold, while temporary visa applicants will be granted the type of temporary visa (work, student or visitor) they applied for to Christchurch Branch before 22 February.

Individual correspondence will be sent to people when their interim visa is granted.