Like every country, Aotearoa New Zealand takes measures to protect its borders and national security.

Only a small number of people applying for visas are subject to national security checks (NSC) by the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS). Their checks, and monitoring of the border, seek to identify travellers with links to international extremist groups, espionage activities, or the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. This process enables border protection agencies to prevent people who may pose a risk to national security from entering the country.

The New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) has a statutory role in helping to protect New Zealand’s border. Every year, they carry out national security checks and assessments of thousands of individuals who are interacting with the New Zealand border, either through travel or visa applications.

NZSIS provide advice and guidance to New Zealand border agencies on any potential border-related threats, and threats from individuals who are seeking long and short-term visa options in New Zealand.

When the NZSIS suspect someone is a threat to national security, or a potential threat, they share this information about them with New Zealand’s border protection agencies. This may result in the person being prevented from travelling to New Zealand.

Response times for national security checks

The NZSIS:

• provides assessments to help Immigration New Zealand (INZ) make decisions, and
• conducts national security checks in line with INZ’s priorities.

Generally, national security checks (NSC) for temporary visas are processed first, as these have the shortest timeframe for a response. Other visa categories are then processed, with the oldest referrals first.