Financial fraud
While INZ is committed to providing as many avenues as possible to allow applicants to evidence their financial capabilities to study in New Zealand, avenues will be closed when high levels of fraud or risk are identified.
The decision to not accept a particular funding source is not made unless fraud has been identified to such an extent that it substantially undermines our ability to be satisfied with the validity and credibility of a document.
Crowd funding
INZ has concerns with crowd funding, in which applicants provide financial documentation from a variety of non-immediate family members and friends that, when considered together, indicates the applicant has access to the necessary funds to study in New Zealand.
However, INZ is often unable to confirm these relationships as genuine, and in many instances, these funds are not actually available to the applicant and/or their sponsors have no real intention of supporting the applicant.
INZ will be taking an increasingly firm line on a sponsor’s relationship to the applicant. Therefore, only applicants’ immediate family members (spouse, parents, siblings, grandparents, and parents-in-law) will be considered as acceptable financial sponsors.
Gold loans
INZ has concerns with gold loans, in which gold is used as collateral to obtain a loan to pay tuition fees/living expenses. The gold used is untraceable and it is not possible to satisfactorily confirm who it belongs to. INZ has confirmed instances of gold loans being used as “show money”, often put up by the education agent and returned once the visa is approved.
INZ will only accept gold loans as evidence of funds and financial ability to study in New Zealand where the money from the loan has been held and available for six months or more.
Interviews
Due to fraud and misrepresentation, bona fide interviews will remain a necessity in order to better gauge an applicant’s genuine intent to study in New Zealand. We again remind agents and providers to prepare applicants for the possibility of an interview with INZ Mumbai.
An interview will always cover the Statement of Purpose submitted with the application. It may also cover other areas such as finances and study/employment history claims.
It remains the responsibility of the applicant to satisfy the Immigration Officer of their genuine intention to study in New Zealand.