2011-Jun 10: Military visas for contractors employed by visiting military forces

Visa Pak 20 - Advice for staff on military visas for contractors employed by visiting military forces and what type of visa they should apply for.

Visa Paks

10 June 2011

Military visas for contractors employed by visiting military forces 

Operations Support has been asked to clarify what type of visas contractors who are employed by a visiting military force should apply for.

In the Operational Manual ‘members of a visiting force’ includes members of the civilian component of the visiting force, as defined in the Visiting Forces Act 2004.

Contractors who are in New Zealand for a military purpose associated with an overseas force fall within the definition of the ‘civilian component of a visiting force’ in the Visiting Forces Act 2004.

Furthermore, such contractors are covered by the military visa provisions irrespective of whether they are also here for other, commercial business – i.e. they can be granted, or deemed to hold, a military visa even if a part of their work is not in service of the military force.

Therefore contractors employed by a visiting military force fall under the visa waiver provision in E2.1(d), can be deemed to hold a visa under E2.95.5(c)(vii), and/or can choose to apply for a visa before travelling to New Zealand under M2.

This information will be passed on to MFAT and the NZ Defence Force.