2016-Apr 29: Fees payable when application lodged

Visa Pak 257 - Clarification about what fees to charge when an application is lodged at a branch other than the closest to where the applicant resides.

Visa Paks

29 April 2016

Fees payable when application lodged

Some offices are unsure what fees to charge when an application is submitted onshore but the applicant resides offshore, or when an application is lodged at an office other than the closest office to where the applicant resides. This item is to clarify what you should do and what fees to charge when an application is lodged.

While immigration instructions held at R2.10 & E4.15 ‘Where to Lodge an application’ determine where an applicant should submit their application, this does not specify what fee should apply. A6.10 ‘Fees payable to INZ when making applications and requests’ determines what fees are to be charged.

Although the applicant should be submitting their application to the nearest office to where they reside, instructions allow for applications to be accepted at another office. A6.10(c) states that the fee payable is based on what citizenship the principal applicant holds regardless of which office the application is lodged at.

Example
An Indian citizen who is resident in Bahrain and lodges a residence application with the London office will be required to pay the fee payable by citizens of India.

The only exception to this rule is that if a principal applicant is in New Zealand, the fee payable for the application or request is the fee payable for applications lodged in New Zealand, regardless of the principal applicant's citizenship (see A6.10(d)).

Action
Please discuss with your team(s) and ensure that staff follow this advice. In particular:

  • When you receive an application that should have been submitted to another office you are able to accept the application.
  • You need to check to see if the principal applicant was in New Zealand at the time they submitted their application. If they were in New Zealand then the New Zealand fees apply.
  • If they were not in New Zealand at that time then you must check what citizenship the principal applicant holds and apply the fees relevant to that country.