2016-Feb 26: Assessing online applications for clients who are from visa waiver countries

Visa Pak 248: Information regarding visa waiver nationals who apply for a visitor visa online and travel to New Zealand before the application is completed, and guidance on fee refunds under these circumstances.

Visa Paks

26 February 2016

Assessing online applications for clients who are from visa waiver countries

There have been instances where a client from a visa waiver country has applied for a visitor visa online and then travelled to New Zealand under the visa waiver provisions without waiting for the outcome of their visa application. In some cases when the client has realised they could travel under a visa waiver they have requested a fee refund.

Service Design and Performance is working on a change to the online application to help reduce the number of times this occurs. The change is scheduled to be released as part of the March release. In the meantime, this article provides some advice on how to manage these situations.

In all cases the receiving office should assess and decide the application as appropriate. Officers should consider granting conditions in line with visa waiver conditions unless the applicant has requested differently. This includes situations where the client has already travelled to and departed from New Zealand.

Fee refunds
IAC 15/04 Guidelines for Fee Payments and Refunds provides advice on the procedures for processing fee refunds. According to this IAC fee refunds should only be given in exceptional circumstances. In most circumstances where a client has applied for a visa and then travelled to New Zealand under a visa waiver scheme they will not be eligible for a refund. Please refer to IAC 15/04 for full guidance on fee refunds.

Action
Please discuss with your team(s) and ensure that they follow this advice.