How to apply if you have a temporary visa

If you are eligible, and have a work, student or visitor visa, find out how to apply for permanent residence under the Christchurch Response (2019) Category.

Christchurch Response (2019) — permanent resident visa

The application process

There are 3 stages to the application process.

  1. Tell us you would like to apply — that is, make an Expression of Interest (EOI).
  2. If you are eligible, we invite you to apply.
  3. You complete an application for a Christchurch Response (2019) Visa and submit it to us.

Who can get this visa

Before you apply, check that you are eligible and which application process to use.

Christchurch Response (2019) — permanent residence visa

Application fees

There is no application fee.

You do not pay:

  • a fee to submit an EOI
  • an application fee
  • an immigration levy
  • the costs of getting a Limited Medical Certificate and a chest x-ray, if they are needed.

Submitting an EOI

Download and complete the EOI form.

Christchurch Response Category Expression of interest (INZ 1244)

Send your EOI to:

Immigration New Zealand
PO Box 22111
Christchurch 8140

You do not need to provide any documents or evidence — for example, your passport or birth certificate.

Including family members in your EOI

You can tell us you would like to apply as an individual or you can include your family – that is, your partner and dependent children under the age of 25. Other family members, if they are eligible, need to send us a separate EOI.

How we assess your EOI

After we receive your EOI we check that:

  • you were living in New Zealand on 15 March 2019
  • you were present during the attacks or you are the eligible family member of someone who was present
  • your health and character meet the requirements for this visa.

We will be in contact to confirm that your EOI has been received. We aim to provide you with an update on your EOI within 2 weeks of your EOI being received.

When we send the invitation we:

  • send you the application form for a permanent resident visa
  • let you know if you need to have any health checks
  • ask you to provide police certificates.

Making an application for permanent residence

You need to provide evidence to support some of the information in your application.

Evidence that you were present at the attacks

You do not need to send us anything. We will confirm that you were named on the official New Zealand Police lists and will contact you if we need further information.

Evidence that you live in New Zealand

If you have a visitor, working holiday or limited visa, you need to show us that your main home is in New Zealand. You can provide:

  • bank records or Inland Revenue statements
  • mortgage or tenancy documents
  • rates demands or utility contracts
  • employment records
  • relevant correspondence.

Evidence of your identity and good character

Provide your passport, a certified copy of your passport or certificate of identity. Also provide your full birth certificate.

As evidence that you do not have a criminal record, we may ask you to provide police certificates from your country of citizenship and countries you lived in before coming to New Zealand.

Who needs to provide police certificates

Evidence of your relationships

Include evidence such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, adoption papers or household registration documents to show your relationship to:

  • a person who was present during the attacks, or
  • family members you are including in your application.

If you were a refugee, you could send us papers issued by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

If you have a partner, you need to show that you are living together in a genuine and stable relationship.

Partnership

Health checks

You will not be refused a visa because of injuries you received in the attacks.

Depending on the health information in your EOI, we may ask you to get a Limited Health Certificate or a chest x-ray when we invite you to apply. There is no cost for this. We will pay the clinic directly.

Evidence you are in good health — medical certificates

How we assess your application

After we receive your application, we check:

  • your current visa status and your visa status on 15 March 2019
  • other visa applications you have made
  • information we have about your health and character.

We will contact you if we need:

  • to interview you about your application
  • other information or evidence to support your application.

How long it takes us to make a decision

We aim to complete applications within 3 months. It can usually take some months to process resident visa applications, but, because of the special circumstances, we will be making applications under this category a priority.