Reconsideration of a declined visa
If we declined your application for a work, student or visitor visa, you may be able to request reconsideration of that decision. We will look at your visa application again, and see if we made the right decision. If we were wrong, we’ll grant you a visa.
You can request reconsideration if you meet all these requirements:
- Your application for work, student or visitor visa was declined
- You are in New Zealand when you request reconsideration
- You still hold a valid visa (this includes if you are on an interim visa)
- We receive your application for reconsideration no more than 14 days after you received our decision to decline your visa
How to request reconsideration
To request reconsideration you must send us:
- A letter written in English, with your signature, that explains everything you want us to consider
- Any supporting evidence you want us to consider
- Your passport or certificate of identity
- Credit card details to pay the fee for reconsideration:
- The card number
- The expiry date of the card
- The name of the cardholder
- The signature of the cardholder
There is no application form to request reconsideration. You can’t apply online for reconsideration.
Use our website tool to find out how much reconsideration request costs, where to send your request, and how long it will take.
Fees, decision times, and where to apply
What happens when you request reconsideration?
We will review your visa application and look at any further information you provide us. A different immigration officer to the one who declined your first application will reconsider it.
We will consider again if you meet the requirements to be granted the visa you applied for.
If our first decision was wrong we will grant you a visa. If our first decision was correct, we will decline your request for reconsideration and you will not be granted a visa.
If we decline to grant a visa after reconsidering your application, you can’t make another reconsideration request for that application.
Requesting reconsideration does not prevent your current visa from expiring. After your visa expires you will be in New Zealand unlawfully and will be liable for deportation.