False, misleading or withheld information in visa applications

Provide us with accurate information

You must provide accurate and complete information when you:

• apply for a visa
• submit an expression of interest for a visa.

If someone is applying on your behalf, you must make sure they are providing accurate and complete information in your application.

If false information is found in your application

The following explains our process and what you can expect from us.

What we consider

If we find false information in your application, we consider:

• whether it is reasonable to refuse you a visa because of the false, misleading or withheld information
• the circumstances of your application before we make this a decision.

We send you a decision letter

We advise you in our decision letter if we have found that your application contains false or misleading information, or that relevant information was withheld. We will do this whether we decline or approve your application.

If your application is declined and you are planning to make a new application, read the following sections before making a new application.

How false information affects future applications

Any future visa applications you make may be declined on the grounds of not meeting character requirements if you, or someone acting for you has:

• provided false or misleading information, or
• withheld relevant information in a visa application or an expression of interest (EOI).

The following explains our process and what you can expect from us.

What we consider

Character requirements

We may be able to approve a character waiver in some cases. When deciding if we should waive the character requirements, we consider:

• the significance of the false or misleading information provided in the previous application, or the significance of information withheld
• your intentions and involvement in the false or misleading information provided, or in the withholding of relevant information, and
• your effort in ensuring complete and accurate information was provided with your previous visa application or EOI.

Personal situation

We will also consider other personal circumstances in our decision.

The waiver factors we consider depend on whether your future application is for a residence class visa, or for a temporary entry class visa.

We will ask you to explain why the character requirements should be waived before we make a decision about your application.

We will not decline any future application you make based on false information if:

• you were less than 18 years old when false or misleading information was provided, or relevant information was withheld, or
• you were included in a previous application as a dependent child and the false, misleading or withheld information was about someone else in the same application
• the situation around the false, misleading or withheld information is connected to a report of migrant exploitation that you have submitted and MBIE has assessed that report as credible.

Migrant exploitation

Making a new visa application

If you make a new application, you may wish to include a cover letter in your new application.

In this cover letter, you can explain:

• the circumstances around the false, misleading or withheld information in the original application
• why the character requirements should be waived for you.

Including these explanations may help speed up the processing of your application.

More information about how we consider false information in visa applications:

False, misleading and withheld information – impact on visa applications – Internal Circular 23/01 PDF 325KB

Changes to how INZ responds to false information