The sponsorship process - sponsoring family members as a refugee
The process for sponsoring family members for residence visas if you are a refugee.
The settlement process
There are 600 Refugee Family Support Category places available each year for both tier 1 and tier 2 registrations. There is no cost to register or apply and we coordinate and pay for medical assessments. We also coordinate and pay the travel costs for approved cases. Settlement support providers can help you plan for your family’s arrival.
We are currently only accepting tier 1 sponsor registrations.
Registration
The sponsor completes a registration form and confirms that they will be responsible for their family’s accommodation.
Application
The applicant completes their residence application.
Assessment
The application is assessed by us.
Approval
Successful applications are approved.
Accommodation Plan
The sponsor completes an accommodation plan. A sponsor can ask a settlement service provider for help to complete this.
Flights
When the sponsor notifies us that an accommodation plan is complete and housing is arranged, we will book travel.
Preparation
The sponsor prepares for the arrival of their family. They can seek advice and guidance from the settlement service provider in their area.
Family's arrival
The settlement service provider can visit the family soon after they arrive. This needs to be arranged by the family or the sponsor. The provider can connect the family to the community orientation programme and will make sure the family knows how to connect to essential services.
Orientation
The family can participate in an optional community orientation programme.
Ongoing advice
The settlement service provider and sponsored family connect to see how things are going. The sponsored family can seek further advice from the provider as they move through their settlement journey in Aotearoa - New Zealand.
The settlement provider can help families connect with schools, health navigators, local GPs, community groups and other refugee organisations.
Refugee Family Support Category settlement providers
