A9.20 Immigration status of complainants to be preserved

Where the Office of the Ombudsmen notifies INZ that an investigation is being made into a complaint against INZ, the complainant's immigration status will be preserved pending the outcome of the investigation and in particular:

1. if the complainant is the holder of a temporary permit, INZ will grant a further temporary permit of the same type (subject to receipt of formal application and payment of the appropriate fee);
2. if the complainant is not the holder of a temporary permit and has not already been served with a removal order, INZ will not serve one before the investigation has been completed, (and then only if appropriate);
3. if the complainant has already been served with a removal order, INZ will not complete removal action before the investigation has been completed (and then only if appropriate), unless the complainant is in Police custody pending removal, in which case removal processes may continue.

Nothing in (b) or (c) prevents INZ from proceeding to assemble appropriate travel documentation and make contingent travel arrangements.

Effective 04/05/2009