L4.5 Issuing limited purpose visas to temporary visa applicants

Immigration Act 1987 s 14DA

1. If a person who is outside New Zealand applies in the prescribed manner for a temporary visa, a visa officer may issue a limited purpose visa instead of the temporary visa applied for if and only if:
   1. the person will not be exempt from having to hold a permit in New Zealand; and
   2. the visa officer identifies a risk in the particular case that the person will remain in New Zealand after their permit expires; and
   3. the visa officer considers that to manage that risk in the particular case, issuing a limited purpose visa rather than a temporary visa is:
      • necessary (i.e. the application would otherwise have to be declined); and
      • sufficient (i.e. a limited purpose visa can manage the identified risk); and
   4. the person wishes to come to New Zealand for an express purpose (see L3.10).
2. Normal verification processes must be carried out before a limited purpose visa can be considered.
3. A limited purpose visa may be issued only to manage an identified risk that the applicant may remain in New Zealand after their permit expires. Other risks (e.g. health or character risks) may also be present in the application, but a limited purpose visa may not be issued to manage such risks.
4. Limited purpose visas should be issued sparingly.
5. If a visa officer intends to issue a limited purpose visa instead of the temporary visa applied for, the officer must:
   1. advise the applicant in writing of:
      • that intention; and
      • the limitations to which holders of limited purpose permits are subject (see L3.40); and
   2. give the applicant reasonable opportunity to comment on that intention.
6. If the applicant does not wish to be issued a limited purpose visa, the visa officer will determine the application on the available information.

Effective 01/10/1999