H5.10 Expression of Interest and Invitation to Apply

See also Immigration (Visa, Entry Permission, and Related Matters) Regulations 2010, Reg 14A, 26AA

1. With the exception of requests to travel to New Zealand as an ‘other critical worker’ (H5.30.5), a person may express interest in applying for a visa, or requesting a variation of conditions to travel to New Zealand, under these instructions by applying on an approved form provided for this purpose on the Immigration New Zealand website.
2. A person expressing interest in applying for a visa, or requesting a variation of conditions, under these instructions must pay the prescribed fee (if any), which also covers any partner and dependent children included in the Expression of Interest.
3. An immigration officer may invite a person to apply for a Critical Purpose visitor visa, another visa appropriate to their circumstances or request a variation of conditions if they are satisfied that:
   1. the Expression of Interest was submitted on or before 31 July 2022, or the Expression of Interest is:
      • for a specific approved class of worker listed at H5.15.1(d) and submitted on or before 1 September 2022; or
      • for a deep-sea fishing crew class border exception listed at H5.30.20 and submitted on or before 30 October 2022; or
      • for a seafood processing workers class border exception listed at H5.30.20; and submitted on or before 30 November 2022; and
   2. the information available does not indicate any health, character or bona fide issues that would prevent any person who will be included in the application to be granted a visa or variation of conditions; and
   3. the people who will be included in the application or request are likely to meet funds or sponsorship and onward travel requirements; and
   4. the principal applicant has a critical purpose for travelling to New Zealand; and
   5. where the principal applicant is expressing interest in applying for a visa based on their relationship with a New Zealand citizen or resident visa holder, the supporting partner appears to meet the character requirements necessary for partners supporting ‘partnership based temporary entry applications’ (see E7.45), based on the information available to the assessing officer; and
   6. if the principal applicant expresses interest in applying for a visa, or a variation of conditions, on the basis that they have a critical purpose for travelling to New Zealand under H5.25.15(j), any partner or dependent child (see E4.1) of the principal applicant included in the Expression of Interest must:
      • have been born on or after 1 December 2019; or
      • currently hold, or held at the time of departing New Zealand, a visitor, work or student visa based on their relationship to the principal applicant; or
   7. if the principal applicant is a dependent child who expresses interest in applying for a visa, or a variation of conditions, on the basis that they have a critical purpose for travelling to New Zealand under H5.25.15 (l),, and they do not currently hold a visa based on their relationship to a work or student visa holder who is in New Zealand, then they must have been born or adopted on or after 1 December 2019.
4. If the principal applicant expresses interest in applying for a visa , or a variation of conditions, on the basis that they have a critical purpose for travelling to New Zealand under H5.25.15(j) and establishing this critical purpose involves meeting the requirements of H5.30.35(c)(ii), the further visa application submitted does not need to have been approved in order for the principal applicant to be issued with an invitation to apply.

Effective 11:59pm 30/11/2022