H5.5 Overview (30/06/2020)

1. These instructions allow people to travel to New Zealand as temporary visa holders while the New Zealand border is effectively closed by providing for the:
   1. grant of a visa (for people without a valid temporary entry class visa); or
   2. variation of visa conditions (for people with a valid temporary entry class visa).
2. The grant of a visa or variation of conditions under these instructions is a two-step process:
   1. Interest in travelling to New Zealand must first be expressed by:
      • applicants; or
      • for ‘other critical workers’; employers, or supporting agencies; or
      • for marine crew; the owner of a ship, authorised agent (such as a shipping agent) or employer or principal of marine crew of a ship.
   2. An immigration officer may then invite a person to apply for a Critical Purpose visitor visa, another visa appropriate to that person’s circumstances or a variation of conditions if they are satisfied based on the information available that the person has a critical purpose to travel to New Zealand (H5.25.15) and is likely to meet the requirements of the visa applied for or variation of conditions requested.
3. Only a person, who has been invited to apply for a visa or variation of conditions may make an application under these instructions.
4. Applications must be made in the prescribed manner within 1 month of an invitation to apply.
5. Despite (b) above, where a person has applied for a temporary entry class visa an immigration officer may grant that visa if the applicant meets relevant immigration instructions (or the visa is granted as an exception to instructions) and impose a visa condition that the holder carries out a critical purpose while in New Zealand if the applicant meets the requirements at H5.25.15.

Effective 30/06/2020