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:
grant of a visa (for people without a valid temporary entry class visa); or
variation of visa conditions (for people with a valid temporary entry class visa).
The grant of a visa or variation of conditions under these instructions is a two-step process:
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.
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.
Only a person, who has been invited to apply for a visa or variation of conditions may make an application under these instructions.
Applications must be made in the prescribed manner within 1 month of an invitation to apply.
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.
