Sharing an online visa application
Immigration New Zealand's online systems allow immigration advisers and others to share clients' applications in a secure way.
Note
While we continue to transition to our new Immigration Online system, there are 2 ways you can share your client's online visa applications. Which you use will depend on the type of visa and when the application was made.
You may need to use 2 accounts while we move applications from the old system to the new. You will continue to have access to documents in both accounts.
Sharing in the enhanced Immigration Online system
In the new system you can share:
- an application with another person
- an application with a network of people
- a Group Visitor Visa using group sharing.
How to share an application
To share an application with a person or a network, you need to:
- check that they have an Immigration Online account
- ask for their
and email - find the application you want to share
- share the application using the options drop-down.
Getting access to a shared application
If someone wants to give you access to their online application or nominate you as a sponsor, you will need to give them your sharing ID to include in their online application.
Check section 2 'My dashboard' of the following user guide.
Sharing with a network
How to set up for sharing with a network
To share applications by network, each user must have an account in the new system.
A network administrator adds the sharing IDs and emails of each new member to the network and assigns them each a level of access.
The members can then share applications with others in the network.
You cannot share a Group Visitor Visa application (or any visa application within it) with a network.
What a member can do
Members of the network can:
- work on an application together
- view, edit, withdraw, submit or share the application (including outside of the network)
- view any notifications related to the application.
What a network administrator can do
Only the network administrator can:
- assign administration rights to other members of the network
- add or remove people from the network.
Sharing in a group application
Group Visitor Visa applications allow group and individual application sharing. Different access and permissions are given depending on your role in the application. Your role can be either:
- a group administrator, or
- a visa applicant.
Group administrations can share a Group Visitor Visa using group sharing, which allows multiple people to complete a group application while managing each applicant’s privacy. This is appropriate for organisations, such as travel agencies, applying on behalf of people in a group.
Group administrators can use individual sharing when members of the group want to complete their own application.
More information on Group Visitor Visa roles and the application process:
Applying for a Group Visitor Visa
Check the Immigration Online terms of use page for more information on group sharing:
Immigration Online terms of use
Personal information in a group application
When you apply for a visa as part of a group, anyone with group administrator permissions has full access to your application and personal information. If a group administrator shares the group with another trusted person, that person will also have full access to your application and personal information.
Group administrators must follow our Immigration Online terms of use, read our privacy statement and manage your personal information appropriately. They must also follow privacy laws and only use and share information for visa purposes.
Group administrators are named on the group application and visible to anyone with access. A group administrator can be removed from the application by someone with the same permissions.
Each applicant must declare that they understand the group process and give permission to the group administrator to view and edit their application and to apply on their behalf.
Sharing in the older Immigration Online system
In the older system, you share visa applications with groups called 'firms'.
To do this, you need to:
- set up your account to allow sharing
- create a 'firm'
- manage what the firm can access.
1. Setting up your account
- Confirm that you are using the account to help clients.
- Tick the option for ‘I would like to use this account to manage client applications made by my firm’.
- Do this when you first create an account, or by editing your profile and tick the option there.
2. Creating a firm
- After the account is set up, you can create 'firms' for common application types or purposes.
- Use a suitable name.
3. Managing access
The person who creates the firm is assigned as the administrator. The administrator can:
- manage the firm
- invite and remove users from the firm
- give other people administrator permission.