The first article, titled “How long it takes to process your visa application” by Immigration New Zealand shows the time frames specific visa types are processed within once an application is lodged. Visitor and Student visas take around 20 days and work visas take a little longer: 23 days. Resident visas take considerably more time. The most popular categories, being Skilled Migrant Category and Partnership take 6 and 4 months respectively.
The second article is a collection of forum posts from ENZ. These are actual people who submitted an application and provide their experiences. The consensus is that processing times vary wildly. A Partnership application took less than a month with one person while it took over 6 months with another. Skilled Migrant Category applications show a similar trend; some are approved within 2 months while other may take up to 12 months. There is much less variation in temporary applications. Most of them seem to be processed within a maximum of 4-5 weeks.
Drawing on these two articles and my own experience as an Immigration Consultant, I have listed three tips I can recommend to make sure your visa application is processed as quickly as possible and stays within the timeframes mentioned in article one.
Prepare – gather all the information and documents you need for your application before you start your visa application.
Include All Documents – include all the supporting documentation that is asked for or even more so Immigration New Zealand does not have to ask for additional information.
Choose the Right Visa – Avoid unnecessary delays by applying for the wrong visa for your situation. Starting today, you need to start to plan and prepare your visa application properly so you know which visa to apply for and which information and documents you need to avoid delays further down the track.
Feija van Bokhoven is the Managing Director of Experienz Immigration. In her capacity of Licensed Immigration Adviser for New Zealand she has helped numerous clients obtain a visa for New Zealand and helped them fulfill their dream of living in New Zealand.
Hi Van,
I have lodged my VOC application on the 22nd of September. My start date for my work is 12th of october. I have escalated the issue but they just say it’s waiting for the case officer! What should I do??? My residency visa application is also is on que, is there anything you could do about it please? Thanks
Hi Raj,
I hope your VOC application is assigned to a Case Officer by now, but unfortunately it can take quite a bit of time (up to 8 weeks at the moment) for a VOC to be allocated. Immigration New Zealand has recently added more people to the VOC team, so it should move a bit quicker. Please note, that you cannot start working for your new employer until a VOC is approved.
Kind regards,
Feija
Hi Feija
i am nz resident and i have applied partnership based visitor visa for my husband on 5th of April through tts chandighar. we have just received an email from tts that our file has been transferred to Mumbai. but we have not received anything from embassy they have received our file or not. its been 2 months now. what should i do ? i even do not have any application number so i can look at the application status.
Hi Pratima,
Immigration New Zealand is dealing with a long backlog. The Mumbai branch is especially bad. It can take up to 6 months for a partnership visa to be decided. This means it could be a while before you hear anything. If the Visa Application Center (TTS) have confirmed they received the application then Immigration New Zealand will have received it from them. If you call the contact center they should be able to give you the application number.
Kind regards,
Feija
My Husband applied my Partnership Visitor Visa on 23rd October 2018 from m&m immigration via Online . Its been 04 Months no news . Now Immigration Lawyer said it will finish in between March to May . Moreover I applied 02 Times before myself where New Zealand immigration Officer decline my application . That time it was done in Delhi , now Delhi Office is close .
I m more tense as I m not getting any response from any one
Hi Shikha,
Immigration New Zealand has centralised most of their offices in New Zealand and closed a lot of their overseas offices. Only Mumbai and Beijing are still open. This transition has caused some major backlogs and unfortunately, the processing times for many types of visa applications have increased. The current processing time for a visitor visa based on partnership is 4 months (90% of applications is decided within this time-frame) but Immigration expects this to go up to 6 months.
You really need to ask your lawyer to inquire on your behalf. It looks like they already did this with the new time-frame they have provided.
Kind regards,
Feija
Hi Feija!
My husband has applied for a partnership visitor visa in immigration New Zealand on 23 October 2018 and we did’t got any update on the application and recently we got an email that his application will be processed between March to May 2019. My Student visa will be expired on 15 April 2019. We are really worried what to do. Please give us some suggestion.
Hi Harpreet,
I’ve sent you an email.
kind regards,
Feija
Hello Fejia,
I am offered a Job of Precast Detailer and I have 11 years experience on it. But my Certificate of Employment states as below:
1st Company (5yrs and 7months)
Stated in Contract: Draftsman
Certificate of Employment: AutoCAD Draftsman / Checker
2nd Company (5 yrs and 8months)
Contract: Draughtsman
Certificate of Employment: Team Leader (because I was promoted)
Promotion Letter: Senior Draughtsman to Team Leader
These two companies are Precast Companies and I started as Draughtsman / Draftsman with them, now I am offered in New Zealand as Precast Detailer (Detailer is also a draftsman/draughtsman) which is also on Immediate Skill Shortage List as Civil Engineering Draughtsman (ANZSCO no. 312211). Will all my experience be counted?
Hi Vergel,
I’ve send you an email.
Kind regards,
Feija
Is it possible to make a new application online, as I have not received any decision for my paper based application?
Hi Nani,
You can only have one temporary visa application with Immigration New Zealand at the same time. This means you will have to wait until you’ve received a decision on the current application before you can submit a new application (unless you wish to for a resident visa).
Kind regards,
Feija
Hi there,
I along with family members applied for a NZ visitor visa in mid-October 2018. We applied paper based application in INZ New Delhi. It has been more than 2 months but we have not heard about our visa decision yet. We were planning to visit NZ for new year and for my daughter’s summer break who is currently studying in NZ. Since it is Christmas break from next week, I am worried I might not hear about the decision soon.
Would you please guide us what should we do in this situation?
Thank you
Hi,
This time of year it can take a long time before a decision is made on a visa application. October to March are the busiest period of the year with increased numbers of visitor visa applications as well as a lot of student visa applications. Immigration advises that currently, 90% of visitor visa applications are completed within 24 days. Unfortunately, you applied with a paper application and this will delay the process. Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do to speed up the process. You can call the contact center to inquire about the application (+64 9 914 4100 – there may be long queues). Immigration New Zealand is closed from 25 December 2018 to 3 January 2019, so if you haven’t heard anything before Christmas, it will be next year until a decision is made.
Kind regards,
Feija
Hi,
My husband is a NZ citizen we where going to apply for a work visa under partnership (did the medical test and already have my e-medical number)
But we have decided to apply for the resident under partnership do you you know if I need to take the medical tests again?
Thank you
Hi Milagros,
If the medical test was done less than 3 months ago then you can use it for your resident visa application. The test must be less than 3 months old when Immigration New Zealand receives your application. If you have applied for a New Zealand visa before and you submitted a medical test with that application, it might still be valid too if it was taken less than 36 months ago.
Kind regards,
Feija
Hi,
My partner has submitted his Work Visa through Partnership application on 28 March 2018. To make the story short, his CO has asked him for repeat urinalysis as the MA found out a microscopic haematuria from his repaeat dipsticks when he took his medical assessment in NZ. Repeat test done as soon as we got the message and the CO has advised us to get it done by 5 June 2018. However, after submitting the result, we haven’t heard back from the CO eventhough we tried to call/leave message directly onto her DDI. We are quite frustrated as we are now waiting for atleast 4 months or 102 days to be exact. The INZ site quoted that applications under our category can be completed for 81 days.
Any advice please?
I’ve send you an email.
Kind regards,
Feija
Hi,
I’m looking to move to NZ on an essential work visa. My current job finishes at the end of August so I’m thinking of putting in the visa application soon. Do you know how long you have to enter the country after the visa has been approved?
Thanks!
Hannah
Hi Hannah,
You usually have 3 months to come to New Zealand after a work visa is approved. Please note that you need a full-time job offer from a New Zealand employer before you can apply for a work visa.
Kind regards,
Feija
Hi Feija,
I have applied for essential skills visa and it was approved after 10 days. My problem is I cant fly to new zealand to soon.need to enter nz by october 19,2018 but I think I can make it only by end of december. Is there anything I can do about it?
I’ve sent you an email.
Kind regards,
Feija
Hi I am thinking of applying for a variation of conditions on my essential skills visa. I’m just wondering if I am able to continue working while this is being processed?
Hi Jon,
You may continue to work in your current job. You may only apply for a VOC for an Essential Skills work visa in certain circumstances.
Kind regards,
Feija
Hey Feija,
I have submitted my application by the end of may and haven’t heard back from them at all, no response saying they have received my application..?! Does that mean the process hasn’t even started yet? The problem is that the job I got offered is supposed to start july 2nd and i couldn’t submit my visa earlier as i haven’t had all papers together.. but if i don’t get it granted my job offer might fall through?! :,( Anything I could do?!
Having hard times to be patient as it puts such pressure on me :(((
Hi Christina,
If you submitted your application online, Immigration will have received it. If you send it in paper form, you usually receive a response within 2 weeks that the application is received. A telltale sign is when the application fee is deducted from your credit card. It takes at least about 4 weeks to get a work visa application processed and if additional information is requested it may take much longer. The changes of the application being decided by 2 July is very slim.
Kind regards,
Feija
Thanks for your quick response Feija!!!! Do you reckon it will be decided earlier in case of a previous application sent in only half a year back (got a sponsorship visa granted in november 2017 but I have denied it in terms of personal concerns about the job i got offered at that time..) It is a different job I applied for now (same field of work tho) but all my papers (police cert., medical check, references etc) were checked already..
Best regards,
Christina
Hi Christina,
Previous applications have no positive effect on a current visa application in regards to the time it will take to make a decision on the application.
Kind regards,
Feija
Hey Feija and thanks for your quick response.
I just heard back from them saying they need my teaching registration which I don’t have yet (I applied as an ECE as I studied that back home).
My Manager back in nz, I got the job offer from said I can apply without it, getting it done as soon as im arriving in nz.. (she talked to work and income too, and they said they can not provide her with any registered teachers as they don’t even have someone.. therefor i was able to apply..) Moreover, the institution needs someone starting as soon as possible and it would take too long for me now to get the registration done from home. Do you think there would be any possibility to get my visa without teaching registration for now??? :(((
Kind regards
Christina
Hi Christina,
I’ve sent you an email.
kind regards,
Feija
Hi Feija
Have been reading all your valuable replies to many queries..
Appreciate ur effort and time..
Hope you could clarify my query too…
We reside currently in India and my husband on April got a job offer from an accredited employer in New Zealand…Since they told that they would do all the proceedings and we just have to wait for their visa by courier to our current address, we have been waiting eagerly…
During the month end of May, we get a call saying that they r goin to submit his application and they wanted to know if he was still willing to join for which he eagerly showed his approval to join the job…. The company had mentioned that the date to join is August 1st, would he be able to get the work visa and do police clearance and medical by then? They never told that he must submit his passport for work visa stamping, so what visa would he receive my courier?
Also, I would like to know when would our daughter (12years) and I would be able to join him??
What would be the fastest way for us to join him? As we are eagerly waiting for just this…
To inform you in detail, they have offered him job with indefinite work visa…
Hope u can reply to my queries…
Thank u
Sara
Hi Sara,
I’ve sent you an email.
Kind regards,
Feija
Good day
We want to immigrate to New Zealand. (Dad, Mum and kids. Oldest is 20 years)
The father will be the main applicant and he started to fill out the EOI for Skilled Migrant. He ends up with 140 points. He does not have a job offer yet. That will bring him to 160 points. He is a scientist with Masters degree.
We are staying in South Africa and he has a good job here. As he has many dependants he can’t just quit his job and go to NZ to look for a job there. He is searching via internet and has applied for several jobs without success. We keep on searching.
I understand a residence visa can take up to 10 months to be approved. Most jobs does not want to wait that long before you have to start to work.
Do you maybe have advice on how he can maybe search for a job easier. I understand its easier to get a job if you are in NZ. Should he maybe get a holiday visa, take leave from his current job and go to NZ for a month or so to look for a job. Or can he get a work visa and go to look for a job. Can he then apply for resident visa for him and the whole family after he gets a job.
How much are your fees if we want to make use of your services?
Hi Idelette,
If your husband finds a job, the best course of action would be for him to apply for a work visa first (you can only apply for a work visa after you’ve found a job). If that’s approved he can quit his job in SA and start working in NZ. If he qualifies he can start the resident visa application if he qualifies (based on the information provided I can’t tell). The rest of the family can join him when the resident visas are approved.
If you would want to join him in NZ sooner, you probably can get a partner visa and the younger children may be able to get visas too. However, your oldest child is too old to be a dependent child in a temporary visa application.
Your husband can apply for a visitor visa but visitor visas are not granted for the purpose of searching for a job. A visitor visa is for people who wish to holiday or visit family and friends. Statiscally, visitor visa applications from males traveling alone are declined more often as Immigration New Zealand suspects holidaying might often be not the main reason for their travel.
Please send a message via the home page of the website (experienzimmigration.co.nz) for more information on fee and how I can assist you.
Kind regards,
Feija
Hi Feija.
I apply my visiting visa for visiting newzealand, but my ticket booking is already expired it was 13 of april. still i didn’t get any feed back form my agent. now almost 20 days. do you think ticket booking which is make a decline for my visa. bez my agent said is not but i was worry too much.
Hi Ranij,
You should not have bought your ticket before a decision is made on your application. You need to show you have sufficient funds to buy the ticket but you don’t actually need to buy it. It can easily take 2 to 3 months to decide a visitor visa application.
The expired ticket itself probably won’t cause a decline of the visa application (other reasons may cause a decline, I haven’t seen your application so I can’t comment on this). Immigration might ask you to prove you have sufficient funds to buy a new ticket.
Kind regards,
Feija
Hi Feija.
I have a NZ job offer and have submitted my work visa application online on the 5th April with them responding on the 10th saying it had been uploaded.
I was initially told 23 to 25 days but have now found out it may be 2 months?
Have you heard or experienced this as of late?
Thanks
Hi Adam,
Yes, unfortunately, it takes a long time at the moment for Immigration to process any type of application. You can always call them for a status update. Other then that you just have to be patient.
Kind regards,
Feija
Thanks for the valuable information it looks really nice and much informative. keep share more.
Hi Feija,
I studied and lived in New Zealand from 2008 to 2012(less than one year work exp) but I fall under absolute skill shortage category (IT). Now I’m planning to move back there and wanted to know what are my chances in getting PR after having 6 years of experience in IT(senior analyst designation) outside of NZ
Hi Pavan,
To qualify for a resident visa under the Skilled Migrant Category you need to be able to claim 160 points, be of good health and character, have good command of English and you need a full-time job offer from a New Zealand employer with an hourly rate of at least NZD 24.29 (your hourly rate must also match market rate for your position).
Depending on your circumstances there might be other resident visa options as well.
Generally speaking, people with a recognised Bachelor Degree relevant to their job and work experience, a job offer, are under 40 years of age and, a number of years relevant work experience, will qualify for enough points. I don’t have enough information to assess your situation properly. Feel free to complete the Visa Eligibility Form on my website for a high level overview of your options.
Kind regards,
Feija
Hi,
Im planning to move/work in new zealand hopefully in 2-3 years time. Im a civil engineer with 8 years experience. What are the steps i need to do to be considered when applying?thanks
Hans
Hi Hans,
I believe you also contacted me through email and I’ve replied to you.
Kind regards,
Feija
Hi
I have submitted a Variation of Conditions to Auckland office. I have handed my notice in. Immigration are saying applications can take up to two months. Originally I was told 4 weeks. I don’t know what I am going to go as I will have no job and no money and immigration do not care. Any advice please?
Hi Richard,
You are in a tricky situation. Waiting times always increase greatly over the Christmas/holiday period. There isn’t much you can do to be honest. You already handed in your notice while your new visa might not even be granted. You’ll just have to wait and see what happens and learn from this experience.
Please get some advice the next time you are in a similar situation. It could have been avoided quite easily.
Kind regards,
Feija
I am on 3 years work to Resident work Visa.
Planning to apply for PR but my IELTS overall is 6.o.
I am in essential skill shortage skill in IT field.
How could I apply for work to resident PR
Dear Shegeran,
To the best of my knowledge, there is no English language requirement when you apply for a residence from work visa, unless it is under the Religious Worker instructions. You will have to complete at least 24 months of employment before you may apply.
When you apply under the Skilled Migrant Category, you must meet the English language requirement.
Kind regards,
Feija
Hello!
I just applied for visit visa to visit my sister. They say the processing time here is 30 days but in the NZ immigration visa it say 20 days only. I need to book my ticket immediately as my leave will be obsolete by next year. My plan is on November 2017 Usually how long will it take on the average?
Hi Kristela,
If there are no delays, such as a request for additional information, most visitor visa applications are processed within 20 working days. This is 4 full weeks. Be careful when booking a ticket while your visa is not yet approved. You often can’t get your money back or only partially if the visa is declined.
Kind regards,
Very Nice Post.
Thanks For Sharing useful information about the new Zealand
Migration.
I really enjoy to read your post.
Thank You.