Ref: 2122-1407

 

Dear Liu,

 

On behalf of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment I
acknowledge your email of the 14^th of January 2022 requesting under the
Official Information Act 1982 (the Act), the following:

 

“Dear Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment, Hope you are fine and
doing well. I need the following information under the Official
Information Act 1982 (the OIA):

1- INZ has started the processing of offshore resident visa applications.
Can you share the unallocated submitted offshore and onshore resident visa
applications to date? Please break down the list into general queue
(onshore and offshore), priority queue (onshore and offshore) and month or
week when applications were submitted?

2- What is the criteria of processing onshore SMC visa applications? When
the applications will be processed for those who are onshore but not
eligible for one-off residency? Majority of them are already waiting from
last two years and so. What steps INZ is taking to accommodate such
applicants?

3- If INZ has started the processing of offshore applications and
currenlty giving priority to one off residency visa applications, then how
INZ is allocating resources? Please be specific, how many staff members
are processing one off and other resident visa applications? Is the
allocation fair? What were the criterion used to make such allocation?

4- Why INZ hasn’t increased its capacity before starting the offshore visa
applications? If court ruled out this decision then it was solely INZ
responsibility to increase its capacity to process the applications. Why
INZ is switching from one queue to other while making some of SMC visa
applicants ineligible of one-off resident visa by applying the rule of
eligible visa on 29 September 2021?

5- INZ is starting the applications as per submission date and/or priority
queue. Then why INZ is focusing more on this new one-off resident visa
applications while INZ just started this one off resident visa recently?
Why INZ is ignoring those who have already submitted their SMC
applications and waiting for an allocation from last 2 years and so. INZ
is conflicting with its own stance and it is highly unfair with those who
are not eligible for this one-off resident visa. INZ pushed them back by
introducing new policies and changing its stance.

6- Why INZ is constantly changing its policies and stance without
considering their impact on lives of many migrants? Is INZ applying term
called "collateral damage"?”

 

Your request is being processed in accordance with the Act and a response
will be sent to you in due course.

 

Please note that the days from 25 December 2021 to 15 January 2022
(inclusive) are defined as non- working days in the Act and are not
counted in the calculation of the maximum timeframe for our response to
your request. This will affect the time period for responding to your
request.

 

If you have any enquiries regarding your request feel free to contact us
via email [1][MBIE request email] or using the contact details below.

 

Nâku noa, nâ

MINISTERIAL SERVICES

               

Ngâ Pou o te Taumaru

Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment

Level 4, 15 Stout Street, PO Box 1473, Wellington 6140

NZBN 9429000106078

 

[2]www.govt.nz - your guide to finding and using New Zealand government
services

show quoted sections

References

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1. mailto:[MBIE request email]
2. http://www.govt.nz/

Kia Ora

 

On 14 January 2021, you asked the Ministry of Business Innovation and
Employment (MBIE) for information under the Official Information Act 1982
(the Act). We are currently processing your request, however we would like
to check under Section 12 of the Act, which provides that any person may
make a request where they are:

 

• a New Zealand citizen; or

• a permanent resident of New Zealand; or

• a person who is in New Zealand; or

• a body corporate which is incorporated in New Zealand; or

• a body corporate which is incorporated outside New Zealand but which has
a place of business in New Zealand.

 

MBIE requires more information to establish your compliance with section
12. An original of any one of the following items is acceptable as a
demonstration of your eligibility:

 

• A recent bill from the company who supplies your power, gas, water,
phone or internet services

• Council rates notice

• A letter from the Electoral Office

• Travel itinerary

• Anything from a government agency that includes your name and address

• Unexpired Rental or Tenancy Agreement.

 

A scanned copy of one of the above can be sent to [1][email address]

 

Once MBIE receives this additional information from you, and is satisfied
that the requirements of section 12 have been met, we will respond to your
request. If you do not meet the eligibility criteria of section 12, MBIE
will still consider your request. Please respond by 28 January 2021. If
you do not respond by 28 January 2021 your request will deemed to be
withdrawn.

 

Ngâ Mihi,

 

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT TEAM

Immigration New Zealand

Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment

15 Stout Street, PO Box 1473, Wellington 6140

NZBN 9429000106078

[2]457667B6

 

[3]www.govt.nz - your guide to finding and using New Zealand government
services

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References

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1. mailto:[email address]
mailto:[email address]
3. http://www.govt.nz/

Kia ora Liu,

 

Thank you for your email of 14 January 2022 to the Ministry of Business
Innovation and Employment (the Ministry) requesting under the Official
Information Act 1982 (the OIA):

 

“1- INZ has started the processing of offshore resident visa applications.
Can you share the unallocated submitted offshore and onshore resident visa
applications to date? Please break down the list into general queue
(onshore and offshore), priority queue (onshore and offshore) and month or
week when applications were submitted?

2- What is the criteria of processing onshore SMC visa applications? When
the applications will be processed for those who are onshore but not
eligible for one-off residency? Majority of them are already waiting from
last two years and so. What steps INZ is taking to accommodate such
applicants?

3- If INZ has started the processing of offshore applications and
currenlty giving priority to one off residency visa applications, then how
INZ is allocating resources? Please be specific, how many staff members
are processing one off and other resident visa applications? Is the
allocation fair? What were the criterion used to make such allocation?

4- Why INZ hasn’t increased its capacity before starting the offshore visa
applications? If court ruled out this decision then it was solely INZ
responsibility to increase its capacity to process the applications. Why
INZ is switching from one queue to other while making some of SMC visa
applicants ineligible of one-off resident visa by applying the rule of
eligible visa on 29 September 2021?

5- INZ is starting the applications as per submission date and/or priority
queue. Then why INZ is focusing more on this new one-off resident visa
applications while INZ just started this one off resident visa recently?
Why INZ is ignoring those who have already submitted their SMC
applications and waiting for an allocation from last 2 years and so. INZ
is conflicting with its own stance and it is highly unfair with those who
are not eligible for this one-off resident visa. INZ pushed them back by
introducing new policies and changing its stance.

6- Why INZ is constantly changing its policies and stance without
considering their impact on lives of many migrants? Is INZ applying term
called "collateral damage"?”

The Ministry has decided to extend the period of time available to respond
to your request under Section 15A(1)(b) of the Act as further consultation
is required.

You can now expect a response to your request on or before 14 March 2022.

 

You have the right, under section 28 of the Act, to ask the Ombudsman to
review my decision to extend the time available to respond to your
request.

 

Ngâ mihi

Business Management Team, Enablement

Immigration New Zealand

Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment - Hîkina Whakatutuki

Level 1, 15 Stout Street, Wellington 6011 |PO Box 1473, Wellington 6140,
New Zealand

NZBN 9429000106078

 

 

 

show quoted sections

Kia Ora Liu

 

Please find attached letter in response to your Official Information Act
1982 request.

 

Kind regards,

 

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT TEAM

Immigration New Zealand

Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment

15 Stout Street, PO Box 1473, Wellington 6140

NZBN 9429000106078

 

 

[1]www.govt.nz - your guide to finding and using New Zealand government
services

show quoted sections

References

Visible links
1. http://www.govt.nz/