26 August 2024
Immigration Lawyers New Zealand
[FYI request #27931 email]
DOIA 2425- 0382
Kia Ora Immigration Lawyers New Zealand
Thank you for your email of 6 August 2024 to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
requesting, under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act), the fol owing:
I am hereby requesting a copy of all VisaPaks issued by Immigration New Zealand to date that
have not been published on INZ website (not publicly available/accessible). For example,
VisaPak 584 was issued 14 June 2024 but not published on INZ website.
On 13 August 2024, we sent contacted you advising that an initial assessment of your request had been
undertaken and to respond to the request would entail substantial col ation.
We explained that the ‘Visa Pak’ was first developed in 2011 and that there have been approximately
2,900 items issued since that time.
We noted that your request would likely to be refused under section 18(f) of the Act as the information
requested could not be made available without substantial collation or research, but we gave you the
opportunity to amend or refine your request that would enable a response to be provided, i.e. specify
Visa Pak numbers or reduce the timeframe of your request.
We asked you to respond to us by 15 August 2024 and noted that if we did not receive a response the
request would be processed/assessed in line with our initial assessment.
Our Response
As we have not received your response to date, we are refusing your request under section 18(f) of the
Act as the information requested cannot be made available without substantial collation or research. To
provide the information requested, we would need to manual y check in excess of 2,900 Visa Pak items
issued since 2011. This task would remove Ministry staff from their core duties and therefore the greater
public interest would not be served.
In accordance with section 18A of the Act, we have considered whether fixing a charge under section 15
or extending the time limit under section 15A would enable the request to be granted but it is my view
it would not.
In accordance with section 18B of the Act, we consulted with you to remove the reason for refusal,
however we did not receive a response to our request to narrow the scope.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision. Information
about how to make a complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802
602.
If you wish to discuss any aspect of your request or this response, please contact
[email address].
Nāku noa, nā
Jock Gilray
Director Visa
Immigration New Zealand
Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment