Ref: 2021-0313

 

Dear William,

 

On behalf of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment I
acknowledge your email of 11 August 2020 requesting under the Official
Information Act 1982 (the Act), the following:

 

I'm now applying for an SMC Resident Visa. I was assigned a CO last month
since I was moved to the prioritised queue at that time.

 

And now more than one month had passed, there is still no update from my
CO, except I was asked at the beginning to provide payslips and IRD.

 

I mainly got two questions:

 

1. Is there a time frame (maybe a few weeks) for my CO to finish
processing my application?

If so, how long is it?

If not, does it mean the case could be processed whenever he wants(maybe
several months), even I'm in the prioritised queue?

 

2. I sent a few emails to my CO and asked if there is any update but never
got replied.

Just wondering, is it normal for CO to do so, or should he reply to me
within a reasonable period?

 

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

 

Please note, due to ongoing COVID-19 response work, requests are currently
being triaged and those relating to Covid-19 processed as a priority.
Remaining requests are being assessed as per the Ombudsman’s guidance
(which can be found here:
[1]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/news/chief-ombudsmans-statement-official-information-response-times-during-covid-19-emergency)
and processed accordingly.

 

If you have any enquiries regarding your request, or its urgency, feel
free to contact us via email at [2][MBIE request email].

 

Nâku noa, nâ

MINISTERIAL SERVICES

 

Corporate, Governance and Information

Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment

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

NZBN 9429000106078

 

 

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

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References

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1. http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/news/...
2. mailto:[MBIE request email]
3. http://www.govt.nz/

Dear William

As your below email is in regards to your application I am responding to this as general correspondence and not as an OIA.

The priority process in place for skilled residence applications means that if an application meets one of the priority criteria, it will be placed in the priority queue and means that it will be allocated more quickly. Once an application is allocated to an immigration officer for processing it does not mean that the application will be processed quickly - this will depend on the information provided with the application, whether any verification is required and the complexity of the case. Immigration officers process the applications as quickly as they can. Average processing timeframes for the 3 months prior to June 2020 are published on the INZ website.

In regards to the non-contact from your immigration officer, if you can provide your application details then I can forward an email the Manager and have them look into the situation. However, as you are aware Auckland has just gone into Level 3 and the office is closed.

Please forward your application number, full name and Date of birth directly to me so I can follow up with the office. My email address is penny(.)hazlett(.)@mbie(.)govt(.)nz Please remove the brackets.

Regards

Penny Hazlett
SENIOR BUSINESS ADVISOR, OPERATIONS SUPPORT
Border & Visa Operations, Immigration New Zealand
Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment

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