Ref: 2021-1508

 

Dear M P Ross,

 

On behalf of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment I
acknowledge your email of 13^th February 2021 requesting under the
Official Information Act 1982 (the Act), the following:

 

1) How many foreign citizens in the last 6 months have been granted a 6
month visitor visa and have now entered New Zealand as of 13/02/2021?

2) How many foreign citizens on a 6 month visitor visa issued before the
8th August 2020 are still in the country as of 13/02/2021?

3) How many foreign citizens on a 6 month visitor visa issued between
08/08/20 and 13/02/21 have now left New Zealand?

 

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

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Any opinions expressed in this message are not necessarily those of the
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. This message and any
files transmitted with it are confidential and solely for the use of the
intended recipient. If you are not the intended recipient or the person
responsible for delivery to the intended recipient, be advised that you
have received this message in error and that any use is strictly
prohibited. Please contact the sender and delete the message and any
attachment from your computer.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

References

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

hide quoted sections

Dear Mr M P Ross

Thank you for your request for information under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA).

I am in the process of gathering the data you have requested, but I want to clarify/confirm your request to ensure you will receive the data that will are looking for.

As you will be aware the New Zealand border is currently closed to most people apart from New Zealand citizens and residents, and those who meet certain exceptions. The COVID-19 Border Exceptions process came into effect in March 2020. The Immigration New Zealand (INZ) website sets out the critical purpose reasons to travel here: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/about-us....

Only those individuals who meet the exceptions are invited to apply for visa to travel to New Zealand, under the visa category 'Critical Purpose Visitor Visa'. If an individual already holds a visa, they may be invited to apply for a Critical Purpose Variation of Conditions instead. The Critical Purpose exception categories include:
Critical health worker
Humanitarian reasons
Tongan or Samoan national requiring essential travel to NZ
Partner of a student or work visa holder
Dependent child of a student or work visa holder
Partner of a NZ citizen or resident
Dependent child of a NZ citizen or resident
Legal guardian of a NZ citizen or resident
Australian citizen or permanent resident that normally resides in NZ
Replacement cargo ship crew
Approved class of individual - PhD and designated post-graduate students
Approved class of individual - priority returning degree and post-graduate students
Approved class of individual - Pacific essential traveller
Work visa holder who normally lives and works in NZ - must be on the list of Critical Purpose reasons to travel provided above

Additionally some individuals were in New Zealand on visitor visas before the border restrictions were introduced, and may still be in New Zealand if their visas were extended. From your request it appears you are only interested in those who have entered New Zealand since the border restrictions were introduced.

As such, I have interpreted your request as follows:

1) How many foreign citizens in the last 6 months have been granted a 6 month Critical Purpose visitor visa or 6 month Critical Purpose Variation of Conditions and have now entered New Zealand as of 13/02/2021?
2) How many foreign citizens on a 6 month Critical Purpose visitor visa or 6 month Critical Purpose Variation of Conditions issued before the 8th August 2020 are still in the country as of 13/02/2021?
3) How many foreign citizens on a 6 month Critical Purpose visitor visa or 6 month Critical Purpose Variation of Conditions issued between 08/08/20 and 13/02/21 have now left New Zealand?

If my interpretation is not correct, please be in touch to discuss your request further.

Ngā mihi

Anna McLachlan (she/her)
BUSINESS ADVISOR

Operations Support, Border and Visa Operations Branch
Immigration New Zealand, Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment

[email address]
Level 1, 15 Stout Street, PO Box 1473, Wellington 6011

-----Original Message-----
From: Mr M P Ross <[FOI #14670 email]>
Sent: Saturday, 13 February 2021 4:10 PM
To: *OIA <[email address]>
Subject: Official Information request - Number of foreign citizens that entered NZ on a 6 month visitor visa, in the last 6 months?

Dear Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment,

Recently it was reported that Green Party MP Ricardo Menendez March's partner has come to New Zealand to visit, on a 6 month visitor visa, during a worldwide pandemic.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/green-part...

Under the Official Information Act 1982, I ask the following;

1) How many foreign citizens in the last 6 months have been granted a 6 month visitor visa and have now entered New Zealand as of 13/02/2021?

2) How many foreign citizens on a 6 month visitor visa issued before the 8th August 2020 are still in the country as of 13/02/2021?

3) How many foreign citizens on a 6 month visitor visa issued between 08/08/20 and 13/02/21 have now left New Zealand?

Yours faithfully,

Mr M P Ross

-------------------------------------------------------------------

This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #14670 email]

Is [MBIE request email] the wrong address for Official Information requests to Ministry of Business, Innovation &amp; Employment? If so, please contact us using this form:
https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

www.govt.nz <http://www.govt.nz/> - your guide to finding and using New Zealand government services

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Any opinions expressed in this message are not necessarily those of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. This message and any files transmitted with it are confidential and solely for the use of the intended recipient. If you are not the intended recipient or the person responsible for delivery to the intended recipient, be advised that you have received this message in error and that any use is strictly prohibited. Please contact the sender and delete the message and any attachment from your computer.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

hide quoted sections

Dear M P Ross,

 

Please find attached letter from Immigration New Zealand regarding your
Official Information Act request, reference: DOIA 2021-1508.

 

 

Kind Regards,

Lautalie Leausa Vaa
SENIOR BUSINESS ADVISOR

Operations Support, Border & Visa Operations, Immigration New Zealand
Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment

[1][email address] | Telephone: +64 (0)4  896 5342
Level 1, 15 Stout Street, PO Box 1473, Wellington 6140, New Zealand

 

 

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

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Any opinions expressed in this message are not necessarily those of the
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. This message and any
files transmitted with it are confidential and solely for the use of the
intended recipient. If you are not the intended recipient or the person
responsible for delivery to the intended recipient, be advised that you
have received this message in error and that any use is strictly
prohibited. Please contact the sender and delete the message and any
attachment from your computer.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. http://www.govt.nz/

hide quoted sections

Dear M P Ross

 

Please see attached the response to your recent request for information.

 

Ngā mihi

 

Anna McLachlan ([1]she/her)

BUSINESS ADVISOR

 

Operations Support, Border and Visa Operations Branch

Immigration New Zealand, Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment

 

[2][email address]

Level 1, 15 Stout Street, PO Box 1473, Wellington 6011

 

My working hours are Monday, Tuesday, and Friday 8:30am to 3:30pm

 

From: Lautalie Leausa Vaa
Sent: Wednesday, 10 March 2021 9:54 AM
To: [3][FOI #14670 email]
Cc: Anna McLachlan <[4][email address]>
Subject: DOIA 2021-1508 - M P Ross - Due date Extension
[IN-CONFIDENCE:RELEASE EXTERNAL]

 

Dear M P Ross,

 

Please find attached letter from Immigration New Zealand regarding your
Official Information Act request, reference: DOIA 2021-1508.

 

 

Kind Regards,

Lautalie Leausa Vaa
SENIOR BUSINESS ADVISOR

Operations Support, Border & Visa Operations, Immigration New Zealand
Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment

[5][email address] | Telephone: +64 (0)4 896 5342
Level 1, 15 Stout Street, PO Box 1473, Wellington 6140, New Zealand

 

 

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

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Any opinions expressed in this message are not necessarily those of the
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. This message and any
files transmitted with it are confidential and solely for the use of the
intended recipient. If you are not the intended recipient or the person
responsible for delivery to the intended recipient, be advised that you
have received this message in error and that any use is strictly
prohibited. Please contact the sender and delete the message and any
attachment from your computer.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

References

Visible links
1. https://www.publicservice.govt.nz/our-wo...
2. mailto:[email address]
3. mailto:[FOI #14670 email]
4. mailto:[email address]
5. mailto:[email address]
6. http://www.govt.nz/

hide quoted sections