Ref: 2021-2491

 

Dear Gary,

 

On behalf of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment I
acknowledge your email of Monday 7^th June requesting under the Official
Information Act 1982 (the Act), the following:

 

“I am writing to understand if COVID scenarios are factored into Visa
decision making i.e. some discretion into operational policies and
procedures.

Have there been visitor visas issued to partners of NZ Citizen/Resident,
where living together condition was not possible given COVID scenarios
i.e. lockdowns, curfews, high risk parents requiring isolation and special
care to name a few. These scenarios have stopped the couple from living
together but they are able to prove that their relationship is genuine and
stable.

Are there any results to quantify this?”

 

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

 

If you have any enquiries regarding your request, or its urgency, feel
free to contact us via email at [1][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

 

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

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

Dear Gary,

I have reviewed your question and have determined that it is not a request
for official information. Provided below is general information relating
to the partnership category which I trust will address your question.

Partners of New Zealand citizens and residents are able to submit an
Expression of Interest request for a border exception and if they meet the
criteria stated in the immigration instructions, they will be invited to
apply for a visa.

A couple does have to be living together in a genuine and stable
partnership before a partnership-based visa can be granted. If an
applicant has lived apart from their partner for any significant period of
time during their relationship, they must also provide evidence of the
length of any periods of separation, the reasons for them, and how their
relationship was maintained during those periods. In cases where
immigration instructions have not been met, applicants will need to wait
until the borders reopen before they can reapply.

Immigration instructions set out the rules and criteria that must be met
in order for Immigration New Zealand (INZ) to grant a border exception and
invite an individual to apply for a visa. INZ must consider all requests
against those rules and criteria. INZ has no ability to approve a border
exception and grant a visa as an exception to immigration instructions.

Due to the way in which INZ records its decisions, specific reasons for
visas being granted is not easily retrievable and requires manual review
of the visa application assessment to find the specific details of the
assessment. The specific examples you provide i.e. lockdowns, curfews,
high risk parents requiring isolation and special care would require the
same level of review, as again, these are not specifically noted other
than in the assessment notes of the application.

Kind regards

Adam Jones

Business Advisor

Border & Visa Operations - Immigration New Zealand

Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment
[1][email address]|

[2]www.immigration.govt.nz  | 

 

NZBN 9429000106078

[3]http://thelink/how/PublishingImages/MBIE...

 

[4]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]%7c
2. http://www.immigration.govt.nz/
4. http://www.govt.nz/