22 December 2021
Anurag Verma
[FYI request #17585 email]
DOIA 2122-1120
Dear Anurag
Thank you for your email of 15 November 2021 requesting under the Official Information Act 1982 (the
Act), the following information:
I would like to understand the following details pertaining to Parents Residence Category:
1. What's the total Accepted EOI applications, which are:
a. in accepted backlog
b. in progress
c. on hold (which will be go in progress as soon as the category reopens)?
2. What's the total ITA applications, which are:
a. in accepted backlog
b. in progress
c. on hold (which will be go in progress as soon as the category reopens)?
3. Total how many applicants are there in ITA stage?
4. What's the total applicants are just waiting for visas to be issued, as soon as the category
reopens?
5. How many NON Accepted EOIs are in backlog and total how many applicants?
6.
As the current visa limit is 1000/year, will you count 5 visas issued under 1 application as 1
visa or 5 visas?
Our Response In October 2016 the Government of the day suspended the Parent category to new applications due
to the very high demand for the limited number of places and while a review of the category was
undertaken.
In October 2019 the Government closed the Parent category to new applications and announced that
it would re-open in February 2020 with new criteria.
The first Expression of Interest (EOI) selection for the Parent category under the new criteria was
scheduled to take place in May 2020, however, this was deferred as a result of the COVID-19
pandemic. As a result, Immigration New Zealand (INZ) is not currently selecting Parent category EOIs.
As the category was closed and EOI selections from the pool deferred, all EOIs in the pool can be
considered to be the backlog and/or on hold until selections recommence.
1
Please be aware that as there have been no selections from the pool under the new Parent criteria
that was effective 24 February 2020, there have been no applications processed or decided under
this category.
Please refer to INZs Operational Manual, section F3 (page 292) for the immigration instructions and process
Immigration New Zealand Operational Manual: Residence Part 1
Question 1
As of 8 December 2021, there were a total 5,498 Parent EOIs in the pool.
Question 2 and 3
As of 8 December 2021, there are no outstanding Invitations to Apply (ITAs). Please note that as there have
been no selections from the pool for a number of years, no ITAs have been issued.
Question 4
As of 8 December 2021, there are no Parent Residence Visa applications waiting for visas to be issued. This
stage of processing is called ‘Approval in Principle’.
Question 5
The only EOIs on hand are those accepted into the Pool. If an EOI is not accepted into the pool, then it is
returned to the individual. INZ do not hold onto them.
Question 6
The number of resident visas that can be granted under the Parent Category is limited to 1,000 people for
each year ending 30 June. So if a residence visa application includes one person the count will be one; if the
application includes two people, the count will be two.
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, or if you require any further assistance,
please contac
t [email address]
Yours sincerely,
Sarah Clifford
General Manager – Border and Visa Operations (Acting)
Immigration New Zealand
2