5 July 2022
Kritika
[FYI request #19725 email]
File No: DOIA 2122-2374
Dear Kritika
Thank you for your email of 22 June 2022 to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
(MBIE), requesting under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act), the following information:
“I would like to know
1. How many Culturally Arranged Marriage applications are pending to be assigned a case officer
as of 22nd June 2022 ?
2. How many applications are approved and declined to date?
3. Will there be changes to the processing time to CAM applications due to the time limit placed on
it?
4. Is there any way a person can find out what number is their application in the queue to get a
sense of peace?”
On 23 June 2022, we sent you an email asking to clarify Question 2 of your request, “How many
applications are approved and declined to date?” We received your response on the same day
clarifying:
I want to know how many applications are approved and declined from the beginning of the from
March 2022 to June.
Our response
1. How many Culturally Arranged Marriage applications are pending to be assigned a case
officer as of 22nd June 2022?
As at 22 June 2022, there were 131 unallocated Culturally Arranged Marriage (CAM) applications
awaiting to be assigned to an immigration officer.
2. How many applications are approved and declined from the beginning of March 2022 to
June?
Between 1 March 2022 and 22 June 2022, 90 CAM applications were approved and 89 were
declined.
3. Will there be changes to the processing time to CAM applications due to the time limit
placed on it? Immigration New Zealand (INZ) is committed to processing visas as fast as practicable, however
processing times always depend on the complexity of an application.
The INZ website remains the best place for up-to-date information on processing times:
Immigration New Zealand
4. Is there any way a person can find out what number is their application in the queue to
get a sense of peace?
Applications are allocated based on the date on which they were received by INZ. Further
information on how to check your visa application status can be found here:
https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas/waiting-for-a-visa/checking-your-visa-
application-status You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of the Ministry’s
response to your request, in accordance with section 28(3) of the Act. 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] Yours sincerely
Nicola Hogg
General Manager, Border and Visa Operations
Immigration New Zealand