Ref: 2223-0445

 

Dear Uma

On behalf of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment I
acknowledge your email of 4^th of September 2022 requesting under the
Official Information Act 1982 (the Act), the following:

“I would like to request some information regarding the culturally
arranged marriage visa application:

 

1. I would like to request INZ to publish culturally arranged marriage
application statistics similar to the visitor visa statistics. Likewise,
50% of applications completed within:75% of applications completed
within:90% of applications completed within. There is no reason why
immigration hides this data when CAM application belongs to the visitor
visa category. If INZ can not do this, I would like to know the reasoning
behind the decision, please.

 

2. What is the average time a CAM application is handed to a case officer?

 

3. What is the average time a visitor visa application is handed to a case
officer?

 

4. If there is a massive discrepancy between question 2 and question 3,
what are the reasons behind this policy?

 

5. What is the earliest time frame a CAM application is approved based on
the last six months satistics?

 

6. On what grounds, a future partner can not apply for a visitor visa?”

 

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 feel free to contact us via email [1][MBIE request email] or
using the contact details below.

 

Nâku noa, nâ

 

Ministerial Services

 

Ngâ Pou o te Taumaru

Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment

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

NZBN 9429000106078

 

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[MBIE request email]

Kia Ora Uma

Can you please confirm and provide evidence you are eligible for an Official Information request under section 12 of the Official Information Act 1982

To be eligible you must be:

(a) a New Zealand citizen; or

(b) a permanent resident of New Zealand; or

(c) a person who is in New Zealand; or

(d) a body corporate which is incorporated in New Zealand; or

(e) a body corporate which is incorporated outside New Zealand but which has a place of business in New Zealand

Can you send this confirmation to [email address] by the end of 14 September 2022

Ngā Mihi,

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT TEAM
Immigration New Zealand
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
15 Stout Street, PO Box 1473, Wellington 6140
NZBN 9429000106078

-----Original Message-----
From: Uma Tatikonda <[FYI request #20460 email]>
Sent: Sunday, 4 September 2022 1:07 pm
To: *OIA <[email address]>
Subject: Official Information request - Aulturally Arranged Marriage

Dear Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment,

I would like to request some information regarding the culturally arranged marriage visa application:

1. I would like to request INZ to publish culturally arranged marriage application statistics similar to the visitor visa statistics. Likewise, 50% of applications completed within:75% of applications completed within:90% of applications completed within. There is no reason why immigration hides this data when CAM application belongs to the visitor visa category. If INZ can not do this, I would like to know the reasoning behind the decision, please.

2. What is the average time a CAM application is handed to a case officer?

3. What is the average time a visitor visa application is handed to a case officer?

4. If there is a massive discrepancy between question 2 and question 3, what are the reasons behind this policy?

5. What is the earliest time frame a CAM application is approved based on the last six months satistics?

6. On what grounds, a future partner can not apply for a visitor visa?

Yours faithfully,
Uma Tatikonda

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

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

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FYI request #20460 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://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

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.

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

hide quoted sections

Kia Ora Uma,

Thank you for your below email of 4 September 2022 requesting information under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act).

This email is to advise you the Ministry has decided to grant your request. However, it has taken us some time to prepare this information for release. We will send you the information requested once we have the final response drafted. Please note that we are unable to obtain all the requested information as they cannot be made available without substantial collations or research.

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.

Ngā Mihi,

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT TEAM
Immigration New Zealand
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
15 Stout Street, PO Box 1473, Wellington 6140
NZBN 9429000106078

-----Original Message-----
From: Uma Tatikonda <[FOI #20460 email]>
Sent: Sunday, 4 September 2022 1:07 pm
To: *OIA <[email address]>
Subject: Official Information request - Aulturally Arranged Marriage

Dear Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment,

I would like to request some information regarding the culturally arranged marriage visa application:

1. I would like to request INZ to publish culturally arranged marriage application statistics similar to the visitor visa statistics. Likewise, 50% of applications completed within:75% of applications completed within:90% of applications completed within. There is no reason why immigration hides this data when CAM application belongs to the visitor visa category. If INZ can not do this, I would like to know the reasoning behind the decision, please.

2. What is the average time a CAM application is handed to a case officer?

3. What is the average time a visitor visa application is handed to a case officer?

4. If there is a massive discrepancy between question 2 and question 3, what are the reasons behind this policy?

5. What is the earliest time frame a CAM application is approved based on the last six months satistics?

6. On what grounds, a future partner can not apply for a visitor visa?

Yours faithfully,
Uma Tatikonda

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

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

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #20460 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://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

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.

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

hide quoted sections

Kia ora Uma,

 

Please find attached the response to your Official Information Act
request.

 

 

Ngā Mihi,

Babitha

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT TEAM

Immigration New Zealand

Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment

15 Stout Street, PO Box 1473, Wellington 6140

NZBN 9429000106078

 

Ref: 2223-1660

 

Dear Uma,

 

On behalf of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment I
acknowledge your email of the 30^th of January 2023 requesting under the
Official Information Act 1982 (the Act), the following:

 

“Thank you for your response. Would you please clarify a few more
questions? 1. According to INZ's recent statistics, on average 88 working
days are required to asses a Culturally Arranged Marriage Visitor visa.
You are saying an applicant should wait for 90 days for a visa that has a
validity of 90 days? Whereas US-dependent partner visas take 30 days and
Singapore visitor visa takes 2-3 days. No offence here, but I appreciate
MBIE's comment on the reasons behind these delays. 2. A visitor visa with
6 months validity requires 8-21 days of processing time. Why does a CAM
visa with 3 months of validity need 3 months of processing time? Why there
is a massive despondency? 3. I have been advised by a senior immigration
NZ staff member I can not apply for a visitor visa for my future partner.
But I heard people bringing partners based on a visitor visa and
converting them into other visas. My direct question is whether an
applicant has a right to apply for a visitor visa if she is married to an
NZ citizen for less than 90 days. 4. Based on n number of normal visitor
visas and CAM visitor visas, which applications are assigned to the case
officer first? 5. I heard that there is a manual step where someone has to
enter manually after Waiting on you to provide medicals to under
assessment stage. My question is how many average number days are required
for this process based on the last 3 months' statistics? 6. Can you please
release how many normal visitor visas were approved on December 22 and
January 23? 7. Can you please release how many CAM visitor visas were
approved on December 22 and January 23?”

 

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

               

Ngâ Pou o te Taumaru

Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment

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

NZBN 9429000106078

 

 

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[MBIE request email]

Tēna koe Uma,

Thank you for your Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) request sent to us on 30 January 2023 requesting the following:

1. According to INZ's recent statistics, on average 88 working days are required to asses a Culturally Arranged Marriage Visitor visa. You are saying an applicant should wait for 90 days for a visa that has a validity of 90 days? Whereas US-dependent partner visas take 30 days and Singapore visitor visa takes 2-3 days. No offence here, but I appreciate MBIE's comment on the reasons behind these delays.

2. A visitor visa with 6 months validity requires 8-21 days of processing time. Why does a CAM visa with 3 months of validity need 3 months of processing time? Why there is a massive despondency?

3. I have been advised by a senior immigration NZ staff member I can not apply for a visitor visa for my future partner. But I heard people bringing partners based on a visitor visa and converting them into other visas. My direct question is whether an applicant has a right to apply for a visitor visa if she is married to an NZ citizen for less than 90 days.

4. Based on n number of normal visitor visas and CAM visitor visas, which applications are assigned to the case officer first?

5. I heard that there is a manual step where someone has to enter manually after Waiting on you to provide medicals to under assessment stage. My question is how many average number days are required for this process based on the last 3 months' statistics?

6. Can you please release how many normal visitor visas were approved on December 22 and January 23?

7. Can you please release how many CAM visitor visas were approved on December 22 and January 23?

In order for us to respond accordingly to your request we require further information from you as follows:

For questions 6 and 7, are you wanting the number of visas approved on 22 December 2022 and 23 January 2023, or are you looking for the period between December 2022 and January 2023?

Please respond to this clarification request by 9 December 2023.

Ngā Mihi,
Babitha

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT TEAM
Immigration New Zealand
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
15 Stout Street, PO Box 1473, Wellington 6140
NZBN 9429000106078

-----Original Message-----
From: Uma Tatikonda <[FOI #20460 email]>
Sent: Monday, 30 January 2023 3:19 am
To: INZ OIAs <[email address]>
Subject: Re: DOIA 2223-0445 - Uma Tatikonda [IN-CONFIDENCE: RELEASE-EXTERNAL]

Dear INZ OIAs,

Thank you for your response. Would you please clarify a few more questions?

1. According to INZ's recent statistics, on average 88 working days are required to asses a Culturally Arranged Marriage Visitor visa. You are saying an applicant should wait for 90 days for a visa that has a validity of 90 days? Whereas US-dependent partner visas take 30 days and Singapore visitor visa takes 2-3 days. No offence here, but I appreciate MBIE's comment on the reasons behind these delays.

2. A visitor visa with 6 months validity requires 8-21 days of processing time. Why does a CAM visa with 3 months of validity need 3 months of processing time? Why there is a massive despondency?

3. I have been advised by a senior immigration NZ staff member I can not apply for a visitor visa for my future partner. But I heard people bringing partners based on a visitor visa and converting them into other visas. My direct question is whether an applicant has a right to apply for a visitor visa if she is married to an NZ citizen for less than 90 days.

4. Based on n number of normal visitor visas and CAM visitor visas, which applications are assigned to the case officer first?

5. I heard that there is a manual step where someone has to enter manually after Waiting on you to provide medicals to under assessment stage. My question is how many average number days are required for this process based on the last 3 months' statistics?

6. Can you please release how many normal visitor visas were approved on December 22 and January 23?

7. Can you please release how many CAM visitor visas were approved on December 22 and January 23?

Yours sincerely,

Uma Tatikonda

-----Original Message-----

Kia ora Uma,

Please find attached the response to your Official Information Act request.

Ngā Mihi,

Babitha

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT TEAM

Immigration New Zealand

Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment

15 Stout Street, PO Box 1473, Wellington 6140

NZBN 9429000106078

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #20460 email]

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

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.

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

hide quoted sections

Kia ora Uma,

 

Thank you for your below email of 30 January 2023 requesting information
under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act).

 

This email is to advise you the Ministry has decided to grant your
request. However, it has taken us some time to prepare this information
for release. We will send you the response to your request once we have
gathered the information. Please note that some information will be
refused under the relevant sections of the Act.

 

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
[1]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.

 

Ngā Mihi,

Babitha

 

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT TEAM

Immigration New Zealand

Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment

15 Stout Street, PO Box 1473, Wellington 6140

NZBN 9429000106078

 

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Uma Tatikonda [2][FOI #20460 email]
Sent: Monday, 30 January 2023 3:19 am
To: INZ OIAs [3][email address]
Subject: Re: DOIA 2223-0445 - Uma Tatikonda [IN-CONFIDENCE:
RELEASE-EXTERNAL]

Dear INZ OIAs,

Thank you for your response. Would you please clarify a few more
questions?

1. According to INZ's recent statistics, on average 88 working days are
required to asses a Culturally Arranged Marriage Visitor visa. You are
saying an applicant should wait for 90 days for a visa that has a validity
of 90 days? Whereas US-dependent partner visas take 30 days and Singapore
visitor visa takes 2-3 days. No offence here, but I appreciate MBIE's
comment on the reasons behind these delays.

2. A visitor visa with 6 months validity requires 8-21 days of processing
time. Why does a CAM visa with 3 months of validity need 3 months of
processing time? Why there is a massive despondency?

3. I have been advised by a senior immigration NZ staff member I can not
apply for a visitor visa for my future partner. But I heard people
bringing partners based on a visitor visa and converting them into other
visas. My direct question is whether an applicant has a right to apply for
a visitor visa if she is married to an NZ citizen for less than 90 days.

4. Based on n number of normal visitor visas and CAM visitor visas, which
applications are assigned to the case officer first?

5. I heard that there is a manual step where someone has to enter manually
after Waiting on you to provide medicals to under assessment stage. My
question is how many average number days are required for this process
based on the last 3 months' statistics?

6. Can you please release how many normal visitor visas were approved on
December 22 and January 23?

7. Can you please release how many CAM visitor visas were approved on
December 22 and January 23?

Yours sincerely,

Uma Tatikonda

References

Visible links
1. https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
2. mailto:[FOI #20460 email]
3. mailto:[email address]

hide quoted sections

Kia ora Uma,

 

Please find attached the response to your Official Information Act
request.

 

 

Ngā mihi

Babitha

 

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT TEAM

Immigration New Zealand

Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment

15 Stout Street, PO Box 1473, Wellington 6140

NZBN 9429000106078