Tēnā koe,

 

Thank you for your Official Information Act request. However, before we
can begin processing your request, we need to be satisfied that your
request meets the requirements under section 12(1) of the OIA. To that
end, could you please provide us with a form of ID that proves you meet
the eligibility criteria for an OIA, that being:

·         a New Zealand citizen; or

·         a permanent resident of New Zealand; or

·         a person who is in New Zealand; or

·         a body corporate which is incorporated in New Zealand; or

·         a body corporate which is incorporated outside New Zealand but
which has a place of business in New Zealand.

 

One we have received confirmation, we will endeavour to respond to your
request as soon as possible and, in any event, no later than 20 working
days after the day that your request was received, Monday 5 December
2022.  If we are unable to respond to your request by then, we will notify
you of an extension of that timeframe.

 

If you have any queries, please feel free to contact
[NZSIS request email].

 

Ngā mihi,

NZSIS

 

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

From: Grant Johnson <[FOI #21056 email]>

Sent: Monday, 7 November 2022 6:22 AM

To: OIA Privacy <[NZSIS request email]>

Subject: Official Information request - Criteria for "priority" residence
NSC checks

 

Dear New Zealand Security Intelligence Service,

 

In an 21 October 2022 article on RNZ by Gill Bonnett
(https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/4770...),
NZSIS supplied information regarding the average response times for a
National Security Check (NSC) for applicants for residency visas.

 

The article includes the following quote:

"[NZSIS's] data showed its average response time for a NSC check was 23
days. Citizenship requests were responded to on average after two days,
while 'priority' residence visas took 38. Residence 2021 category took 46,
while 'routine residence visas including Residence 2021' took 66."

 

Can you please clarify what you meant by the word "priority" here? Is
there a set of criteria used in determining which residence visa
applications qualify as "priority" for the purposes of a NSC check? If so,
what are those criteria? Or are there certain residency visa categories
that receive a blanket designation as "priority", and if so, what are
those categories?

 

In addition, can you please provide a copy of the same data that was
supplied to the author of that article in connection to NSC response
times?

 

Thank you for your assistance in this matter.

 

Yours faithfully,

 

Grant Johnson

 

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

 

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

 

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:

[FOI #21056 email]

 

Is [NZSIS request email] the wrong address for Official Information
requests to New Zealand Security Intelligence Service? 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.

 

 

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This electronic message, together with any attachments, contains
information that is provided in confidence and may be subject to legal
privilege. Any classification markings must be adhered to. If you are not
the intended recipient, you must not peruse, disclose, disseminate, copy
or use the message in any way. If you have received this message in error,
please notify us immediately by return email and then destroy the original
message.  The New Zealand Intelligence Community (NZIC) and the
departments comprising the NZIC accepts no responsibility for changes to
this e-mail, or to any attachments, after its transmission from NZIC. This
communication may be accessed or retained for information assurance
purposes. Thank you.

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

hide quoted sections

Kia ora Grant

This is to advise that the NZSIS has made a decision on your request and will provide you with the information. We will get our substantive response to you without undue delay.

Kind regards
NZSIS

-----Original Message-----
From: Grant Johnson <[FOI #21056 email]>
Sent: Monday, 7 November 2022 6:22 AM
To: OIA Privacy <[NZSIS request email]>
Subject: Official Information request - Criteria for "priority" residence NSC checks

Dear New Zealand Security Intelligence Service,

In an 21 October 2022 article on RNZ by Gill Bonnett (https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/4770...), NZSIS supplied information regarding the average response times for a National Security Check (NSC) for applicants for residency visas.

The article includes the following quote:
"[NZSIS's] data showed its average response time for a NSC check was 23 days. Citizenship requests were responded to on average after two days, while 'priority' residence visas took 38. Residence 2021 category took 46, while 'routine residence visas including Residence 2021' took 66."

Can you please clarify what you meant by the word "priority" here? Is there a set of criteria used in determining which residence visa applications qualify as "priority" for the purposes of a NSC check? If so, what are those criteria? Or are there certain residency visa categories that receive a blanket designation as "priority", and if so, what are those categories?

In addition, can you please provide a copy of the same data that was supplied to the author of that article in connection to NSC response times?

Thank you for your assistance in this matter.

Yours faithfully,

Grant Johnson

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

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

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #21056 email]

Is [NZSIS request email] the wrong address for Official Information requests to New Zealand Security Intelligence Service? 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.

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

This electronic message, together with any attachments, contains information that is provided in confidence and may be subject to legal privilege.
Any classification markings must be adhered to. If you are not the intended recipient, you must not peruse, disclose, disseminate, copy or use the message in
any way. If you have received this message in error, please notify us immediately by return email and then destroy the original message.
The New Zealand Intelligence Community (NZIC) and the departments comprising the NZIC accepts no responsibility for changes to this e-mail, or to any attachments, after its transmission
from NZIC. This communication may be accessed or retained for information assurance purposes. Thank you.

hide quoted sections

Kia ora Gant

The Director-General's response to your request is attached.

Kind regards
NZSIS

-----Original Message-----
From: Grant Johnson <[FOI #21056 email]>
Sent: Monday, 7 November 2022 6:22 AM
To: OIA Privacy <[NZSIS request email]>
Subject: Official Information request - Criteria for "priority" residence NSC checks

Dear New Zealand Security Intelligence Service,

In an 21 October 2022 article on RNZ by Gill Bonnett (https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/4770...), NZSIS supplied information regarding the average response times for a National Security Check (NSC) for applicants for residency visas.

The article includes the following quote:
"[NZSIS's] data showed its average response time for a NSC check was 23 days. Citizenship requests were responded to on average after two days, while 'priority' residence visas took 38. Residence 2021 category took 46, while 'routine residence visas including Residence 2021' took 66."

Can you please clarify what you meant by the word "priority" here? Is there a set of criteria used in determining which residence visa applications qualify as "priority" for the purposes of a NSC check? If so, what are those criteria? Or are there certain residency visa categories that receive a blanket designation as "priority", and if so, what are those categories?

In addition, can you please provide a copy of the same data that was supplied to the author of that article in connection to NSC response times?

Thank you for your assistance in this matter.

Yours faithfully,

Grant Johnson

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

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

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #21056 email]

Is [NZSIS request email] the wrong address for Official Information requests to New Zealand Security Intelligence Service? 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.

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

This electronic message, together with any attachments, contains information that is provided in confidence and may be subject to legal privilege.
Any classification markings must be adhered to. If you are not the intended recipient, you must not peruse, disclose, disseminate, copy or use the message in
any way. If you have received this message in error, please notify us immediately by return email and then destroy the original message.
The New Zealand Intelligence Community (NZIC) and the departments comprising the NZIC accepts no responsibility for changes to this e-mail, or to any attachments, after its transmission
from NZIC. This communication may be accessed or retained for information assurance purposes. Thank you.

hide quoted sections