Tēnā koe,

Thank you for your Official Information Act request.

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. 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: Muhammad <[FOI #21887 email]>
Sent: Tuesday, 21 February 2023 12:07 PM
To: OIA Privacy <[NZSIS request email]>
Subject: Official Information request - Third Party Checks (NSC and others)

Dear New Zealand Security Intelligence Service, I can confirm that I am currently in New Zealand, and I would like to know the following:

1- What is the current processing time of the third-party checks (NSC) for residence visa applications. Please provide the most recent processing time for NSC checks as per visa categories, especially resident visas.
Many migrants have been waiting for a third-party check for more than 6 months. In some cases, the NSC checks were already performed for many SMC visa applications and NZSIS is seeking those checks again for the same applications because Immigration New Zealand failed to process those SMC applications on time. And an internal advice was received to Immigration New Zealand in mid 2022 to perform these NSC checks again. While this is a sole responsibility of New Zealand Government agencies to process the visa applications on time and has nothing to do with the visa applicants, however at the end of day, the visa applicants are suffering from this delay.
2- What procedures and actions are in place at NZSIS and Immigration New Zealand for such applicants who are affected from this? Is NZSIS going to expedite the third-party checks (NSC) for such applicants? If no, What's the rationale behind it?
It is also interesting to see that previously third-party checks were conducted in 2-3 months for same residence visa applications, especially SMC visa applications, and now NZSIS is performing those checks again and these are taking more than 6 months and, in some cases, even a year.
3- Does it mean that NZSIS is understaffed and unable to process those checks on time? What's the reason of this delay?
4- I understand that Immigration New Zealand can only follow up the NSC checks after 6 months of its referral to NZSIS. How much does NZSIS take to process those checks after the follow up/ expedition request from the Immigration New Zealand? If there is no timeframe to respond to Immigration New Zealand follow up/expedition requests, then why Immigration officers are not allowed to follow earlier than 6 months?
5- Is there any priority queue at NZSIS to process third party checks? If so, what is the criteria to qualify for the priority queue or expedited processing?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Muhammad

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

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

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #21887 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

Tçnâ koe,

Before we begin processing your request, we require more information to establish your eligibility to make a request under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA).

Per Section 12 of the OIA, to be eligible to make a request you must be:
• a New Zealand citizen
• a permanent resident of New Zealand
• a person who is in New Zealand

Please send information or documentation that confirms your eligibility to make an OIA request to the email address on this webpage: https://www.nzsis.govt.nz/information-re... . We are seeking information or documentation which is enough to make clear that you are a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident or are in New Zealand. One way to do this is to provide evidence, like a copy of a New Zealand driver licence, or passport, or utility bill. Another is to tell us your name and where you are living.

Once we have established your eligibility to make a request under the OIA we can proceed with responding to this request, and the request transferred to our agency on 23 February 2023 from MBIE (https://fyi.org.nz/request/21887-third-p...).

Ngâ mihi,
NZSIS

-----Original Message-----
From: Muhammad <[FOI #21887 email]>
Sent: Tuesday, 21 February 2023 12:07 PM
To: OIA Privacy <[NZSIS request email]>
Subject: Official Information request - Third Party Checks (NSC and others)

Dear New Zealand Security Intelligence Service, I can confirm that I am currently in New Zealand, and I would like to know the following:

1- What is the current processing time of the third-party checks (NSC) for residence visa applications. Please provide the most recent processing time for NSC checks as per visa categories, especially resident visas.
Many migrants have been waiting for a third-party check for more than 6 months. In some cases, the NSC checks were already performed for many SMC visa applications and NZSIS is seeking those checks again for the same applications because Immigration New Zealand failed to process those SMC applications on time. And an internal advice was received to Immigration New Zealand in mid 2022 to perform these NSC checks again. While this is a sole responsibility of New Zealand Government agencies to process the visa applications on time and has nothing to do with the visa applicants, however at the end of day, the visa applicants are suffering from this delay.
2- What procedures and actions are in place at NZSIS and Immigration New Zealand for such applicants who are affected from this? Is NZSIS going to expedite the third-party checks (NSC) for such applicants? If no, What's the rationale behind it?
It is also interesting to see that previously third-party checks were conducted in 2-3 months for same residence visa applications, especially SMC visa applications, and now NZSIS is performing those checks again and these are taking more than 6 months and, in some cases, even a year.
3- Does it mean that NZSIS is understaffed and unable to process those checks on time? What's the reason of this delay?
4- I understand that Immigration New Zealand can only follow up the NSC checks after 6 months of its referral to NZSIS. How much does NZSIS take to process those checks after the follow up/ expedition request from the Immigration New Zealand? If there is no timeframe to respond to Immigration New Zealand follow up/expedition requests, then why Immigration officers are not allowed to follow earlier than 6 months?
5- Is there any priority queue at NZSIS to process third party checks? If so, what is the criteria to qualify for the priority queue or expedited processing?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Muhammad

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

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

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #21887 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 or Muhammad

Please find attached a response to your OIA request.

Kind regards
NZSIS

-----Original Message-----
From: Muhammad <[FOI #21887 email]>
Sent: Tuesday, 21 February 2023 12:07 PM
To: OIA Privacy <[NZSIS request email]>
Subject: Official Information request - Third Party Checks (NSC and others)

Dear New Zealand Security Intelligence Service, I can confirm that I am currently in New Zealand, and I would like to know the following:

1- What is the current processing time of the third-party checks (NSC) for residence visa applications. Please provide the most recent processing time for NSC checks as per visa categories, especially resident visas.
Many migrants have been waiting for a third-party check for more than 6 months. In some cases, the NSC checks were already performed for many SMC visa applications and NZSIS is seeking those checks again for the same applications because Immigration New Zealand failed to process those SMC applications on time. And an internal advice was received to Immigration New Zealand in mid 2022 to perform these NSC checks again. While this is a sole responsibility of New Zealand Government agencies to process the visa applications on time and has nothing to do with the visa applicants, however at the end of day, the visa applicants are suffering from this delay.
2- What procedures and actions are in place at NZSIS and Immigration New Zealand for such applicants who are affected from this? Is NZSIS going to expedite the third-party checks (NSC) for such applicants? If no, What's the rationale behind it?
It is also interesting to see that previously third-party checks were conducted in 2-3 months for same residence visa applications, especially SMC visa applications, and now NZSIS is performing those checks again and these are taking more than 6 months and, in some cases, even a year.
3- Does it mean that NZSIS is understaffed and unable to process those checks on time? What's the reason of this delay?
4- I understand that Immigration New Zealand can only follow up the NSC checks after 6 months of its referral to NZSIS. How much does NZSIS take to process those checks after the follow up/ expedition request from the Immigration New Zealand? If there is no timeframe to respond to Immigration New Zealand follow up/expedition requests, then why Immigration officers are not allowed to follow earlier than 6 months?
5- Is there any priority queue at NZSIS to process third party checks? If so, what is the criteria to qualify for the priority queue or expedited processing?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Muhammad

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

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

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #21887 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