18 December 2023
Azaria Bialik
[FYI request #24973 email]
DOIA 2324-1214
Tēnā koe Azaria,
Thank you for your email of 1 December 2023 to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
requesting, under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act), the following:
Could you kindly inform me whether, in the lead-up to the elections or subsequent to the
introduction of the new government, INZ received any directives to halt or modify the application
assessment procedures for individuals who had already been issued their ITA under the parent
visa category?
On 8 December 2023, we emailed you seeking clarification on the following points:
If you were asking whether it is the
Minister of Immigration and/or
Associate Minister of
Immigration who has directed Immigration New Zealand to halt or modify the application
assessment procedures for individuals who had already been issued their ITA under the parent
visa category?
If you could please specify the exact period, you are after when you indicate ‘
in the lead up to
the election’?
On 13 December 2023, you clarified the following:
My desire is to learn if the change of government effected the processing instructions for the
Parent Resident Visa applications. I would like to know if INZ received any directives to halt or
modify the application assessment procedures for individuals who had already been issued their
ITA under the parent visa category.
In terms of timelines, I am particularly interested in the decisions and instructions provided from
24 November 2023 onward.
Our Response
From 24 November 2023 to 14 December 2023, there were no directives of the type you specify
requiring Immigration New Zealand to make changes to its approach of assessing applications for
individuals who had already been issued an Invitation to Apply under the Parent Resident Visa category.
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
av
ailable 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]. Nāku noa, nā
Jock Gilray
Director Visa
Chief Operating Officer Branch
Immigration New Zealand
Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment
