25 June 2024
Nessy-Rose
[FYI request #27018 email]
DOIA 2324-2611
Tēnā koe Nessy-Rose
Thank you for your email of 27 May 2024 to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
requesting, under the Official Information Act 1982 , the following:
I am writing to request information under the Official Information Act 1982 regarding the
Parent Residence Visa category, specifically concerning the annual quota for the 2000 queue
applicants and the 500 ballot applicants. I kindly request an expedited reply wel before the
statutory deadline, as this information is known to Immigration New Zealand (INZ) and can
be responded to immediately.
1. Confirmation of Decision Hold:
a. It is our understanding that INZ is currently holding back decisions on applications before
sending them for second-person/Quality Control (QC) checks. Can you confirm this?
b. If this is the case, why would INZ not process second-person/quality checks when it has the
resources available to avoid a bottleneck in completing these checks after 1 July 2024?
Please can definitive reasoning be given?
2. Ensuring Fairness for Waiting Applicants:
a. How wil INZ ensure fairness to those waiting for their decisions due to the annual quota
being reached? Specifically, how are these tracked for applications where a decision has
already been made but is pending QC? by date order?
b. Wil these applications waiting the longest for QC checks be given priority when the new
fiscal year commences on 1st July 2024?
3. Management of QC Checks:
a. Wil the QC check process cause a bottleneck?
b. How does INZ plan to handle this to ensure applicants who have been waiting the longest
for QC since the quota was reached are dealt with first in a queue manner?
Our Response
Question: Confirmation of Decision Hold:
a. It is our understanding that INZ is currently holding back decisions on applications before
sending them for second-person/Quality Control (QC) checks. Can you confirm this?
Up to 2,500 resident visas can be granted under the Parent Category for each year ending 30 June.
Immigration New Zealand (INZ) is closely managing applications towards the end of the financial year.
b. If this is the case, why would INZ not process second-person/quality checks when it has the
resources available to avoid a bottleneck in completing these checks after 1 July 2024? Please
can definitive reasoning be given?
INZ has a number of technical advisors who complete quality checks and they are being fully utilised
across all our visa products.
Question: Ensuring Fairness for Waiting Applicants:
a. How wil INZ ensure fairness to those waiting for their decisions due to the annual quota being
reached? Specifically, how are these tracked for applications where a decision has already
been made but is pending QC? by date order?
b. Wil these applications waiting the longest for QC checks be given priority when the new fiscal
year commences on 1st July 2024?
We complete quality checks in the order that they are assessed to a decision ready state.
Question: Management of QC Checks:
a. Wil the QC check process cause a bottleneck?
b. How does INZ plan to handle this to ensure applicants who have been waiting the longest for
QC since the quota was reached are dealt with first in a queue manner?
As stated above, our technical advisors are being fully utilised across all visa products and quality
checks are completed in the order that applications are decision ready.
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.
If you wish to discuss any aspect of this response, please contac
t [email address]
Nāku noa, nā
Jock Gilray
Director Visa
Immigration New Zealand
Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment
