Author Topic: New interim visa introduced in New Zealand  (Read 1800 times)

Offline afrasiab

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New interim visa introduced in New Zealand
« on: February 05, 2011, 03:30:23 AM »
New interim visa introduced in New Zealand
by RAY CLANCY on FEBRUARY 1, 2011

A new type of visa is being introduced in New Zealand this month for visitors, foreign students and workers who want to extend their stay in the country.

The interim visa will be introduced on 07 February as part of the Immigration Act 2009 and are designed to maintain a person’s lawful status in New Zealand where they already hold a valid temporary visa and have applied for a further temporary visa.

To be eligible for an interim visa, a person must hold a valid temporary visa when their application for another temporary visa is accepted by Immigration New Zealand.

In most cases an interim visa will be granted automatically by electronic means. No visa label will be placed in a person’s passport. A person will be notified by email or by letter if they have been granted one.

The interim visa will be valid until the date a person’s application for a temporary visa is decided up to a maximum of six months.

No fee or form is required for an interim visa and a person cannot apply for one. The holder cannot apply for a visa of any other class or type while the interim visa is current.

An interim visa cannot be used for travel. This means that if the holder of an interim visa leaves New Zealand, his or her visa will automatically expire.

Whether the holder of an interim visa can work or study is shown by the conditions of the interim visa. These conditions depend on the visa he or she held previously, and the type and conditions of the visa applied for.

Immigration New Zealand gives the following example: Lucy has a visa to work for a specific tourism company as a specialist tour guide in New Zealand for a year. Her boss is keen for her to stay on for another year, so Lucy puts in a new work visa application for her current job. This is accepted for processing. However, Lucy’s application cannot be processed before her visa expires, and she is granted an interim visa that allows her to remain in her current job while her application is decided. The interim visa does not allow her to change her job or work for a different company.

‘No one is entitled to an interim visa as a matter of right. Whether or not to grant an interim visa to any person is a matter for the absolute discretion of the relevant immigration officer or of the Minister of Immigration. There is no right of appeal against a decision not to grant an interim visa,’ said a spokesman.