A16.1 General Instructions for the order of processing visa applications

For the avoidance of doubt, general instructions are to be read alongside and subject to any immigration instructions specifically addressing order or manner of processing visa applications.

For the purposes of this general instruction, residence class visa applications are categorised in groups. Groups consist of either application types within a particular overarching policy, a category with different but associated visa policies, or specific applications that are grouped together in the Immigration New Zealand Operational Manual. Current groupings are found at A16.5.

Under section 26(4) of the Immigration Act 2009 and acting under delegated authority from the Chief Executive of the Ministry of the Business, Innovation, and Employment, I give the following general instructions as to the order and manner of processing of visa applications, effective from: 1 April 2025.

Residence applications

1. Applications of the same group should generally be processed in lodgement date order unless specified below.
2. Despite (a) above, applications in the following residence class categories may be grouped by like characteristics, and those groups prioritised for processing at the discretion of the designated and authorised immigration officer in the role of Deputy Chief Operating Officer, Director Visa or Operations Director (Central/Southern).
   1. Within the Business Residence group, Active Investor Plus category
   2. Within the Family Residence Group, Parent Retirement category
3. When the order of processing for residence class categories at (b) is determined by like characteristic groups, the Deputy Chief Operating Officer, Director Visa or Operations Director (Central/Southern) must:
   1. Inform the Deputy Secretary, Immigration of the grouping; and
   2. Ensure the publication of details and rationale for the grouping on the INZ website.

      Note: Examples of like characteristics for grouping may include, but are not limited to, applications that have been submitted with all mandatory documentation and adhered to the acceptable investment information guide published on the INZ website, Active Investor Plus applications requesting to change from old instructions to new instructions, or Active Investor Plus applications changing investment category between Growth or Balanced.

4. Within the Skilled Residence group, applications will be prioritised where:
   1. applicants are employed or have been offered employment in an occupation listed in Tier 1 of the Green List; or
   2. applicants have an hourly rate equivalent to or higher than three times the median wage; or
   3. for the Skilled Migrant Category, applicants qualify for six points without work experience.

      Note: The hourly rate equivalent to the median wage is set out in the applicable immigration instructions and may change. At the date of giving this General Instruction the hourly rate equivalent to three times the median wage is $94.83 per hour or an annual salary of $197,246.40. The current immigration instructions should be referred to when applying this General Instruction.

5. Within the Family Residence group, Partnership and Dependent Child Family applications will be prioritised.
6. Within the Parent Resident Visa category of the Family Residence group, visa applications are split into two cohorts. Cohort one comprises applications from people invited to apply for a visa who had an expression of interest selected from the Queued Pool (for which there are 2000 visas available per year). Cohort two comprises applications from people invited to apply for a visa who had an expression of interest selected from the Ballot Pool (for which there are 500 visas available per year). Each cohort will generally be processed in lodgement date order within that cohort, however prioritisation as to processing between the two cohorts will be adjusted by INZ as necessary in order to best meet the overall annual limit of 2500 visas per year.
7. Within the Refugee (and other special visas) Residence group, applications for the following permanent resident visas will be prioritised:
   1. Refugee and Protection Category
   2. Refugee Quota Family Reunification Category
   3. Community Organisation Refugee Sponsorship Category Pilot

   Temporary entry applications

8. Applications should generally be processed in lodgement date order unless specified below.
9. Job Check applications and Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) applications will be prioritised where the application is based on a job offer or employment in an occupation listed on the Green List (Appendix 13).
10. Unless (i) above applies, applications in the following temporary entry categories may be grouped by like characteristics, and those groups prioritised for processing at the discretion of the designated and authorised immigration officer in the role of Deputy Chief Operating Officer, Director Visa, or Operations Director (Central/Southern).
    1. AEWV (Employer accreditation, Job Check and Accredited Employer Work Visa)
    2. Partner of an AEWV holder
    3. Dependent of an AEWV holder
    4. International student visa categories:
       • English language studies
       • Exchange student
       • Full-fee paying
       • Pathway
       • Scholarship holder
    5. Partner of a student visa holder
    6. Dependent child of a work visa holder (who is a partner of a student visa holder)
    7. Dependent child of a visitor visa holder (who is a partner of a student visa holder)
    8. Guardian of a student visa holder
11. When the order of processing for temporary entry categories at (j) is determined by like characteristic groups, the Deputy Chief Operating Officer, Director Visa or Operations Director (Central/Southern) must:
    1. Inform the Deputy Secretary, Immigration of the grouping; and
    2. Ensure the publication of details and rationale for the grouping on the INZ website.

       Note: Examples of like characteristics may include but are not limited to sector, employer, occupation, course of study, education provider, or applications where all the information required to make a decision is or is not present.

12. These instructions do not prevent immigration officers according urgency to the processing of any particular visa application when the individual circumstances so warrant that.

Note: Processing timeliness of applications generally, as well as those particular applications assigned priority over others in their group, will vary based on factors including resourcing, availability of relevantly trained immigration officers, system capacity, volumes, typical complexity of the application and can change depending on circumstances.

The prioritisation for allocation set out above does not affect the date the application is made. An application is made on the date the application is submitted in accordance with the applicable immigration regulations.

On 1 April 2025, the previous General Instructions dated 5 December 2024 as to the order of processing of visa applications made under section 26(4) of the Immigration Act 2009 are revoked.

Alison McDonald
Deputy Secretary
Immigration

Signed 31 March 2025

Effective 01/04/2025