How to get a temporary visa decision reviewed
If we decline your application for a temporary visa to visit, work or study in New Zealand, in some cases you can ask us to reconsider our decision.
Cost
From NZD $220
Processing time
Check if you meet our requirements
If your application for a work, student or visitor visa was declined, you can only ask us to consider it again if:
- you are in New Zealand when you make your request
- you still hold a valid visa — this could be an Interim Visa, and
- we receive your request no more than 14 calendar days after you received our decision to decline your visa.
If your situation has changed since your application was declined, and you think you might now qualify for the visa, you should submit a new application with all relevant information.
How to make a request
Cost
The fee to apply for a reconsideration depends on the visa you applied for:
- Accredited Employer Work Visa — NZD $250
- all other temporary visas — NZD $220.
Fees, decision times, and where to apply
Applying online
If you applied for a Visitor Visa or Accredited Employer Work Visa using Immigration Online, we send you a notification if you can apply online for a reconsideration.
Applying in writing
If you applied for a visa on paper or do not have access to the online system, you need to write to us and ask us to reconsider our decision.
Send us:
- a letter written in English, with your signature explaining everything you want us to consider
- any supporting evidence
- your passport or certificate of identity.
You must also send us your credit card details to pay the fee. Include the:
- card number
- expiry date of the card
- name of the cardholder, and
- signature of the cardholder.
Fees, decision times, and where to apply
Postal addresses for sending your documents
How we process your request
We review your visa application and look at any further information you provide. The review is not done by the immigration officer who declined your application originally.
If our first decision was wrong, we will give you a visa. If our first decision was correct, you will not be given a visa.
If your visa expires while you are waiting for a decision
Asking us to review our decision about a visa application does not stop your current visa expiring.
You are breaking the law if you stay in New Zealand without a valid visa, but we will not start the deportation process if we are still reviewing our decision about your application.
Deportation and how you can appeal
If we confirm our decision to decline your visa
You cannot ask us to consider our decision a second time.
If you have a valid visa, you can submit an application for any visa that fits the purpose of your stay in New Zealand. If your visa has expired, you must leave New Zealand.