If you are in NZ illegally, have issues with a current application or face other immigration problems, we can help.
We understand how frightening this is and can help to resolve things in the best way for you and your family. We are kind, non-judgmental and proactive when dealing with any immigration problem. We will support you from the moment you contact us.
Problems with a Current Application?
If officials at Immigration New Zealand have concerns about your application, they may send you a Potentially Prejudicial Information Letter (PPI). This is a formal letter that highlights the concerns. The letter comes with a deadline for your response.
Your visa application will almost certainly fail if you do not address these concerns adequately and in time. If you have a visa declined, it can affect future applications, not only in New Zealand but in other countries, too.
At NZ Visa Connections, we understand the seriousness of receiving a PPI letter. We are skilled at identifying exactly what action is needed. We will treat your case with urgency and quickly assess the best response to Immigration New Zealand. You may not realise that it is your (the visa applicant’s) responsibility to provide all necessary information to the immigration officer. Immigration New Zealand will not spend much time identifying what your application is missing or asking you to fix the issues.
You will probably only get one chance to respond to the PPI. For this reason, it is vital to submit a clear and complete response. You must include all the necessary evidence to back up any claims.
NZ Visa Connections has great success in rescuing failing visa applications. We will prepare a detailed PPI response containing all the vital information. We will also present the response in a way that makes it easy for Immigration New Zealand to approve your visa.
Character Requirements
You must be of good character to be granted a visa in New Zealand. You must not threaten New Zealand’s international reputation or pose a security threat to the country and its inhabitants.
If you will be in NZ for longer than 24 months or want to apply for residence, you must provide specific police certificates. These help to evidence your good character.
The character requirements relate to any previous criminal history you have and any issues you have had with immigration departments worldwide.
Be careful. It’s easy to provide the wrong police certificate and delay your application.
If you have character issues, your application will be more complicated than usual and its worth getting the support of an immigration professional.
Again, be careful. Don’t wait too long.
You may need to prepare relevant evidence many months before a visa application. You must allow time for this. We can help you to respond to a character issue by applying for a character waiver.
What is a Character Waiver?
When you are applying for your visa, you must declare any relevant information about potential character issues from the beginning. This includes incidents that may have happened years ago.
Please note that overseas ‘clean state’ laws do not always apply for a visa in New Zealand. You must declare any charges you have that fall under this definition. If in doubt, we would always recommend you disclose any and all convictions.
Once an Immigration Officer sees your application, they will attempt to establish whether you are of good character. They may send you a Potentially Prejudicial Information letter, known as a PPI letter, outlining why they believe you are not of good character. You will then have the chance to reply to this with an explanation and ask them to issue you with a character waiver.
Immigration New Zealand uses different measures of good character, depending on the visa you are applying for. We understand these various measures. We will use our expertise to present your character waiver request in the best possible way. We will seek information from services you have worked with to address issues you face and refer you to relevant agencies. We will also advocate strongly for you. We will use the correct evidence to enable Immigration New Zealand to give you that all-important character waiver.
Unlawful in NZ
If you are in New Zealand illegally, we recommend that you immediately seek professional advice from us. Delays in doing so can complicate your situation further and lead to deportation.
It might not be your fault that you have become unlawful. We understand that sometimes this happens & migrants can become unlawful because of circumstances outside of their control or because they have had poor advice.
Many migrants in this situation find this very stressful. They are frightened to act in case they make the situation worse than it already is. We will assess your situation and help you understand what steps you can take to solve the problem.
The worst thing you can do is to do nothing.
Becoming unlawful and failing to address the situation can seriously affect your chances of staying in New Zealand permanently. It will also affect your chances of migrating to a different country. Please speak to us and ask for support and assistance to escape your unlawful status.
Talk to us at NZ Visa Connections.
We promise you kindness, understanding and respect.
Medical Requirements
All non-residents or citizens must have an ‘Acceptable Standard of Health’ before travelling to NZ. If you will be in NZ for longer than 12 months or want to apply for residence, you must provide a chest X-ray and a general medical certificate before getting a visa.
If officers at Immigration New Zealand question your health, they will refer you to one of their specialist medical assessors. This referral aims to decide whether your condition is likely to endanger public health or place big demands or costs on New Zealand’s health services. We are familiar with the medical conditions that might cause delays with the medical assessors. We work with you to seek further medical opinions to prove that you meet the Acceptable Standard of Health criteria.
Many migrants hoping for work visas do not realise that they must be able to prove they are healthy enough to do the job for which they are applying.
You might be able to afford to pay for private health care, access private health insurance or have your health costs paid by someone else. However, even if this is the case, it will not be considered by Immigration NZ.
It is essential to present your health issue effectively to Immigration New Zealand. You must seek a Medical Waiver if you need one.
Please get in touch as soon as possible for our expert help if:
- you have a known medical issue OR
- if Immigration New Zealand has written to you raising a medical concern
