Immigration New Zealand
Immigration New Zealand
09/26/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/25/2024 20:57
One million visitor visa decisions made since the border reopened
INZ's Visa Director Jock Gilray says this is a significant milestone and shows the volume of work being done by processing staff at INZ.
"Every day, our processing staff are working hard to ensure that people wanting to visit New Zealand and experience all our country has to offer can do so, while also protecting New Zealand from immigration risks," Jock Gilray says.
Of the one million visas decisions made, more than 914,000 were approved and around 114,000 applications were declined. The average time taken to decide an application was XX weeks.
"This milestone highlights the significant effort made by our staff and their commitment to delivering timely decisions for our customers," Jock Gilray says.
"It also shows us that demand to come to New Zealand remains strong, with applications in 2023 hitting record levels since the borders reopened after the COVID-19 pandemic."
In 2024 alone, over 400,000 visitor visa applications have been submitted, resulting in more than 350,000 approvals to date. These are currently being decided within an of average three weeks.
"People clearly remain eager to explore New Zealand and immerse themselves in the unique beauty and culture that our nation provides. At INZ, we are always working hard to make sure we decide visa applications as quickly as possible and give our customers the certainty they need to plan their holiday.
"As we head into our summer processing peak, we typically see a surge in the number of visitor visa applications as people plan to spend holidays like Christmas and New Year with loved ones or enjoy a Kiwi summer and this can impact the time it takes to process an application.
"While we are well prepared to manage the surge, we encourage people to submit their applications as early as possible to give themselves the best possible chance of having their application decided in time for them to plan their trips with confidence," says Jock Gilray.
"Anyone wanting to spend Christmas in New Zealand should submit their application no later than 15 October 2024. Those hoping to ring in the New Year, including the Chinese Lunar New Year, in New Zealand should ensure their applications are in by November 15, 2024."
In addition to submitting applications well in advance, INZ strongly encourages travellers to provide complete applications with all necessary documentation as this helps the speed of application processing.
More information is available at:
Apply early for your New Zealand visitor visa
Notes to editor:
The Government decided that increases to visa charges, made up of fees and levies, are being introduced on 1 October 2024.
Passport holders of some countries and territories do not have to apply for a visa before they travel to NZ but must hold an NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority). A list of visa waiver countries and territories can be found here: