Automatic extensions for New Zealand visas following earthquake

New Zealand, 28th February: The New Zealand immigration office has stated that it will continue to offer automatic New Zealand visa extensions to those affected by recent Christchurch earthquake.

Revealing about the move, Jonathan Coleman, the New Zealand immigration minister stated that such automatic extensions will be for New Zealand work visa, New Zealand visitor visa or New Zealand student visas whose visas could not be processed due to the earthquake in Christchurch.

This will be a special relaxation for those affected by recent earthquake in New Zealand as an emergency measure Coleman issued these instructions to enable the New Zealand immigration’s Christchurch office deal with the heavy rush of New Zealand visa applications currently waiting to be processed.

However, the only pre-condition for such automatic extension of New Zealand visa is that the applicant must have entered New Zealand through legal means and must be living in New Zealand legally.

The validity period of an interim New Zealand visa is said to be for six months or until the decision about the concerned individual’s application for substantive temporary visa is made, whichever comes earlier.

Presently, the number of New Zealand temporary visa applications awaiting processing in the Crystal Plaza office is around 2,000 as the office is said to be off-limits due to safety reasons.

If the applicant has applied for a New Zealand student visa at the Immigration New Zealand Christchurch office, then he or she will be issued an interim New Zealand visa having same conditions as that of any open New Zealand student visa.

Such visa will allow the applicant to pursue any study course in New Zealand. Similarly, if any applicant has applied for a New Zealand visitor visa at the Christchurch office of Immigration New Zealand, he will be issued an interim New Zealand visa having same terms and conditions as that of a New Zealand visitor visa.

And any applicant having filed an application for a New Zealand work visa at the Christchurch office of Immigration New Zealand will be issued an interim New Zealand visa with same terms as that of a New Zealand work visa.

The immigration department of New Zealand will be sending individual notifications to all the affected foreigners at the earliest.