Refugee Family Support Resident Visa

The application process for the Refugee Family Support Resident Visa is a two-stage system. It begins with the sponsor in New Zealand registering their interest and ends with the family member overseas applying for residency. Currently, only Tier 1 registrations are being accepted; Tier 2 is closed.

Stage 1: Sponsor Registration (New Zealand)

1. Confirm Tier 1 Eligibility: You must be a New Zealand resident or citizen who arrived originally as a refugee or protected person. To qualify for Tier 1, you must have no "immediate family" (partner, parent, or adult child) already living lawfully in New Zealand, and your family member must not be eligible for any other visa category.
2. Complete the Registration Form: Fill out the Refugee Family Support Category Sponsorship Registration form. You must include the details of the principal applicant and all their accompanying family members (partner and dependent children) at this stage.
3. Submit the Form: Mail the completed form to Immigration New Zealand (INZ). There is no fee for this stage.
4. Wait for Selection: Your registration enters a queue. INZ selects registrations in chronological order based on the annual quota of 600 places.
5. Receive Invitation: If your registration is selected, INZ will send you a notification confirming that your family member is invited to apply for residence.

Stage 2: Visa Application (Overseas)

1. Prepare the Application: Once invited, your family member has exactly 12 months to lodge their formal Resident Visa application.
2. Gather Evidence: Collect birth certificates or UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) documents to prove the relationship between you and the applicant.
3. Submit the Visa Application: The applicant must submit the formal residence paperwork to INZ. While there is no government application fee, they must provide all required identity documents.
4. Complete Health and Character Checks: Do not complete medical exams early. Wait until an immigration officer contacts the applicant to request:
   • Medical Certificate (INZ 1007)
   • Chest X-ray Certificate (INZ 1096)
   • Police certificates from any country the applicant has lived in for 12 months or more.
5. Provide an Accommodation Plan: As the sponsor, you must submit a plan to INZ demonstrating that you have arranged adequate housing for your family for their first 24 months in New Zealand.
6. Visa Grant: If approved, the family members will receive residence visas allowing them to live, work, and study in New Zealand indefinitely.

This visa pathway is unique because the New Zealand government waives the standard processing fees and levies to support refugee resettlement.

Total Estimate: $0

Does not include: Costs for medical examinations, chest X-rays, police certificates, professional English translations of foreign documents, or the cost of airfare to New Zealand.

The timeline for this visa is divided into a long waiting period for the quota and a standard processing period for the visa itself.

• Tier 1 Queue: Wait times are significant due to the strict 600-person annual cap. You should expect to wait in the queue for several years before being invited to apply.
• Visa Processing: Once the application is lodged, processing times vary based on the complexity of the case and the location of the applicants. This stage often takes a year or more.
• Document Validity: Medical and X-ray certificates must be less than 3 months old at the time they are submitted to INZ. Do not obtain these until specifically requested by an officer.
• Application Deadline: The family member must submit their residence application within 12 months of the sponsor being selected from the queue.