Immigration New Zealand Adopts a Stricter Approach to Assessing Visa Applications
If you're a licensed immigration adviser/lawyer or visa applicant and have noticed more Requests for Information (RFIs) and Potentially Prejudicial Information (PPIs) in your visa applications recently, you're not imagining it.
Immigration New Zealand is adopting a stricter approach to assessing visa applications across multiple categories, with a greater focus on details that were previously not closely scrutinised.
This revised, stricter approach includes:
• Closer scrutiny of evidence
• More emphasis on technical/policy accuracy
• Lower tolerance for incomplete or inconsistent information
• An increase in "interpretation" by immigration officers
This change shows that INZ wants to be more timely, but it also reflects the government’s current focus on proper application assessments and meeting instructions.
For licensed immigration advisers, lawyers, and support staff, this means every detail matters more than ever.
A small omission, like missing work experience proof, unclear partnership evidence, or a missing declaration, can quickly undermine an otherwise strong application.
Practitioners must ensure their internal processes, checklists, and client communications are thorough, and that each submission presents a clear, evidence-based story aligned with INZ policy and procedure.
Practitioners should also be aware of how quickly an oversight can be seen as failing to meet professional duties and obligations.
The current landscape emphasises the importance of accuracy and proactive risk management. Spending additional time to verify facts, cross-check supporting documents, and anticipate potential INZ concerns is now a necessity, not an option.
