www.nzherald.co.nz Open in urlscan Pro
42.99.140.185  Public Scan

Form analysis
0 forms found in the DOM

Text Content

nzherald.co.nz

Subscribe nowSign In

Wednesday, 15 March 2023


SUBSCRIBE TO PREMIUMSign InRegister
My News


YOUR NEWS HOW YOU WANT IT.

On the go and no time to finish that story right now? Your News is the place for
you to save content to read later from any device. Register with us and content
you save will appear here so you can access them to read later.

Find out moreRegister now
NZ Herald Home
Herald PremiumViva Premium
New Zealand
CrimePoliticsHealthEducationEnvironment and ClimateNZ Herald FocusData
journalismKāhu, Māori ContentPropertyWeather
Business
Small BusinessOpinionPersonal FinanceEconomyBusiness TravelMarkets with
MadisonSpecial ReportsDeloitte Top 200 Awards
Sport
Premium SportRugbyCricketRacingNetballBoxingRugby
LeagueFootballAthleticsBasketballMotorsportTennisCyclingGolfAmerican
SportsHockeyUFC
World
Lifestyle
ResetThe SelectionEat WellCanvasRoyalsRelationshipsFood & DrinkFashion &
BeautyWellbeingPets & AnimalsCompetitionsRestaurants & Menus
Entertainment
SpyTVMoviesBooksMusicCultureSideswipeCompetitions
AucklandWellingtonCanterbury/South Island
Regions
NZH Local FocusThe Northland AgeThe Northern AdvocateThe AucklanderBay of Plenty
TimesWhanganui ChronicleRotorua Daily PostHawke's Bay Today
Communities
Hauraki Coromandel PostKatikati AdvertiserWaikato HeraldTe Puke TimesTe Awamutu
CourierRotorua WeekenderTaupō & Tūrangi HeraldStratford PressNapier
CourierHastings LeaderCentral Hawke's Bay MailWhanganui MidweekManawatū
GuardianBush TelegraphHorowhenua ChronicleKāpiti News
Video
Kea Kids
PodcastsOpinionPolitics
Property
OneRoof PropertyCommercial Property
OneRoof Property
Travel
New Zealand TravelAustralia TravelInternational Travel
Open Justice
Kāhu, Māori Content
Te Rito
Talanoa, Voices of the Pacific
Te Rito
DRIVENRuralTechnologyOur Green Future
Puzzles & Quizzes
SudokuCodecrackerCrosswordsWordsearchDaily quizzes
ClassifiedsPhotosMeet the Journalists
Weather
KaitaiaWhangareiDargavilleAucklandThamesTaurangaHamiltonWhakataneRotoruaTokoroaTe
KuitiTaumarunuiTaupoGisborneNew
PlymouthNapierHastingsDannevirkeWhanganuiPalmerston
NorthLevinParaparaumuMastertonWellingtonMotuekaNelsonBlenheimWestportReeftonKaikouraGreymouthHokitikaChristchurchAshburtonTimaruWanakaOamaruQueenstownDunedinGoreInvercargill
NZME Network
NZ HeraldThe Northern AdvocateThe Northland AgeThe AucklanderWaikato HeraldBay
Of Plenty TimesRotorua Daily PostHawke's Bay TodayWhanganui ChronicleThe
Stratford PressManawatu GuardianKapiti NewsHorowhenua ChronicleTe Awamutu
CourierVivaEat WellOneRoofDriven MotoringThe CountryPhoto SalesNZ Herald
InsightsiHeart RadioRestaurant Hub
WEBSITE OF THE YEAR
APP OF THE YEAR
Subscribe

ADVERTISEMENT


Advertise with NZME.



New Zealand


MORE THAN 26,000 STILL WAITING FOR THEIR 2021 RESIDENT VISAS, IMMIGRATION LAWYER
SAYS DELAY ‘UNACCEPTABLE’

By

LINCOLN TAN

6 Mar, 2023 03:06 AM4 mins to read
Saveshare

Share this article

facebookcopy linktwitterlinkedinredditemail
INZ residence application form. Photo / File

INZ residence application form. Photo / File

Uncertainty remains for thousands still waiting for their visas under an
immigration scheme, 2021 Resident Visas (21RV), that was meant to provide
certainty for those who played a key role in supporting the economy through the
Covid-19 pandemic.

More than 106,000 applications for the visas were received by Immigration NZ
after applications closed on July 31 last year, but just about 80,000 have been
approved so far.

Immigration lawyer Harris Gu, who is acting for several applicants said the
delays were unreasonable, is also accusing the agency of “racial and nationality
profiling” for conducting national security checks on his Chinese clients.

“About 26,000 applications are pending and I believe a large portion consists of
people on whom INZ conduct national security checks,” Gu said.

ADVERTISEMENT


Advertise with NZME.

“I believe there is racial profiling of applications or INZ is profiling them by
nationalities as most of those facing delays because of these checks are Chinese
nationals.”

Immigration lawyer Harris Gu. Photo / Sylvie Whinray

The one-off residence visa scheme was introduced to provide certainty for those
who had played a critical role in supporting New Zeaand’s economy while the
border remained largely closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Gu has filed a formal complaint against the agency and suggested that NSC, in
the way it is being carried out, was illegal.

“It is clear that the law says INZ cannot standardise NSC, INZ must consider the
individual circumstances of each applicant then decide whether any one of them
would pose a potential security risk to NZ,” Gu wrote in his complaint.

ADVERTISEMENT


Advertise with NZME.

Gu said that as far as he was concerned, the approach the INZ had adopted to
implementing the checks “is unlawful”.

Of the eight Chinese nationals he and his colleagues were acting for, all
required NSC, and their application status were still at the “gathering
information” stage.

“There was no indication that INZ had, in accordance with immigration policy,
considered any of their individual circumstances in terms of their potential
security risk to NZ before conducting NSC on them,” Gu said.

He also questioned why the PhD students with jobs could not qualify for the
visas under the scheme.

Student visa holders, including PhD and masters students, are not eligible for
21RV, and INZ said there are no plans to broaden the eligibility criteria.

“This was a failed policy to start with, giving away resident visas to the
unemployed but not the PhD students with fulltime employment,” Gu said.

Nicola Hogg, INZ general manager border and visa operations, said processing
applications for the 21RV remained a priority for the agency.

“We are committed to deciding the vast majority of these residence applications
by June 2023,” she said.

“Our staff have been working hard to process these applications and we are
making good progress.”

Hogg said so mare more than 151,000 people have already become NZ residents
under this new policy.

ADVERTISEMENT


Advertise with NZME.

She also defended the need for NSC checks as an essential and necessary step.

“National security checks are an essential part of a process that ensures the
necessary steps are taken to prevent people who may pose a risk to national
security, and the wellbeing of New Zealanders, from entering the country,” Hogg
said.

She said the checks may be required for a range of reasons, and the time taken
to complete varies depending on the applicant and their circumstances.

“Within the timeframe of a visa application being considered, NSCs can take up
to six months, with only a very small number of cases taking longer,” she said.

Hogg would not respond to allegations of racial or nationality profiling,
stating that information relating to NSCs including information around
nationality is withheld under s6(a) of the Official Information Act 1982.

Saveshare

Share this article

facebookcopy linktwitterlinkedinredditemail


ADVERTISEMENT


Advertise with NZME.


LATEST FROM NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand


FOILED FLUSH: RAIN BLAMED AS SEWER OVERFLOWS RISE IN REGION

15 Mar 08:01 AM
New ZealandUpdated


POLICE CHANGE SEARCH AREA FOR MISSING MAN JOSEPH AHURIRI AFTER NEW CCTV IMAGES

15 Mar 07:50 AM
New Zealand


WHY NZ SHOULD PREPARE FOR ANOTHER BUMPER FLU SEASON

15 Mar 06:29 AM
New Zealand|Politics


THIRD OF PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND CO-GOVERNANCE IN THREE WATERS - POLL

15 Mar 06:19 AM
New Zealand


MURDER TRIAL: 'I COULDN’T WORK OUT WHO ANYONE WAS IN THE DARK, THEN BOOM'

15 Mar 06:04 AM



MOST POPULAR

New Zealand


A YEAR AFTER A FATAL MID-AIR SKYDIVING COLLISION OVER MURIWAI, CRIMINAL CHARGES
HAVE BEEN FILED

14 Mar 04:00 PM
Business


SILICON VALLEY BANK COLLAPSE – HOW CONCERNED SHOULD NZ BE ABOUT GLOBAL TREMORS?

14 Mar 04:00 PM
New Zealand


SYSTEM 'BROKEN': THE MASSIVE GAP IN NEW ZEALAND'S ARTS FUNDING

14 Mar 07:33 AM


ADVERTISEMENT


Advertise with NZME.




LATEST FROM NEW ZEALAND


FOILED FLUSH: RAIN BLAMED AS SEWER OVERFLOWS RISE IN REGION

15 Mar 08:01 AM

'We ask people to please only flush the three P’s'


POLICE CHANGE SEARCH AREA FOR MISSING MAN JOSEPH AHURIRI AFTER NEW CCTV IMAGES

15 Mar 07:50 AM


WHY NZ SHOULD PREPARE FOR ANOTHER BUMPER FLU SEASON

15 Mar 06:29 AM


THIRD OF PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND CO-GOVERNANCE IN THREE WATERS - POLL

15 Mar 06:19 AM


MURDER TRIAL: 'I COULDN’T WORK OUT WHO ANYONE WAS IN THE DARK, THEN BOOM'

15 Mar 06:04 AM

About NZMEHelp & SupportContact UsSubscribe to NZ HeraldHouse Rules
Manage Your Print SubscriptionNZ Herald E-EditionAdvertise with NZMEBook Your
AdPrivacy Policy
Terms of UseCompetition Terms & ConditionsSubscriptions Terms & Conditions
© Copyright 2023 NZME Publishing Limited



ACCESS NEW ZEALAND'S BEST JOURNALISM

FROM $1.50 PER WEEK*

T's and C's apply.

SUBSCRIBE NOW



WEEKLY

For the first 12 weeks, pay just

$ 5


$1.50PER WEEK

Subscribe now


ANNUAL

Best deal

$ 199


$129FOR 1 YEAR

Subscribe now
SEE ALL OFFERS
TOP
search by queryly Advanced Search