Immigration Minister Nathan Guy confirmed the changes to Immigration New Zealand’s policies for the family category on May 10, 2012.
Among the changes made to the Family category, applicants under the Parent category will have to lodge two applications – an ‘Expression of Interest’ as well as the actual residence application.
Immigration New Zealand (INZ) is also introducing a new two-tiered system, which would give preferential treatment to certain applications lodged under the new Parent category.
Further, Immigration New Zealand has confirmed that it will be terminating the Sibling and Adult Child category permanently.
The changes will only be implemented in July 2012. However, INZ will not be accepting any more applications from May 15, 2012.
Many current applicants are in the process of putting together their residence application and are merely awaiting supporting documents such as medical and police certificates. However, with the sudden unannounced implementation of these changes, these applicants have been unable to gather their documents in time to lodge their residence applications before May 15, 2012.
Their hopes and dreams of reuniting with their family members in New Zealand have now been destroyed.
Dr Frank Deliu, on behalf of the Supreme Sikh Council, has appealed to the High Court at Auckland seeking interim orders against INZ’s sudden policy changes. More specifically, Dr Deliu will be arguing gross unfairness in relation to the short three working days’ notice in which to lodge applications under existing immigration policies.
Issued by the Supreme Sikh Council of New Zealand
