Immigration New Zealand Ditches Visa Stickers

Immigration New Zealand Ditches Visa Stickers

Gone are the days of visa stickers, as Immigration New Zealand goes digital.

Immigration New Zealand has announced that from July 4th it will not be issuing physical labels for visas. Instead of the physical stickers, visa applicants would receive e-Visas via email.

Previously, almost all visas which were lodged via a paper form were issued with a physical sticker which was placed in the applicant’s passport. Visas which were lodged online would be issued with an e-Visa, which could be printed and kept by the visa-holder.

However, Immigration New Zealand will now begin to issue digital visas even in cases where the application is lodged on a traditional paper form. The only exception to the new rule will be student visas which are lodged via Provider Direct.

Immigration New Zealand has clarified that in the rare cases where applicants do not have an email address, their visas may be issued via post, but will not be affixed to their passport.

Commenting on the new rule, Kirill Kruger, immigration adviser at AMG Immigration, said that in most cases e-visas will benefit applicants, as they are quicker to process, and may be accessed more readily than their physical counterparts.

None of the above is intended or offered as personalized immigration advice.

If you require any immigration advice or consultation, please contact our Wellington immigration adviser as soon as possible.

ENDS

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