ISSUE
Friday, August 15, 2025
Volume 16 . Issue 72
Immigration New Zealand has told the Indian Weekender that 450 people would qualify under the newly announced exception category under ‘Partners and dependent children of temporary visa holders’.
Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi has today announced new border exceptions that will potentially re-unite hundreds of families separated by border closures.
While the announcement is largely targeted on the families of critical health care workers, who were not being able to enter NZ because of an existing anomaly within the policy which had gained much media attention in recent months propelling Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to intervene and assure a quick fixing of the problem.
There are two miniscule categories of partners/families of other temporary migrant workers – “partners/families of highly-skilled workers and Partners” and “dependent children who held a visa before the border closure”.
The Indian Weekender has approached Immigration New Zealand about the number of individuals that will potentially be able to get exception to enter NZ under the category “Partners and dependent children who held a visa before the border closure.”
A response from a MBIE spokesperson said, “We estimate around 450 people will be eligible for this border exception.
“Another few hundred may be eligible if their family member in New Zealand applies for, and receives, a visa with at least 12 months on it,” the spokesperson further added.
It will take months before these family members will actually be able to join their NZ based relatives as normal MIQ rules and flight availability would apply.
Immigration New Zealand has told the Indian Weekender that 450 people would qualify under the newly announced exception category under ‘Partners and dependent children of temporary visa holders’.
Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi has today announced new border exceptions that will potentially...
Immigration New Zealand has told the Indian Weekender that 450 people would qualify under the newly announced exception category under ‘Partners and dependent children of temporary visa holders’.
Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi has today announced new border exceptions that will potentially re-unite hundreds of families separated by border closures.
While the announcement is largely targeted on the families of critical health care workers, who were not being able to enter NZ because of an existing anomaly within the policy which had gained much media attention in recent months propelling Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to intervene and assure a quick fixing of the problem.
There are two miniscule categories of partners/families of other temporary migrant workers – “partners/families of highly-skilled workers and Partners” and “dependent children who held a visa before the border closure”.
The Indian Weekender has approached Immigration New Zealand about the number of individuals that will potentially be able to get exception to enter NZ under the category “Partners and dependent children who held a visa before the border closure.”
A response from a MBIE spokesperson said, “We estimate around 450 people will be eligible for this border exception.
“Another few hundred may be eligible if their family member in New Zealand applies for, and receives, a visa with at least 12 months on it,” the spokesperson further added.
It will take months before these family members will actually be able to join their NZ based relatives as normal MIQ rules and flight availability would apply.
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