Please see msg below from INZ re. Fee Refunds.
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Kia ora,
Thank you for your continued engagement with Immigration New Zealand.
New Zealand continues to have strict border controls to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Due to these restrictions, INZ cannot legally grant visas to people outside New Zealand who are unlikely to meet our entry requirements. This means applications from most of these people cannot be approved.
Border entry requirements | Immigration New Zealand
The Minister of Immigration has recently agreed to lapse visa applications that cannot be approved due to the border restrictions. INZ will refund application fees and levies for all applications that are being lapsed. INZ will also refund and return temporary visa applications received from people outside New Zealand after 10 August 2020, when offshore applications were suspended.
Immigration New Zealand currently has about 50,000 temporary visa applications on hand that will be refunded. These are mainly visitor, student and work visa applications.
Extended temporary visas
Applicants in New Zealand whose existing temporary visa was automatically extended by special direction will be contacted by INZ. They can choose to withdraw or proceed with their application.
Email notification
The affected visa applicants do not need to do anything. If they are eligible for a refund we will email them, or their representative, when their refund is being processed. They do not have to ask us for the refund.
Refund eligibility
The applications to be refunded are mainly visitor, student and work visa applications.
Refunds for visa applications that cannot be processed [link to new web page]
Refund process
Refunding this many applications is a significant administrative task. Over the next few months INZ will email eligible visa applicants, or their representative, when their refund is being processed. For applications submitted and paid online, the credit card used will be refunded.
If the payment was made by a third party on behalf of the applicant (such as a Licensed Immigration Advisor), it is the responsibility of the applicant and their representative to arrange reimbursement of the refund. Immigration New Zealand is not able to mediate between the applicant and their representative. In some cases, INZ may need to ask the refund request form be completed to make sure the refund can be processed and the fees and levies paid to the correct bank account.
Future applications
Future applications will not be affected by the refunding of these applications.
NgΔ mihi,
Immigration New Zealandβ