Immigration New Zealand (INZ) will make its first Parent Resident Visa selection under the new hybrid model on Tuesday 10 November. It is the first draw since the category stopped relying on a ballot alone.
Under the new model, about 90 percent of expressions of interest (EOIs) are selected in the order they were submitted, and about 10 percent are picked by random ballot, INZ says. The cap stays at 2500 visa approvals in principle each financial year.
Who is likely to be selected this time?
INZ has published an indicative table showing which queue positions it expects to reach in each round. For this month's draw, it lists EOIs with queue position dates from October 2022 to June 2023.
The table then moves forward in steps. According to INZ:
- June 2023 to July 2023: February 2027
- July 2023 to August 2023: May 2027
- August 2023 to February 2024: August 2027
- February 2024 to July 2024: November 2027
- October 2026: May 2032
INZ says the dates are indicative only and could change, depending on how many EOIs are selected and how many visas are approved. It plans to update the table after each round.
The other 10 percent come from the ballot, so a newer EOI can still be picked early. To be in a ballot, the EOI must be in the pool by the last day of the month before the selection. For this round, that was 31 October.
Where does my place in the queue come from?
If you had a valid EOI on 5 October, it moved into the new pool automatically and you did not need to do anything, INZ says.
Queue positions are generally based on the date your original EOI was accepted into the pool. That includes people who lodged a replacement EOI within 90 days of an earlier one expiring.
INZ has said it will contact EOI holders directly about their queue position, and earlier asked people not to call to request it.
EOIs no longer expire
Under the old system, an EOI expired after two years if it was not selected. Under the new model it stays in the pool, as long as you confirm every two years that you want to stay in and keep your details up to date, INZ says. There is no extra fee for this.
What happens if your EOI is picked?
Selections happen four times a year, in February, May, August and November, generally on the second Tuesday of the month.
If you are selected, INZ sends an invitation to apply (ITA) to your nominated email address. You can also check the lookup tool on INZ's "successful expressions of interest" page using your EOI number.
The invitation is valid for four months. INZ says it cannot extend that, so the residence application has to go in within that window.
The visa rules themselves have not changed. Only the way EOIs are picked is different. Sponsors and parents still have to meet the existing requirements, and INZ suggests starting early on documents that take time, such as translations, medical certificates and police certificates.
Why the change?
INZ announced the change in August. It said the hybrid model was intended to give families "a fairer and more predictable process", while still giving newer applicants a chance through the ballot.
Immigration adviser firm Immigration Chambers describes the old, fully random ballot as one that had "frustrated families since 2022". Under the new model, most places go to the families who have waited longest. INZ says demand is still expected to exceed the 2500 places, so some people will still wait a long time.
The change was decided well before the election. INZ's website still lists 10 November as the date for this round.
Other family visa changes start on 16 November, including partner and child visas moving to enhanced Immigration Online. If your child is waiting on residence or citizenship, read about the new dependent child visa option.
