10 Things You Need Know If You Are Having Problems With New Zealand Immigration

In our dealing with NZIS regarding my parents' residency application we had to go through a nightmare making a complaint. There was absolutely no help available, and no information from other people who had gone through the same thing. So I thought a quick run down of some of the (painful) lessons we learned would be useful- in the hope that it makes it easier for others.

1. Research.
Get ready to do a lot of work on the Internet. There is a lot of information out there that can help you. Much of it is hard to find, so stick at it.

2. Download the NZIS Operations manual and read it.
You need to know exactly what the NZIS staff are supposed to do. It is a useful reference for applicants - not just for the staff.

3. Get to know your way round the decisions of the Residence Review Board.
It is fascinating - and clearly shows the incompetence and inappropriate behaviour of NZIS in all branches. It is well worth saving copies of any decisions made about cases similar to your own. Not only can you then reference these in any formal complaint - but they can out your mind at rest if someone has been in the same position as you.

4. Keep meticulous records of any and all conversations you have.
Dates: Times: People: Content. Keep as much detail as you can. It is worth keeping the following as a minimum:

• A timeline of all correspondence.
• A spreadsheet of all Medical test results if this is where you are having problems.

5. Try to keep all communication to email if you can.
If you make a phone call - follow it with an email detailing the contents of the conversation. If you have a meeting with someone in person, take notes and again - follow it with an email. This is vitally important in case you need to prove something later. If the recipient wants to disagree with your version of events - this is their chance to do so.

6. Keep hard copies of all emails and documents to hand in case you have a face-to-face meeting.
We found it easiest to number each document, and reference them by the number in the Timeline. We also used small post-its as tabs so we could easily find any piece of paper. It's nice to be able to whip out a copy of an email when you need it. We had over 70 separate documents to keep track of - so we had to do something!

7. Be accurate in any correspondence relating to your case.
There is no room for wishful thinking or exaggeration - you will need to be able to back up any claims you make with hard facts. Also - if you make sure you do this - it is easier to spot when NZIS say something that isn't accurate.

8. Get ready for a bumpy ride.
It can be painful making a complaint against NZIS. Whether they are supposed to or not, NZIS staff may treat you like the enemy. And it appears to be a well known principle that if you make a complaint - they will start making life very difficult for you.

9. Understand the correct complaints procedure.
This is a 3-step process kicked off with a letter to the Deputy Secretary of the Department of labour. It is well worth trying to sort any issues out with your case officer - but failing that - escalate it via this process.

10. Don't give up.
If you know that you have passed all the requirements set by Immigration New Zealand, and that the problem is one of process and unfair handling of your case - then it is worth fighting for.

Helen Winterbottom, aka Avalon is an ExPat Brit living in New Zealand and wondering what the hell happened. After years of posting on forums, helping other migrants with their finance questions - she finally got around to writing it all down in a book.

Avalon's Guide can be found at http://www.avalonsguide.com/ and Avalon's Blog can be found at http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab for updates and a look at life in New Zealand.

There is no "One True Path" to emigrating.