Skilled Migrant Category visa applications

To be granted permanent residence under the Skilled Migrant Category, you have to apply.  And under the Skilled Migrant category, there are two stages.  The first, the Expression of Interest (EOI) can be done on-line, presented in person, or mailed to the Immigration NZ Branch nearest you.  However, all paper applications presented in person will be sent to New Zealand for loading, so using this option will mean your EOI will take longer to enter the pool.

If you are in New Zealand, it is simple to submit your EOI on-line, or if you choose to complete and post the form, send it to:  Expressions of Interest Team, Immigration New Zealand, DX SR57164, PO BOX 3705, Wellington.

The second stage comes if your EOI is selected and you are Invited to Apply (ITA).  You will be sent an application form, pre-filled with the information from your EOI, which needs to be checked, updated and signed.  You then return this, along with all the other lodgement requirements so your application can be processed. 

FAQs

After my EOI is accepted, and I receive my Invitation to Apply, what else will you need from me?

Several things:

• A valid passport - you will need to supply a photocopy of the bio pages at the back of your passport
• A completed application  plus photos, less than 6 months old
• The original documentation and evidence to support the claims you made in your EOI, including your education, experience and English language ability
• Birth certificates
• Police certificates from your country of citizenship, as well as any country in which you’ve lived for 12 months or more in the last 10 years
• Medicals (and x-ray film if necessary)
• Payment of the fee, determined by where you submit your application (check out the fee calculator for more help)

How much will this application cost?
Your Expression of Interest -- if you complete it on-line -- costs NZ$400; the paper-based EOI costs NZ$500.  The application fee is determined by where you submit your application after you are Invited to Apply (check out the fee calculator for more help).

A Migrant Levy of NZ$300 per person must be paid when your application is approved.

How long will it take for approval of my EOI?  And then how long, once I have my paperwork complete for my Invitation to Apply, will it take for approval for permanent residence?
If you have 100 or more points on your Expression of Interest, you’ll hear right away if your EOI has been entered in the pool.  EOIs are drawn from the pool approximately every two weeks.  Once the claims in the EOI are verified, which can take a few weeks, an Invitation to Apply will follow. 

You then have four months to lodge your application with the office that issued your ITA.  Once your application is accepted, it can take a few months to go through the process of verifying all the information included in your application, including your medical certificates.  The time taken will vary, but submitting as much documentation as possible with your application will speed up the process. 95% of all applications for residence are completed within 6 months.

Where should I submit my EOI and application?
Submit your Expression of Interest on-line, or at your nearest Immigration New Zealand branch.

To download your Expression of Interest form, click here (PDF 493 KB).

To download the associated guide to filling out the application, click here (PDF, 400 KB).

Your Invitation to Apply (the actual application) must be submitted to the office specified on your ITA.