1. Completeness
The biggest issue in our office with clients who come to us with a declined New Zealand visa application is that they have forgotten to answer a question, missed a section, or failed to provide a mandatory document.
If you have a deadline or visa expiry date to meet, make sure you give yourself plenty of time to prepare your visa application. Of course, NZ has several different visa categories – such as visit, work, partnership, study, or residence visa. Each visa has different requirements, and you can find more details on each type here: work, resident, and student.
So, how can you ensure you don’t miss anything in your application? We suggest creating a document that lists the questions/answers on the application form and the documents you need to provide along with your application. An excellent example of such a mandatory document is a Police Clearance Certificate (PCC). A separate list to tick off, which you can scan as you review your application (and we suggest you complete two reviews yourself and another from a friend/family member or immigration adviser).
2. Accuracy
The information you provide to Immigration New Zealand (INZ) must be accurate. INZ stores your data on a database linked to your unique client number. INZ holds on file anything you communicate to them. If any information in the future contradicts what is already known, this can cause severe issues with your application.
For this reason, it is essential to consider how accurate your comments are, as you don’t want to receive an email from INZ after six months of waiting to process an application telling you that the information provided in this application contradicts information provided in a previous application.
This sort of issue can range from trivial to serious. Still, any contradictions will have to be addressed as, almost always, the case officer in charge of your application will compare your answers in your present application with the information on file.
This is true even if you are a principal applicant or a supporting partner (for example, in the partnership visa category). We suggest not overlooking any questions in the application and ensuring you understand the question and section before answering.
3. Document Validity
An expired document is a basic but frequently encountered reason for a declined visa. This document could be a passport, a PCC, immigration medicals or even an expired visa. Immigration medicals are usually valid for three months from the issue date, and Police Clearance Certificates are valid for six months from the issue date. 
Of course, if you have submitted either of these documents with a previous visa application, you may not need to resubmit either. However, it is crucial that you check the specific validity dates, or the processing of your NZ visa application may be delayed as the case officer in charge of your visa application will not be able to proceed with your application.
In general, ensure that the dates on all documentation you provide are correct. If you are applying for any work visa that requires an offer of employment, check the dates on your offer letter and employment contract.
4. Eligibility
The last but most significant reason for Immigration New Zealand to decline your visa application is that you do not meet the requirements. This is an important consideration, but occasionally, at ICL Immigration, we receive requests for assistance from individuals who have had a declined visa because they do not qualify.
As licensed immigration advisers, we aim to provide the best service possible by working with you towards achieving your visa goals – including making a case and arguing with Immigration New Zealand to get your visa approved. However, the thing to note here is that some requirements; a good example is the ‘living together for x months’ needed for a partnership-based visa can be worked around (in some situations based on other relationship circumstances). And we successfully challenge this requirement when assisting partnership visa applicants who have not lived together (or have not lived together for the required duration).
That’s an integral part of our job as immigration advisers – we’re here to help when things aren’t clear or straightforward, but some requirements are pretty rigid. Either the client meets the requirement, or they don’t, and it’s not always clear. We suggest you ask questions, and read the eligibility criteria carefully on our website. If it isn’t crystal clear, talk to us by coming in for your free consultation.
We hope this serves as a helpful reminder for those preparing to submit their NZ visa application about how to approach their application for a successful outcome. More information is available at immigrationconsultancies.com and of course you can always reach us via our website
