When to Complain About Immigration New Zealand Services
Dealing with Immigration New Zealand can be a high-pressure experience. While most applications are handled professionally, administrative errors, excessive delays, or poor communication can occur. If you have been treated disrespectfully, provided with misleading information, or if your application has stalled without explanation, you don’t have to simply accept it.
INZ’s Complaints and Feedback Process (CFP) is the official mechanism for addressing these issues. By filing a formal complaint, you create a paper trail of administrative failure that can be vital if you later need to escalate your case to the Ombudsman or the Minister.
The CFP is specifically designed for service-related issues. It is not a tool to “overturn” a visa decline, but rather to address how you were treated during the process.
Common grounds for a service complaint in 2026 include:
- Unreasonable delays: Your application has exceeded the standard 2026 processing times without any request for further information
- Poor communication: Failing to respond to emails, providing contradictory advice, or not being treated with courtesy and respect
- Process failures: INZ failing to follow its own internal administrative circulars or losing physical documents you provided
- Incorrect information: Being misled by information provided on the INZ website or by a staff member at a Visa Application Centre (VAC)
It is critical to distinguish between a complaint about service and a challenge to a decision. Using the wrong channel can waste valuable time, especially when strict legal deadlines apply.
- Use the complaints process if: You are unhappy with a staff member’s behavior, the time it is taking to get an answer, or a technical error in their system.
- Use a reconsideration request if: Your temporary visa was declined and you believe the decision was wrong (must be filed within 14 days).
- Use an immigration appeal if: Your residence visa was declined (must be filed within 42 days at the IPT).
INZ has moved toward a “digital-first” feedback model. Once a complaint is lodged, it is handled by the Central Feedback Team in Wellington, who are independent of the branch that handled your original visa.
The typical steps include:
- Lodgement: Submitting the formal online Feedback and Complaints form. You must clearly state the outcome you are seeking (e.g., an apology, an expedited decision, or a correction of records).
- Timeline: INZ aims to acknowledge your complaint within two working days and provide a full response within 15 to 25 working days.
- Escalation: If you are unsatisfied with the response from the Central Feedback Team, we can assist you in escalating the matter to the Office of the Ombudsman. The Ombudsman acts as a government “watchdog” and can investigate unfair administrative acts by INZ.
Filing a complaint against a government agency can feel intimidating. Many applicants fear that complaining will “anger” their case officer and result in a visa decline. Under the 2026 Code of Conduct, INZ staff are strictly prohibited from penalising an applicant for making a legitimate complaint.
Our team at Professional Visa Solutions helps you draft your complaint in a professional, non-confrontational manner that focuses on policy breaches and administrative standards. We ensure that your feedback is supported by evidence, such as call logs or email chains, to give you the highest chance of a meaningful resolution. Book a consultation today.