Introduction

Health is an essential factor for Immigration New Zealand in deciding the fate of your temporary or resident visa application.

Note that the travel related to medical treatment or health consultation in New Zealand is exempt from these ASH (Acceptable Standard of Health) requirements.

Have you received a PPI letter related to medical issues for your New Zealand visa application?

Your immigration officer has issued you a PPI (Potentially Prejudicial Information) letter for your medical issues because you may not be meeting the ASH requirements per your New Zealand visa application.

This means that you may put additional burden on the country’s public healthcare and special education systems by staying in New Zealand – the term "relatively high probability" may also be used to indicate that the probability of this is more than 50%.

The good news is that even if you do not meet Immigration New Zealand’s ASH requirements, you may still qualify for your temporary or resident visa. You will need to obtain a Heath Waiver to support your New Zealand visa application.

You must support your Health Waiver application with proper health reports and an excellent representation of evidence to convince your immigration officer. Book a 100% free consultation with our Auckland based team of qualified immigration advisers to seek the best advice.

Can you get a Health Waiver?

There are certain factors that Immigration New Zealand uses to decide if you qualify for a Health Waiver.

If you are applying for a temporary New Zealand visa, you may qualify for a Health Waiver if there is not a "relatively high probability" of you having to bank on the following during your visit:

  • High-cost pharmaceuticals
  • Expensive disability services
  • Admission to a hospital
  • Care in a residential facility

For a residential visa, you may be eligible for a Health Waiver based on these factors:

  • Planned time of stay in the country
  • Importance of potential contributions you can make to New Zealand
  • Circumstances and length of lawful permanent residence of immediate family in the country
  • Cost to be borne by the health and special education systems of New Zealand by allowing you to stay

Note that this is not a complete list and there are a lot of personal situations that need special handling for you to qualify for a Health Waiver. Work with our experienced immigration experts to increase your chances of success. Book a 100% free consultation to speak with one of our licensed immigration consultants.

Can you get a second opinion for your medical issues?

Yes, you can. There are specific Immigration New Zealand provisions that allow you to get a second opinion for justifying a Health Waiver for your visa application.

If a medical practitioner disputes the original medical assessment made by an Immigration New Zealand medical assessor, a different medical assessor will be appointed to act as a referee.

You can also ask for a second opinion for health assessments made by Ministry of Education, where they determine your eligibility for ORRS (Ongoing and Reviewable Resourcing Schemes) subsidies based on your physical, intellectual or behavioural health condition – this also has a significant impact on your visa application.

In all cases, the recommendations made by the second assessor are deemed final and cannot be challenged any further.

The second opinion can breathe fresh air into your dying visa application – however, it is not easy and do not make the mistake of taking this lightly. Book a 100% free consultation slot now and speak with a licensed immigration adviser from Professional Visa Solutions to succeed in the second opinion process to get your Health Waiver.

How can you obtain your Health Waiver?

The process to get a Health Waiver can get involved and complicated when you factor in the qualifying factors with your unique health condition. In some cases, it may need a second opinion – which means even more immaculate representation.

You must work with an expert immigration professional before it gets too late to save your visa application. We provide excellent and honest advice while answering all your questions patiently.

Our rates are very reasonable. Our fees for responding to PPI letters are typically NZ$ 1,500 – 2,750 (plus applicable GST).

So, book a 100% free consultation and give your visa application the best chance by letting us help you with your Health Waiver.