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Section 61 — Request for Special Direction

Section 61 is a discretionary request to the Minister for a visa when you are unlawfully in New Zealand with no other category open. Not an appeal, not a stay of deportation, not available while you still hold a valid visa. Talk to a licensed adviser before lodging.

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Potentially Prejudicial Information (PPI) Letters from INZ

A PPI letter from INZ is not a rejection — it's a natural-justice opportunity to address concerns before a final decision. Common reasons, onshore vs offshore PPI scope, response discipline.

A Potentially Prejudicial Information (PPI) letter is sent by Immigration New Zealand when they identify concerns about a visa application that need further explanation before a final decision. Under natural justice principles, applicants must be given a fair opportunity to respond.

A PPI letter is NOT a rejection. It is your opportunity to address concerns and save your visa application.

What a PPI letter actually is

INZ has identified something — a concern, gap, or potentially adverse fact — and is required to give you a fair chance to respond before deciding. Natural-justice obligations make this step mandatory in many cases.

Common reasons for a PPI letter

  • Questions about your employment or your employer’s ability to meet visa requirements
  • Concerns about the authenticity of documents you’ve submitted
  • Health-related questions or concerns
  • Character-related issues
  • Doubts about the genuine purpose of your visa application

Onshore vs offshore PPI scope

Onshore (in NZ): INZ has a broader obligation. They must provide a PPI letter for any information that could negatively impact your application.

Offshore (outside NZ): The PPI definition is narrower. INZ must only issue a PPI letter if the information may negatively impact your application, is not publicly available, and you haven’t yet had a chance to respond to it.

How to respond

  1. Act quickly — INZ specifies a deadline. Missing it can result in automatic decline
  2. Address every point — read the PPI letter carefully and respond to each concern raised
  3. Provide clear evidence — support your response with relevant documents, references, or explanations
  4. Reference immigration law — cite the specific NZ immigration law sections that support your response
  5. Be honest and thorough — incomplete or misleading responses can lead to deportation in some cases

Practical next step

A PPI letter is time-bound and consequential. Read it carefully on the day you receive it, calendar the deadline, and start gathering evidence the same week. The “I’ll get to it later” approach is how PPI responses fail.

Source: immigration.govt.nz — verified as of 2026-04-13.

Last reviewed . Information may have changed since this article was reviewed. For your specific case, talk to a licensed immigration adviser.