A visa decline isn't necessarily the end. Reconsideration within 14 days, an IPT appeal within 42 days for residence, alternative visas, or Section 61.
Written by the ProVisas Editorial Team. ProVisas is a licensed New Zealand immigration advisory firm (IAA Licence 201301110).
Having your New Zealand visa application declined is stressful, but it isn’t necessarily the end of the road. Depending on your situation, you may have several options.
If you are onshore with a current specific temporary visa, you have a right of reconsideration within 14 days of the decline.
You have the right to appeal to the Immigration and Protection Tribunal (IPT) within 42 days of the decision. This is a strict deadline; missing it eliminates the appeal route. Our guide to immigration appeals explains how the IPT process works.
You only get ONE reconsideration application per visa decision. Make it count: professional preparation significantly improves your chances. A poorly prepared reconsideration can foreclose your best route to outcome on a case that may have been winnable.
The 14-day reconsideration window (temporary) and 42-day appeal window (residence) start running the moment you receive the decline. Act fast, because even getting a consultation booked within the first few days preserves your options. The “I’ll wait and see” approach almost always means the deadline passes.
If your work, student or visitor visa is declined while you are in New Zealand, you have a right of reconsideration within 14 calendar days of receiving the decision. This is a strict deadline, and missing it removes the reconsideration route. Immigration New Zealand must also receive your request while you are still onshore and still hold a valid visa, which can include an interim visa. We help clients prepare a reconsideration request within this window, so confirm the current detail on immigration.govt.nz.
Yes. If your residence class visa application is declined, in many cases you can appeal to the Immigration and Protection Tribunal within 42 days of the decision. The Tribunal must receive your appeal, including the fee, within that 42-day window, and missing it eliminates the appeal route. Some decisions, such as those based on you being an excluded person, cannot be appealed, so confirm your appeal rights and the current detail on immigration.govt.nz.
Immigration New Zealand charges a fee of NZD 220 to request reconsideration of a declined temporary visa. You only get one reconsideration application per visa decision, so it is important to prepare it carefully with all original information plus any new compelling evidence. A poorly prepared reconsideration can foreclose your best route, so confirm the current fee on immigration.govt.nz before applying.
Depending on your situation, you may be able to apply for a different visa type if you currently hold a valid visa, or request a Section 61 visa if you are unlawfully in New Zealand, which is a discretionary visa that can restore your lawful status. It is also important to address the character or medical issue that caused the decline before lodging any subsequent application. We review each case against current Immigration New Zealand policy to identify the realistic next step.
The 14-day reconsideration window for temporary visas and the 42-day appeal window for residence class visas both start the moment you receive the decline. If the deadline passes, that specific route is no longer available to you, which is why acting quickly matters. Booking a consultation within the first few days preserves your options, so we encourage clients not to take a wait-and-see approach.
Last reviewed . Information may have changed since this article was reviewed. For your specific case, talk to a licensed immigration adviser.
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