ITA lodgement timelines post courier reaching TTS

[laxgr]

Hello experts,

Can someone help me understand how long it takes for 'lodgement' to take place once courier packet with ITA documents reaches TTS/INZ London branch? Just the courier receipt at TTS is enough to consider application as lodged or being within deadline? What are the criteria to say an application met its deadline or not?

My ITA deadline is Oct 17th and I'm in a last-minute rush to put together documents so this piece of info will really help me.

Regards,
laxgr

[JandM]

There's no solid answer to this. Judging from the few times it's been mentioned on the threads, it's PROBABLY up to 5 working days, usually less. But as with so many INZ matters, it all depends on the workload at that office, that is, how many applications arrive just before yours, and at the same time as yours, and how many officials are on duty to deal with them at the time. It's partly down to chance, as the numbers are not predictable.

[laxgr]

JandM, thanks a lot for the quick response.

Actually I failed to emphasize the following point, maybe your response has already addressed this, but still:

Regardless of INZ internal processes, will my application be considered lodged so long as the courier is received at the London address stated in the ITA letter within the 4 month deadline? Or when INZ makes a 'lodgement', if they find the packet to have come late, will they just return it disregarding the fact that the courier arrived BEFORE the 4-month deadline?

Maybe I said this in different words in my previous post.

Please help me understand.

Regards,
laxgr

[JandM]

I don't KNOW, but I wouldn't risk it if I could possibly help it. They would be within their rights to refuse it. And there is a similarity to the situation when people are travelling to NZ very near the last date allowed for activation of a Residence visa - in that case, NO allowances are made in case of travel delays, and if someone arrives at the NZ airport after their deadline because of weather problems or a strike at some intermediate airport - that is, for something beyond their control - they will still be refused entry if they are even two minutes after the 'last entry' date on that visa. This is a government bureaucracy, so it's safer not to expect any human touches.

[laxgr]

I understand, thanks JandM!

Any case, my application will not go out before 6th or 7th Oct, so let me hope
Worst case, if I get rejected, will I get my ITA application money back?

Regards,
laxgr

[JandM]

Of course, good luck!

Worst case, if I get rejected, will I get my ITA application money back?

No. As someone said recently, "This is a government bureaucracy, so it's safer not to expect any human touches."

[laxgr]

Hi JandM,

I can't believe this, you said No to that question on money refund? Maybe I got my question wrong, I did not ask the complete question. In case INZ return the packet due to their internal lodgement delays going beyond the given 4-month deadline, they will still return my money right? In case they accept for processing and reject later on due to any reason like points, TA etc they don't return my money and I can digest that!

B/w, I'm curious to probe this a little more. Had I applied for my IQA first before submitting my EOI, I would have, looking at the loss of bonus points post IQA, not even submitted my EOI ! So, for someone going with the EOI first > receive ITA > Get IQA done > IQA results in loss of bonus points > Another lifeline by INZ...Nothing of this is written. Like you said, this is all, like you said, few and far between, atleast on this forum. Wonder if there are more such cases in the background that we are not aware of?

Just opening up a line of thought on this..

Regards,
laxgr

[nitsam]

JandM, thanks a lot for the quick response.

Actually I failed to emphasize the following point, maybe your response has already addressed this, but still:

Regardless of INZ internal processes, will my application be considered lodged so long as the courier is received at the London address stated in the ITA letter within the 4 month deadline? Or when INZ makes a 'lodgement', if they find the packet to have come late, will they just return it disregarding the fact that the courier arrived BEFORE the 4-month deadline?

Maybe I said this in different words in my previous post.

Please help me understand.

Regards,
laxgr

If you courier on 7th it will be probably reached latest by 13th October due to SAT/SUN fall. I think your all papers and fees are OK it will be no problem to lodged before 17th October.
In my case fees was deducted after two days when TT service received my papers, but INZ consider my lodgment date when courier received by TT Services.

From western India DHL taking only 3 days to deliver the courier at London.

[laxgr]

Thank you very much nitsam for the helpful update.

Regards,
laxgr

[JandM]

This whole question of ASKING a government department IF one may have a visa is all about the applicant bearing all responsibility for fitting in with the department's requirements. Those requirements are part of NZ national law, and not optional or bendable. It's not a customer/supplier commercial relationship, or anything friendly. NZ don't have to say yes to anybody. Do it right > they'll grant a visa, while these rules are current. Get anything wrong and it leads to a solid no. All the flexibility, calculation of variables, etc., is down to the applicant.

As to this 'lifeline', it's not something the public can do any more than wonder about. Of course not all applicants for NZ visas become members of this forum, so on here, we only hear what those who find us happen to post.