Timeline for exception being decided?

[RedSkyAtNight]

Just wondering if anyone has had a border exception decided, and what the timeline was?

I am a non-NZ citizen married to an NZ citizen, living outside the country and filed a partnership work visa application earlier this year. We filled in the exception request form on the INZ site and received an "invitation to apply" within about 36 hours. We then sent in the application four days ago but haven't heard back. Just wondering if anyone had any idea at all on the broad timeline - a week, a month, 4 months? We're hoping to travel as soon as possible but just hoping for a vague idea!

[JandM]

We'll see what people say about timing for the whole thing, but honestly, in the context of INZ's office work, four days is no time at all. Even when a case is allocated to a CO (and we don't know yet that yours has been), it goes first to the back of his/her rotating work queue, and has to work its way to the front before it gets its first turn for his/her attention. Good luck!

[TheNewKiwi]

According to reports in a Facebook group I frequent, the visas are taking approximately 2 weeks to process.

[RedSkyAtNight]

That's really helpful, thanks! Yeah I figured it wouldn't be right away, but just hoping to get a sense. I'll see where we are in a few weeks.

[Garden365365]

Hi Redskyatnight,

All the best for the visa process.

may I know what is the critical purpose you mentioned for the border exception request? And did your partner had the visa in hand before applying for the exception?

Look forward to the reply.

Regards

[TheNewKiwi]

Hi Redskyatnight,

All the best for the visa process.

may I know what is the critical purpose you mentioned for the border exception request? And did your partner had the visa in hand before applying for the exception?

Look forward to the reply.

Regards

As was said in the original post, they are the partner of a New Zealand citizen. That is what allows them the exception.

INZ grants the exception based on their partnership. They then invite the non-citizen to apply for a special purpose visa to enter the country. Obviously, the citizen needs no exception.

[RedSkyAtNight]

As was said in the original post, they are the partner of a New Zealand citizen. That is what allows them the exception.

INZ grants the exception based on their partnership. They then invite the non-citizen to apply for a special purpose visa to enter the country. Obviously, the citizen needs no exception.

Yes, this is exactly it.

Just to update, I put my application for exception in on 3 August (as above, my partner doesn't need an exception), and haven't heard back. I rang INZ yesterday (17 August) and they said there was no specific timeline, but I'd probably hear by the end of the week. So it seems like things have slowed down a bit due to the Auckland lockdown, but are still being processed.

[RedSkyAtNight]

Posting here must have triggered something, my approval to travel has just come through!! It was at about 9:45pm New Zealand time, I really feel for those working from home. But so excited to have it!

[JandM]

Congratulations! Do you know yet when you will travel?

[RedSkyAtNight]

We're hoping to travel in the next 8 weeks - we were holding off on packing up until we had confirmation but now there's a lot to do!! I have until February 2021 to enter but definitely not planning for it to be that long!