Approve in principle and online status

[Zanique]

If you need to submit passports you will only receive an approved in principle until you have sent in the passport right?
at what point will online status change to approved? when AIP is issued or when passports have been received?

[Kelerei]

Back when I had to deal with an AIP letter myself (nearly two years ago now): the status of your application under "Immigration Applications" will change to "Approved" once the second person check has been completed and the Approved in Principle letter issued, but your current visa under the "Immigration Status" section will still show your previous temporary entry class visa as being your current visa -- that section will only update once you have acted upon your AIP letter and the Resident Visa subsequently issued.

[EGoodhue]

In my experience, the online status will change to Approved as soon as the quality check is completed. You should then receive an AIP letter within 24 hours.

The AIP letter should outline whether you need to send passports to INZ or not (not everyone needs to - only those who haven't had their current passports scanned by INZ before).