Here’s How To Avoid Being Declined A Visa

I see a lot of clients who have been declined temporary visa applications to visit, study or work in New Zealand. Let me share some tips so that your friends and family members can avoid being declined temporary visas.

How to avoid being declined a visitor visa
The most common reason for people being declined visitor visa applications is what Immigration New Zealand (INZ) calls “bona fides”.

Bona fides means:
i) Can you show that you have genuine reasons for visiting New Zealand?
ii) Can you show that you have reasons to leave New Zealand after your visit?
It’s not enough just to tell INZ “this is what I am going to do in New Zealand” and “this is
why I am going to return to India at the end”.

INZ’s approach to all visa applications is evidence-based. Visitor visa applicants need to provide evidence of their plans in New Zealand and evidence of their ties to their home country. For example, do they have a job to return to? Do they have family members to return to? What about assets and other financial ties? If they can provide evidence of these, they are more likely to be approved.

Similarly, if someone has travelled overseas before—especially to countries like the UK, US, or Canada—and returned home on time, it’s important to submit proof of that. INZ is more likely to trust that the person will return from a visit here if they’ve respected visa rules in the past.

How to avoid being declined a student visa
Currently, the most common reason for the decline of student visa applications is the lack of clear evidence of funds.

Applicants usually can show they (or their financial guarantor) have enough money in the bank. But the problem arises when they can’t show where that money came from. INZ takes the “source of funds” seriously.

What INZ hates the most is seeing large unexplained deposits on bank statements. If the owner of the bank account doesn’t earn that much … well, where did the money come from?

Again, it is important to provide evidence of how the money was earned. If it was transferred from someone’s bank account to yours, provide evidence of this.

INZ used to accept evidence of funds held for six months or more at face value. However, these days, INZ is likely to ask for evidence of the source of funds held for longer than six months.

Another common reason for a decline is when the student is perceived as lacking “genuine reasons for study.” That’s why your study plan (or statement of purpose) is important. A generic statement like “New Zealand has a top-quality education” won’t cut it.

You must write your study plan in your own words. If you conduct the research yourself, you will be in a much better position to handle any possible INZ interview.

How to avoid being declined a partnership-based work visa
Two common work visa categories are the Partner of a Worker and the Partner of a New Zealander. The most frequent reason for declining these applications is that the couple can’t show they’ve been living together in a partnership.

Here’s a typical scenario: the New Zealand-based partner travels to India, the couple gets married, spends a few weeks together (either on their honeymoon or staying with family), and then the supporting partner returns to New Zealand due to work or other commitments.

In these cases, the best option is for the Indian partner to apply for a general visitor visa—not a partnership-based visa. This approach allows the couple to start living together in New Zealand and gather evidence of this.

How to avoid being declined a culturally arranged marriage special category visitor visa
Don’t apply under this category in the first place. The decline rate is around 50%. Apply for a general visitor visa instead.

Disclaimer: This article represents the author's opinion and is provided for general information and public commentary purposes only. It does not constitute immigration or legal advice. Individuals need to seek personalised advice from a licensed immigration adviser or lawyer to assess their unique situation. Ankur can be contacted at info@visamatters.co.nz.

Ankur Sabharwal is a Licensed Immigration Adviser and the founder of Auckland-based
consultancy Visa Matters. He specialises in complex immigration and visa matters and
regularly shares expert commentary through national television and digital media platforms.
His previous article discussed Good Times for Employers of Migrant Workers.