Families and visitors travelling together to New Zealand can now apply for visas online after the latest upgrade to Immigration Online.
The technology development enables a family applying for different kinds of visas and visitors travelling together to submit a group of applications together. Another aspect of the upgrade allows a family of visitors travelling together to apply online in a single application.
“The system is performing as expected and the numbers coming through will build over time as applicants and agents become familiar with the online capability,” says Steve Stuart, General Manager of Visa Services.
Mr Stuart says 121 applications involving 416 individuals had now been made using the new functions since it went live on 18th February.
A further enhancement to the system is expected in May when partner or dependent child applications will be able to be made online as well.
“The Groups functionality will ensure that 80 per cent of all visitor, student and work visa applications are able to be made online and we are leveraging this technology to continue our move towards a digital world and the eventual withdrawal of paper applications” says Mr Stuart.
Since 2014 than 400,000 visa applications have been made through Immigration Online, half of them being made in 2017.
Around 60 per cent of eligible visa applicants currently apply online, and Mr Stuart is encouraging everyone to do so as it is more efficient, often less expensive for applicants and generally results in quicker processing than paper-based applications.
Article published 9th March 2018