New Zealand's Government introduced (04-May-2020) a bill to temporarily amend immigration legislation to support the quick and efficient management of visa changes during coronavirus. The Bill will enable the government to amend visa conditions for groups of people, extend visas for groups of people for varying periods of time, stop people overseas from making visa applications while it is not possible to travel to New Zealand due to border restrictions, and provide the ability to refuse entry to people who are deemed to hold a visa. The Bill introduces eight time-limited powers:
- To impose, vary or cancel conditions for classes of temporary entry class visa holders;
- Vary or cancel conditions for classes of resident class visa holders;
- Extend the expiry dates of visas for classes of people;
- Grant visas to individuals and classes of people in the absence of an application;
- Waive any regulatory requirements for certain classes of application;
- Waive the requirement to obtain a transit visa;
- Suspend the ability to make applications for visas or submit Expressions of Interest in applying for visas by classes of people;
- Revoke the entry permission of people who arrive either on private aircraft or marine vessels and align them with people who arrive on commercial flights, who can already be refused entry. [more - original PR]