Complaints
Are you not happy with the services offered by the INZ (Immigration New Zealand) or have a grievance against them? Submit a formal complaint in their CFS (Complaints and Feedback System) to elicit a response. We can help your complaint get accepted.
You can make a formal complaint against INZ services such as their administrative procedures, products and services they offer, tools they adopt and the behaviour of their staff.
The umbrella organization under which the INZ operates, MBIE (Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment), uses a well-known process for handling complaints. Their promise of acknowledging all complaints in 5 working days and responding to them in 20 working days has resulted in the INZ adopting a formal complaints process too.
INZ offers the general public an easy-to-use and accessible gateway to its CFS, which you can use to provide good and bad feedback for its services, policies and procedures.
The CFS passes on the complaints to the CFT (Central Feedback Team), where they are logged, triaged and assigned to the right INZ office or branch for processing. In most cases, the complaint is routed to the place where the problem is known to exist.
However, there is no guarantee that your complaint will be accepted in the system. There are many grounds on which the INZ may choose to drop the complaints it does not have to handle. Do not waste time in submitting your feedback if it is not going to go very far in the system. Immigration Experts NZ has studied the INZ’s complaints system very carefully and has a lot of experience in getting responses to the complaints of our customers. Request a call back to book a 100% free consultation with our immigration experts.
Can the INZ reject complaints?
Can the INZ reject complaints?
Yes, they can, and in most cases, they do. INZ may not accept your complaint based on various factors. For instance, any complaints that raise doubts on the “merits” of the decisions handed down by the INZ will not be accepted by the CFS. Some complaints that are likely to be dropped by the CFS are related to:
- What process was used for interpreting the immigration instructions to decide a case?
- How did the immigration officer balance and weigh the factors associated with a case before making a decision?
- Was a decision fair based on its impact on the applicant and his/her family?
Also, INZ may choose not to entertain complaints about cases where you have already used up your right of appeal or reassessment. The CFS will also not accept any complaints requesting reversal of decisions taken for a specific application/compliance.
As you can see, there is a lot of room for your complaint to be rejected, and the INZ is known to receive a lot of complaints that do not get past the CFS. You do not want to waste time raising complaints that do not serve the intended purpose. Request a call back and book a free advisory session to discuss your complaint with our immigration consultants, so that they can guide you.
What complaints does the INZ entertain?
What complaints does the INZ entertain?
It is not easy to tell which complaints INZ may accept and work on. Only an experienced and trained mind can determine this with some certainty.
Here are a few complaint areas (this is not an exhaustive list) that the CFS is more likely to accept and have a higher chance of being worked on by the INZ:
- INZ’s facilities and systems
- IAC (Internal Administrative Circular) publications and other directives dealing with New Zealand immigration
- INZ’s services including the behaviour of staff, visa processing delays and any advice/communication you receive from the agency
- INZ’s processes associated with a particular verdict or in general
Though INZ has adopted a well-structured complaints process, the rate of rejection makes it hard for you to decide if you should spend your valuable time and effort in registering your feedback. Request a call back and book a complimentary advisory session with our immigration experts to evaluate the merits of your complaint and get help with submission.
What are the time parameters for making a complaint and getting a response?
What are the time parameters for making a complaint and getting a response?
For complaints related to the delivery of services, you have 6 months from the time the episode occurred, except when the complaint concerns a delay.
You may sometimes get lucky and the INZ or CFS may accept your complaint even if it was raised after the stipulated time, but this happens only in extenuating circumstances (which are extremely rare).
The INZ will, however, inform you (usually in 3 days) of the grounds on which your complaint is being rejected. You may also receive recommendations outlining what you can do with the issue.
The time it takes to get a response to your complaint varies based on many factors. For example, complaints against visa application centres located in other countries may take more time. Also, complaints that need to be examined by other agencies will take longer – in such cases, the CFS will transfer the complaint to the concerned government branch after accepting it. In general, the INZ indicates that you may expect to get a response for complaints made against their processes or services within 25 days.
We have a lot of experience in the INZ complaints process and can help you get a faster response. Request a call back and book an absolutely free consultation slot to speak with our highly qualified immigration advisers.
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