Almost 200 parents applied for the long-term parent visa in the two weeks after it was launched.
The parent boost visa offers parents of New Zealand citizens and residents a stay of up to five years in New Zealand.
A total of 198 applications came in during the first fortnight, and four of them were approved in principle.
“While it does not provide a pathway to residence, it offers a meaningful way for families to spend extended time together,” said Immigration New Zealand visas director Jock Gilray. “Sponsorship and insurance are required.”
The Government expects between 2000-10,000 applications per year, with a model based on 6000 applications annually.
The adult child sponsor must earn the median wage to sponsor one parent or one-and-a-half times the median wage for both parents.
Otherwise, a parent must have an income comparable to the superannuation rate or funds of $160,000 to see them through the duration of their visa. It also requires health checks and other undertakings.
Parent residence
Meanwhile, migrants hoping to bring their parents over permanently under the parent residence visa say the timeline for a review keeps shifting.
To apply for the parent resident visa, applicants must submit an expression of interest, until the application is selected at random by Immigration New Zealand and processed.
In July, Immigration Minister Erica Stanford told RNZ that the ballot scheme was being looked at again, with a report likely due back at the start of next year.
On Friday, Sophie Liu, who launched a petition to change the visa settings, told a select committee that they wanted the ballot replaced with a queue. She said 15,400 sponsors were waiting, as of July, for 2500 spots a year.
She said people were desperate for the promised review.
“We’re now coming to end of the year. I hope it’s not getting delayed again, because really there are so many people suffering.”
Mount Albert Member of Parliament Helen White said the issue was big with residents in her area.
“I have heard from constituents even this week,” she said. “I do hear there’s a lot of torture in what’s going on at the moment for communities.”
