Further temporary visas for student visa applicants

At a glance

Temporary entry class visa holders may be granted further temporary visas in the following situations: [U6.25]

• A student visa applicant who, prior to arrival, was not required to provide health and character evidence, but must now do so, may be granted a temporary visa for a maximum of 3 months at the discretion of an officer with Schedule 3 delegations, provided the applicant is in New Zealand and holds another temporary entry class visa. [U6.25]
• Once the health and character requirements are met, a further visa may be granted for the full period requested without a further application. [U6.25]
• A student visa holder who has applied for a residence class visa may be granted a further student visa for 3 months if a final residence decision is unlikely before the current student visa expires and the mandatory requirements are met. [U6.25]

Note: U6.25 was rescinded on 30 April 2011. This content remains in the Operational Manual as a historical reference. [U6.25]

Definition

U6.25 of the New Zealand Immigration Operational Manual sets out three specific scenarios in which further temporary entry class visas may be granted to student visa applicants. These provisions address gaps that can arise when a student visa applicant must satisfy health or character requirements after entry, or when a residence application is pending. [U6.25]

The provision operates within the broader framework of temporary entry instructions (section E) and interacts with student visa requirements (U3) and residence processing timelines. Although rescinded, the instruction historically allowed officers to bridge periods when a student's legal status might otherwise lapse. [U6.25]

Application in decisions

When U6.25 was in force, immigration officers with Schedule 3 delegations and above could exercise discretion to grant an interim temporary visa (up to 3 months) to a student visa applicant who: [U6.25]

• was in New Zealand;
• held a temporary entry class visa other than the student visa being applied for; and
• was required to provide health or character evidence but was unable to do so before their current visa expired. [U6.25]

If the health and character requirements were met within that period, the officer could then grant a further student visa for the full period requested without requiring a new application. [U6.25]

Additionally, a student visa holder who had applied for a residence class visa could be granted a further student visa for 3 months when the residence decision was unlikely before the current student visa expired, and the mandatory requirements for a further visa were satisfied. [U6.25]

Interpretation & edge cases

• The discretion under paragraph (a) was limited to officers with Schedule 3 delegations and above, reflecting the higher degree of judgment required. [U6.25]
• The maximum 3‑month period was set to ensure the applicant had a reasonable window to obtain and provide the necessary evidence. [U6.25]
• The provision allowing a further visa for the full period once requirements were met avoided a second application process, reducing administrative burden for both INZ and the applicant. [U6.25]
• The residence‑application‑based further student visa required that the mandatory requirements for a further visa were met; failure to meet those requirements would preclude the grant, even if the residence decision was pending. [U6.25]
• Because U6.25 was rescinded in 2011, these particular pathways are no longer available, though the underlying principles of maintaining lawful status and bridging gaps appear in later interim visa instructions and residence processing arrangements. [U6.25]

Citations

• U6.25 — Further temporary visas