These regulations, which come into force on 5 November 2018, amend the Immigration (Visa, Entry Permission, and Related Matters) Regulations 2010 (the principal regulations).

Currently under regulation 4C(d) of the principal regulations, a person who is a claimant, refugee, or protected person is exempt from paying the immigration levy. This class of persons is also to be exempt from paying any prescribed fee. Regulation 4C(d) of the principal regulations is therefore revoked and reference to this class of person is included in Schedule 5 of the principal regulations, which specifies the people exempt from paying prescribed fees and the immigration levy (see regulations 4 and 8).

Currently, a person leaving New Zealand is required to complete an approved form (a departure card) and present it to an immigration officer or an automated electronic system. This requirement, in regulation 31 of the principal regulations, is removed, but new regulation 31 still requires a person leaving New Zealand to present identification (see regulation 5).

On occasion, it may be necessary to manually input a person’s travel information before the person leaves New Zealand (for example, if there is an electronic failure). To ensure that the necessary information can be captured, new regulation 31A provides that a person leaving New Zealand may be required to present evidence of their entitlement to travel (see regulation 6).

The fees payable for specified immigration applications are set out in Schedule 4 of the principal regulations. That schedule is replaced by a new Schedule 4 that revises the fee levels (see regulation 7).

The levies payable by certain categories of applicants are set out in Schedule 6 of the principal regulations. That schedule is replaced by a new Schedule 6 that revises the levies (see regulation 9).

The changes to the fees and levies address cross-subsidisation between various visa types and increased costs, and also provide funding to enhance border security and migrant protection.