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COVID-19 Update For Student Visa Holders in New Zealand
- Jayaraj Arul Samji
- May 27, 2022
- 3 min read
Status of Student Visa Holders in New Zealand
As the current status in the country is declining, New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has decided to enter Alert Level 4 amid the Pandemic of COVID19. The entire country is on lockdown impacting student visa holders the most.
The government starts that anyone who holds the work, student, or visitor visa with a visa expiry date of 1 April 2020 or before must apply for a new visa online. The government is issuing an interim visa amidst the outbreak of coronavirus following the nationwide lockdown.
What is the major impact of COVID-19 on Student Visa Holders?
As we speak, the impact is wide spreading and to add further, all universities, colleges, and schools are shut down until further notice. Hence the result of the lockdown has caused the chaos in the lives of those students who are awaiting their visas and also on student visa providers
Student visa holders can no longer enter New Zealand
If your visa is expiring on 1st April 2020 or before, then you may immediately apply for an interim visa.
If your work, student or visitor visa or the limited and interim visa is expiring from 2nd April 2020 to 9th July 2020, then your visa will automatically be extended to 25th September 2020.
Many universities and colleges have started with online sessions to complete the course. To know more about such arrangements, all students are advised to contact their student visa providers immediately.
If you have postponed your study plans to complete it in the year 2021, your visa will remain valid and you must keep the authorities informed.
In case you withdraw your application and cancel to study in New Zealand, your fees will be refunded only if your visa has not been processed. To ease the process amid COVID 19 pandemic, the entire communication on visa holders is directed towards education providers.
All the New Zealand offices are closed internationally, hence there are only 3 ways to get in touch with the authorities are:
Your study visa consultant
Online New Zealand Government website
Your university/college helpline number
What is the Current State of New Zealand?
According to the latest update by New Zealand authority, the state of emergency has been declared. The emergency state and COVID alert level 4 was declared and got effective on 26th March 2020.
All the New Zealand population is asked to stay home and stay safe. The use of masks and hand sanitizers is made mandatory. It is only in case of necessity, you may move out with full precautions. The lockdown state has been implied by almost all the major impacted countries in the world.
At the moment, to fight against the virus, New Zealanders have united following social distancing. The entire country has been lockdown.
Conclusion
Even though the COVID 19 has created a panic and calls the authorities and management are diverted towards the coronavirus situation and the government is trying its level best to provide support for all the student visa holders and other temporary visa holders.
In case of any emergency, you can reach out to your education provider. Or you can reach out to the official numbers provided by the New Zealand government.
• For students outside New Zealand: +64 9 952 1679 • For students inside New Zealand: 0508 225 288
As of now, stay home and stay safe.
For more information and updates, keep following Students Herald.
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