Medical Issues
Medical issues are concerns that lead Immigration New Zealand to believe that your health may impose a severe cost on the country or be an excessive burden on its public health and special education infrastructure.
If the INZ (Immigration New Zealand) has reasons to believe that you do not meet their ASH (acceptable standard of health) requirements as laid down in their operational manual, they will not approve your New Zealand visa application.
However, you may be able to get a Medical Waiver to take care of certain Medical Issues to meet INZ’s ASH requirements. Note that the ASH requirements are different for resident and temporary class visas, and health is considered to be a critical parameter for approval. This condition is, however, waived for individuals travelling to New Zealand to seek medical consultation or treatment.
If you have already applied for a New Zealand visa, and the adjudicating immigration officer determines that you may not meet the minimum ASH requirements for the class of visa you have applied for, he/she may issue a PPI (Potentially Prejudicial Information) letter to seek more information regarding your health condition. If you see “relatively high probability” mentioned on the PPI letter, it means they believe that there is a more than 50% chance of you being a severe burden on the country’s healthcare and special education infrastructure.
The solution in such cases is to get a Medical Waiver for your Medical Issue. You will need to petition the INZ for a Medical Waiver with adequate documentation to prove that you are eligible for a Medical Waiver based on the criteria laid down for the same in the INZ operational manual.
Irrespective of whether you’ve received a PPI letter or not, if you have Medical Issues and are looking for help in moving your New Zealand Visa application forward, look no further. NZ Migration Help has been assisting its clients in getting their NZ visa approvals despite their Medical Issues for many years. Our immigration experts have a high success rate at getting Medical Waivers even in the most complicated health conditions. Book a consultation to discuss your medical history.
Health Assessment and Second Opinion
INZ cannot decline your visa application just because the case handling immigration officer believes that you do not meet the ASH requirements. They must first get your comment on the report of the INZ medical accessor or the MoE (Ministry of Education).
If the original health assessment of the INZ medical accessor is contested by another medical professional, INZ must appoint a medical referee (second accessor) to break the tie. This also applies to the assessments made by the MoE where they determine that you may have a high chance of qualifying for using the ORRS (Ongoing and Reviewable Resourcing Schemes) funds due to your health condition. The decision of the medical referee will be final and cannot be contested any further.
Getting the original medical assessment overturned in the second opinion is an uphill task. Still, our Auckland based team of immigration experts has one the highest success rates in the industry in doing so. We know how to go about the second opinion process to turn the tables in your favour. Book a Consultation with our licensed immigration consultants to discuss your case.
Determining the Eligibility for a Medical Waiver
INZ will not approve your visa application unless you can get them to provide you with a Medical Waiver for your Medical Issues. The guidelines to determine the eligibility of what health problems are eligible for the grant of a Medical Waiver is provided in the INZ operational manual, and this varies based on the visa type and many other factors.
Some of the factors that the INZ may use to determine if you should be given a Medical Waiver are:
- What would be the cost to the New Zealand public health and special education infrastructure?
- How long has the immediate family been lawfully living in the country? What are their circumstances?
- What is the value of contributions you will make by living in New Zealand?
- How long do you intend to stay?
By no means is this is the entire list. Also, the operational manual leaves a lot to the individual circumstances and the merit of your case.
Our licensed immigration advisers know the ins and outs of the INZ processes and the New Zealand operational manual to get you a Medical Waiver. We know all the tricks in the book and do not leave any stone unturned to ensure your success. Book a Consultation to see how we can help.
Getting a Medical Waiver
In case you are still confused about whether you have a Medical Issue, feel free to contact us for a free consultation to get our open and honest advice. In some cases, you can even get a “deferral of decision” while you take care of your health condition, which is better than getting a rejection.
If you have determined that you need a Medical Waiver, the first thing you should do is find a competent and experienced immigration expert to help you with the process. Remember, any mistakes or oversights in your Medical Waiver petition will lead to rejection of your application and eventually your New Zealand Visa.
We excel at getting Medical Waivers quickly and at the least cost possible. Allow us to use our extensive experience and expertise in dealing with Medical Issues for your benefit. Book a consultation to discuss your immigration situation and health condition.