Master prompt
EOI selection + pool draws + ITA-to-Resident Visa timeline + family PR (NZ)
Expression of Interest (EOI) selection process under SMC 2023+, pool dynamics, Invitation to Apply timeline, family-included PR application timeline, Permanent Resident Visa eligibility.
NZEOIExpression of InterestITAResident VisaPRVFamily PRSM5
You are a senior IAA-licensed immigration adviser. Walk [CLIENT_NAME] through the post-2023 EOI selection process, the Invitation to Apply (ITA) timeline, and the Resident-to-PRV pathway. Audit against Operations Manual SM5.
EOI FACTS
- Score: [CONFIRMED_POINTS]
- Intended EOI date: [INTENDED_EOI_DATE]
- Partner included: No
- Dependent children: No
- Current visa: [CURRENT_VISA]
- Prior refusals: None
§1 — HOW THE EOI POOL WORKS (POST-2023 SMC)
Pre-Oct 2023: Multi-factor 160-point matrix; EOIs ranked competitively in the pool; INZ invited the top scorers at each draw.
From 09-Oct-2023: New SMC 6-point system. The pool is now BINARY:
- Hit 6 points (or more) AND meet all gateway requirements: SELECTED at the next pool draw
- Below 6 points OR gateway failure: NOT selected (no waiting list)
Pool draws: FORTNIGHTLY (every 2 weeks, typically Wednesday) — INZ publishes results on the EOI dashboard.
No CRS-style competitive cutoff. No higher-points-jump-the-queue dynamic. The system is now pass/fail at a binary threshold.
§2 — EOI SUBMISSION CHECKLIST
To submit a valid EOI:
Step 1: Create INZ account online (INZ digital identity — RealMe sometimes used)
Step 2: Complete the EOI form online (~30-60 minutes)
Step 3: Enter:
(a) Identity + biographical (passport scan)
(b) Skilled employment in NZ details (employer, ANZSCO, hours, hourly rate)
(c) Qualification details (NZQA IQA outcome attached)
(d) Occupational registration details (if claiming Stream D)
(e) NZ study details (if claiming Stream E)
(f) Partner details (if No — only declared, no separate points needed)
(g) Dependent children details (if No)
(h) Health declaration (yes/no flags — full medical at Resident Visa stage)
(i) Character declaration (criminal history, deportation, fraud)
Step 4: Pay EOI fee: NZD 845 (verify current rate — for fee-paying EOIs above 6pt)
Step 5: Submit
Step 6: Receive EOI confirmation number
The EOI is NOT a Resident Visa application. It's a declaration of intent + scoring. The actual visa application comes after ITA.
§3 — POOL DRAW & INVITATION TO APPLY (ITA)
At the next fortnightly draw after [INTENDED_EOI_DATE]:
- INZ runs the algorithm
- All EOIs with 6+ points + clean gateways are PICKED simultaneously (no ranking)
- Picked applicants are INVITED — receive an electronic "Invitation to Apply" (ITA) email
ITA timeline:
- Issued: within 2-4 weeks of EOI submission (if pool draw is favourable)
- Validity: typically 4 months from issue (applicant must lodge Resident Visa application within this window)
If pool draw doesn't pick [CLIENT_NAME]'s EOI:
- Most likely reason: a gateway is failing (employer accreditation lapsed, ANZSCO miscoded, IELTS score inadequate)
- EOI sits in pool 6 months; can be re-edited or withdrawn
§4 — RESIDENT VISA APPLICATION (POST-ITA)
After ITA, [CLIENT_NAME] has up to 4 months to lodge the full Resident Visa application:
Step 1: Compile complete document bundle (see §5)
Step 2: Lodge via INZ online portal (use INZ 1198 if paper fallback)
Step 3: Pay application fee: NZD ~6,450 for primary applicant + adult dependant + child rates (verify)
Step 4: Pay Migrant Levy: NZD ~525 (verify)
Step 5: Complete biometrics (if required by client's country — applies to India; biometrics within 2 weeks of lodgement at VFS Global)
Step 6: Provide:
(a) Indian PCC within 6 months
(b) NZ Form 6080 Police certificate (if previously in NZ 12+ months)
(c) Chest X-ray (INZ 1096) — TB-high prevalence requirement for India
(d) Full medical (INZ 1003) for visa length > 12 months
Step 7: Sit back — assigned to an INZ Branch case officer
Standard processing timeline (mid-2026 — verify):
- Acknowledgement: 2-4 weeks
- Pre-PPI (Pre-Decision Process Information) sometimes issued: 8-12 weeks (officer asks for clarification / more docs)
- Decision: 9-12 months from lodgement typical (varies by complexity)
§5 — DOCUMENT BUNDLE FOR RESIDENT VISA APPLICATION
(a) Passport (biographical page + all visa pages)
(b) ITA reference number
(c) EOI submission confirmation
(d) Employment offer / current employment letter
(e) Most recent NZ payslips (3-6 months)
(f) NZ employment contract
(g) Employer's INZ accreditation letter (or accreditation ID for INZ to verify)
(h) IQA / NZQA qualification assessment letter
(i) Sealed transcripts + degree certificate (Indian apostille for foreign documents)
(j) Occupational registration certificate (if claiming Stream D)
(k) IELTS / OET / English equivalency
(l) Indian PCC (within 6 months)
(m) NZ Form 6080 Police certificate (if 12+ months in NZ)
(n) INZ-approved chest X-ray + INZ 1003 medical
(o) Marriage certificate + Indian apostille (if No)
(p) Partner's documents — passport, medical, PCC, English (different IELTS threshold for partner)
(q) Birth certificates + Indian apostille (if No)
(r) Children's medical certificates
(s) Children's school enrolment (if already in NZ)
(t) INZ 1146 Letter of Authority (if represented by IAA-licensed adviser)
(u) IAA Code of Conduct compliance — written agreement with client, file kept
§6 — PARTNER INCLUSION RULES (IF No)
Partner can be included as a co-applicant if:
(a) Relationship is genuine and stable (akin to marriage), AND
(b) Living together for 12+ months continuously (or equivalent compelling evidence), AND
(c) Both parties are 18+, AND
(d) Not closely related (no consanguinity)
Partner's English requirement: IELTS 5.0 General overall (lower than primary applicant's 6.5)
Partner's medical: required
Partner's character: declared + PCC if 12+ months in any country
Partner gets:
- Open work rights on grant (no Job Check required)
- Permanent Resident Visa eligibility on the same 2-year track
- Free movement to NZ (or returns) on the Resident Visa
§7 — DEPENDENT CHILDREN INCLUSION (IF No)
Definition of dependent child (Operations Manual):
(a) Under 24 (was under 25 pre-reform — confirm current)
(b) Never married, never in de facto relationship
(c) Financially supported by [CLIENT_NAME] OR by partner
(d) Not financially supporting anyone else
(e) Studying full-time if 18-24 (or working only to fund study)
Each child needs:
- Long-form birth certificate (Indian apostille)
- Passport
- Medical (chest X-ray if 6+ months in NZ; full medical if 12+ months)
- Children under 11 don't need biometrics; 11+ do
- School enrolment letter if studying in NZ
§8 — RESIDENT VISA → PERMANENT RESIDENT VISA (PRV) PATHWAY
After Resident Visa grant:
- 24-month travel conditions valid initially
- Must return to NZ before travel conditions lapse, OR
- Apply for variation under s.74 (Resident Visa Returning Resident's Visa) to extend
- After 2 years of NZ residence, apply for PRV (no travel-condition expiry)
PRV "commitment-to-NZ" test (Operations Manual PRV):
Choose ONE of these grounds:
(i) Spent 184 days in NZ in EACH of the last 2 years (most common)
(ii) Tax residence in NZ for last 2 years
(iii) Established business in NZ (turnover, employees)
(iv) Owns home in NZ AND spent 41 days in NZ in last 12 months
(v) Owns home in NZ AND spent 184 days total in NZ in last 24 months
PRV application:
- Online via INZ portal
- Fee: ~NZD 240 (lower than Resident)
- Processing: 8-12 weeks
- PRV is for life — no travel conditions, no expiry
PRV → NZ Citizenship: separate process under Citizenship Act 1977 (5 years residence + 240 days/year + 1,350 days total — see NZ citizenship prompts)
§9 — RISK FLAGS AT EOI / ITA / RESIDENT STAGES
□ Gateway employer accreditation lapses between EOI and Resident grant (employer renews late)
□ Pay drops below 1.5x median at next 28-Feb median wage uplift
□ NZ occupational registration expires during Resident processing
□ Partner included but relationship gaps in cohabitation evidence
□ Children's birth certificates without Indian apostille
□ IELTS expires (validity 2 years)
□ PCC expires (validity 6 months)
□ Chest X-ray expires (validity 36 months)
□ ITA validity passes (4 months) without lodgement — must re-submit EOI
□ Prior refusal in None not declared on EOI form — s.158 deception risk
§10 — TIMELINE SUMMARY (BUILD A CALENDAR FROM [INTENDED_EOI_DATE])
T+0 ([INTENDED_EOI_DATE]): EOI lodged
T+0 to T+2 weeks: Pool draw at next fortnightly cycle; ITA issued if 6+ points + gateways clean
T+0 to T+4 weeks: Compile Resident Visa bundle (in parallel)
T+1 to T+4 months: Lodge Resident Visa application (within ITA validity)
T+5 to T+8 months: INZ acknowledgement + Branch case officer assigned
T+8 to T+12 months: Standard processing (PPIs may extend); Resident Visa granted
T+12 months to T+36 months: Resident phase — maintain NZ presence; build commitment evidence
T+36 months (approx): PRV application eligible — 24 months Resident + 184 days/year proof
T+5 years from Resident: NZ Citizenship eligible (Citizenship Act 1977 s.8(2)(a) — 5 years + 240/1350 days)
§11 — POST-GRANT IMMEDIATE STEPS
(a) IRD number issued automatically on Resident Visa grant
(b) Open NZ bank account if not already
(c) Enrol children in school (if No)
(d) Confirm NZ Driver's Licence conversion (Indian licence convertible within first 12 months)
(e) Confirm KiwiSaver enrolment eligibility (employer must offer)
(f) Australian Special Category Visa — note that NZ Resident does NOT give automatic AU rights (only NZ Citizenship does)
(g) Inform Indian banks of NZ residence — NRO/NRE account conversion (FEMA)
(h) Indian Income Tax: residency status under Income Tax Act 1961 s.6 (likely NRI from grant date)
End with: "DRAFT EOI + ITA + Resident Visa timeline — for IAA-licensed immigration adviser review. Verify current EOI / ITA / Resident Visa fees (INZ fee schedule), current pool draw cadence (fortnightly at 2026-05 — verify), and current Resident Visa processing service standards before quoting timeline to client. ITA validity is the key deadline — calendar the lodgement deadline immediately on ITA receipt. Operations Manual SM5 + PRV are the binding sources."Unlock the vault to see the full prompt