Agent Seminar

Guangzhou

15 September 2011

• 2.15pm Presentation

• 3.00pm Afternoon Tea

• 3.15pm Question and Answer Session

• 4.00pm Visit to Guangzhou VAC

• 5.00pm Finish

Programme for the Afternoon

Context – Growth in China

• 120,000 visitor visas issued in 2010/11

• 104,000 visitor visas in 2008/09 and 2009/10

• 6,400 student visas

• 7000 work visas

Context – Growth in China

• Continued economic growth in China

• Increasing direct air services

• Promotion of New Zealand as tourist and education destination

INZ Response

• Short term additional capacity in China Branches

• Appointment of Senior Liaison Officer in Guangzhou

• Expanded Branch in Shanghai

INZ Response

• Visa Application Centres (VACs) run by VFS Global Services in:

– Beijing– Shanghai – Guangzhou– Hong Kong

VFS Global Services

•Specialist provider of visa application receiving services

•400 VACs across 52 countries

•VFS serves 12 diplomatic missions in China including Canada, UK and France

•VACs located throughout China

Services Provided by VFS

• Lodging and checking of application forms and supporting documentation

• Data entry of all applications

• Banking of application fees

• Facilitate the submission and return of additional documents requested by INZ

Services Provided by VFS

• Dedicated call centre to handle telephone and email inquiries

• Website – passport tracking and FAQ section

• Secure delivery and collection to and from INZ Branch

• Return of passports and documents to applicants

Services NOT Provided by VFS

• Cannot provide immigration policy advice

• Have no influence on outcome of an application

• Policy advice and visa decisions will continue to be provided by INZ

Services Provided by VFS

• Photocopying

• Photo booth for passport photos

• Priority Service for ADS Agents and longer opening hours

• Applications can be lodged by mail or in person

Facilitation Fees

At the Guangzhou VAC:

• 220 CNY per application• 200 CNY per GV

applicant – ADS agent• 220 CNY per GV

applicant - not ADS

At the Hong Kong VAC:

• 264 HKD per application• 240 HKD per GV

applicant – ADS agent• 264 HKD per GV

applicant – not ADS

VACs – Streamlined Services

• Growing demand in China has put pressure on INZ resources

• VACs will provide a streamlined application submission service

• First time ever people can lodge applications in Guangzhou

• Making the visa process easier for people who live in Southern China

Commencement dates

• VAC in Shanghai opened on 12 August

• Opening of VACs in Beijing, Guangzhou and Hong Kong - to be advised

• We will announce opening dates shortly

• All VACs located near or in CBD and easily accessible by public transport

Opening Hours and Delivery

• Open to the public between 8am and 3pm

• Counter applications received before 3pm and mail applications received before 1pm in Guangzhou will be delivered to INZ HK the next day

• Mail applications received and receipted after 1pm in Guangzhou will be delivered to INZ HK the day after next

Process for Applicants – Mail Applications

Applicant logs on to VAC website and downloads

application form and checklist

Prepares documents according to checklists

Remits visa fee, facilitation fee and courier fee (for pp delivery) into VFS

account

Applicant/agent couriers complete application including bank transfer transaction slip showing amount

deposited to VAC

Applicant/agent scans bank slip and courier airway bill and emails it to VAC

VAC staff track the airway bill number and accountant checks payment

Process at the VAC

Officer checks completeness of form and documents against

checklist

Counts and verifies number of passports and applications

Receives visa fee and tallies with number of passports and applications

Inputs data from application form (name, pp, visa category and fee)

to generate Invoice/Receipt

Prints Invoice/Receipt in triplicate (original for applicant, 1 for INZ, 1 for VAC)

Process at the VAC – Part 2

Out-scans Application Docket and Return Envelope from

VAC to INZ Branch

Retains copy of bio page of applicant’s passport

Data officer inputs data from application to VFS system

Generates barcode in triplicate

Puts 1 barcode at back of passport,1 on Application

1 on Return Envelope

Puts all documents in Application Docket and asks applicant to

sign checklist

Process at Branch and on Return to VAC

Applications In-scanned

Application Dockets talliedagainst Fee Reconciliation

Report

Data transferred and application processed by Branch

Passport and documents to be returned to applicant placed in Return Envelope

and Out-scanned to VAC

Once couriered to VAC, Return Envelope

is In-scanned

Mandatory Requirements

Incomplete Applications

• Over the counter – applicant can chose not to submit, or risk application being returned by INZ

• By mail – will be sent to INZ to determine whether or not to accept.

Further documents requested by INZ will be sent to the VAC (unless email is acceptable).

Scanning and Online Status Checks

• The VAC puts a unique barcode on each application

• Barcodes are scanned as they: – Leave the VAC– Arrive at INZ– Leave INZ– Return to the VAC

• Scan is up-loaded to VFS website to allow applicants to view the location of their application

• Same process occurs when additional documents are sent

Thank you

• Afternoon tea now

• Question and Answer session

• Visit to the VAC