WELLINGTON - Immigration New Zealand has moved most new online visitor visa applications to its enhanced Immigration Online system from Sept. 24.

The change means applicants can no longer start affected visitor visa applications in the old Immigration Online system. They must instead use the newer platform, according to INZ’s transition notice.

The move covers widely used categories including the general Visitor Visa, Business Visitor Visa, Academic Visitor Visa, Guardian Visitor Visa, Medical Treatment Visitor Visa and Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa.

People who had already started applications in the old system before Sept. 24 have a short transition period. Those drafts can still be completed and submitted before Oct. 8, when the affected forms will close and any remaining drafts will be deleted.

Applications already submitted through the old system will continue there until INZ communicates a decision.

Not all visitor visas are following the same path.

Partner of a New Zealander and Child of a New Zealander visitor visas remain in the old system for now. Six categories for partners and children of military personnel, students and workers had already moved to enhanced Immigration Online in June.

The Trafficking Child Victim Visitor Visa will use a paper application rather than the enhanced system.

A separate change follows on Oct. 1, when INZ will stop routinely accepting paper applications for a selected group of visitor visas and the Transit Visa. Exceptional paper applications may still be accepted, and applications lodged before Oct. 1 will continue to be processed.

“Enhanced Immigration Online is our preferred system for receiving visitor visa applications,” INZ said when announcing the transition.

The change is part of INZ’s broader Our Future Services programme, which is progressively moving visa applications onto enhanced Immigration Online, also known as ADEPT. Group and Tour Escort visitor visa applications moved to the platform in August.

Earlier this month, New Zealand’s new Short-Term Graduate Work Visa will also open through enhanced Immigration Online on Nov. 16.

For affected visitor visa applicants, the immediate deadline is Oct. 8: drafts left in the old system after the forms close will be deleted.