How to Claim Refugee Status in New Zealand: The Six-Step Process
SHHTB Editoral Team•November 9, 2026•4 min read
Claiming refugee status in New Zealand can feel overwhelming, especially when the process is written in legal language. This guide explains it in plain English, from the moment you tell an official you need protection to the final decision. You will see the six steps of the claim process, what happens while you wait, and how long the wait can be. It also shows how a claim differs from the Refugee Quota and family visa pathways, and where to get free legal help. This guide is general information only and is not legal advice. For help with your own situation, speak to a lawyer or your local Community Law Centre.
How do you make a refugee claim in New Zealand?
You start by telling an official that you want to be recognised as a refugee. This can be an Immigration Officer, another official from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), or the police. Even a spoken claim counts.
Once you have made a claim, you cannot be deported until it has been decided. You must be in New Zealand to make a claim. You cannot claim from overs
The six steps of the refugee claim process
Fill in a written claim form. Send it to the Refugee Status Unit at Immigration New Zealand (INZ).
Write a statement of your grounds. This is a separate written statement explaining why you fear harm if you return. Give it as soon as you can, and tell INZ if family members are also claiming.
Attend an interview. A Refugee and Protection Officer interviews you about your claim.
Receive the officer’s report. The officer writes a report summarising your claim and its grounds and gives it to you.
Add final information or arguments. You can respond to the report with anything more you want to say in support of your claim.
Get the decision. The officer decides your claim and tells you the outcome.
What happens while you wait for a decision?
If you held a visa when you made your claim, INZ usually grants a new one to keep you in New Zealand lawfully. This is typically a six-month work visa if you can show you need to work.
If you were in New Zealand unlawfully when you claimed, you might not get a visa. You could be held at the Māngere Refugee Resettlement Centre or in prison.
Emergency benefits and temporary additional support may be available while you wait.
Need a work visa? If you need help to apply for a work visa, contact your legally aided lawyer, who will work with the Safe Haven Housing Trust board to apply for a work visa.
How long does a refugee claim take?
Be ready for a long wait. It can take up to two years for a claim even to be assigned to a Refugee and Protection Officer.
If you leave New Zealand before a decision, your claim is normally withdrawn. If you are on a Temporary Visa and your claim fails, you cannot apply for any other visa while you stay.
Refugee claim, Refugee Quota or family visa: which pathway applies?
A claim made inside New Zealand is only one way to be recognised as a refugee. There are two others.
Claim in New Zealand: you apply from inside the country, whether you are here legally or not. There is no quota. If your claim is refused, you can challenge the decision at the Immigration and Protection Tribunal.
Refugee Quota: you are accepted before you arrive. INZ usually considers only cases referred by UNHCR. For 2026 to 2027, there are 1,450 UNHCR places and 50 Community Organisation Refugee Sponsorship places. If you are declined, there is no right of review or appeal.
Family of refugees: two special residence categories exist. Refugee Family Support allows up to 600 people a year, including partners and children. Quota Family Reunification lets UNHCR-mandated refugees sponsor family, but it is not available if you came through community sponsorship.
Where to get free legal help
Your local Community Law Centre offers free legal help. You can find your nearest centre at communitylaw.org.nz/our-law-centres. You can also contact Immigration New Zealand on 0508 558 855.
