(Bloomberg) -- New Zealand will offer residency to Ukraine war refugees who arrived under a special visa unveiled last year, the government announced Saturday.
Holders of the Special Ukraine Visa who are granted the document before March 15, 2024, will be able to apply for residency in New Zealand, the government said on its website. The 12-month permit first opened for applicants in March 2022 and was extended by a further one year in February.
The government said around 1,510 visas have been granted and there are about 340 holders of the permit in New Zealand. The government will stop accepting applications after March 15, it said.
“Many of those who sought safety here in New Zealand would never have anticipated being here long term, but as war continues we have a humanitarian obligation to provide certainty to them,” Andrew Little, New Zealand immigration minister, said in the statement.
Those wishing to obtain residency will be required to provide a medical certificate, character checks and meet identify requirements, in addition to paying a NZ$1,200 ($708) application fee.
