A Potential Prejudicial Information (PPI) is a letter of concern sent to the applicant by Immigration New Zealand (INZ).
If Immigration Officer is not satisfied with your application or is concerned with the supporting documents, they usually raise their concerns in the form of a PPI letter.
If the submission of information in response to PPI fails to mitigate the concerns raised by Immigration New Zealand (INZ), your application can be declined. So consider this as your final chance to prove why your application should be approved.
Hence, it is imperative that you work with an experienced and competent immigration expert to make the most of this opportunity to mitigate visa officers concerns while you can.
For temporary entry class applicants who are outside New Zealand, a PPI letter is sent when
For temporary entry class applicants who are already inside New Zealand, a PPI letter is sent when any information may have an adverse effect on the outcome of the application.
A PPI does not mean that INZ will decline the application. It simply means that INZ has identified certain concerns with your application, and they are giving you an opportunity to comment/ provide clarification.
Types of PPIs
INZ sends a PPI for various reasons, such as when the applicant has medical concerns, character concerns, or when certain immigration instruction-related assessment criteria are not met.
Medical PPI
One of the requirements for every temporary entry visa application is that the person must have an acceptable standard of health. Suppose the applicant fails to meet this requirement, based on the information received from the Health Assessment Team (HAT). In that case, INZ sends a medical PPI to the applicant seeking their comments and giving them an opportunity to provide additional information.
Character PPI
A character PPI is sent when INZ identifies some character-related issues.
For example:
Other PPI’s (when assessment criteria concerns identified)
A PPI may also be sent when anything unfavourable or not meeting immigration instructions is identified by an immigration officer in the application or supporting documents submitted. The triggers for the PPI could be anything ranging from education, experience, finances, employer, employee, recruitment process, admission process, previously submitted information, previous immigration history etc.
Getting a PPI can be intimidating. A PPI letter will always have a deadline date for responding. Ensure that the date is not missed. If you are unable to provide comments within the said timeframe, you can request an extension.
The response to the PPI must be clear, to the point & well written. Additional documentary evidence that corroborates your explanation can be included as part of the response with watertight advocacy. Often the expertise of a lawyer or a licensed immigration adviser is required to respond to a PPI.
A PPI should never be taken lightly, as the outcome of your application depends on it.
For any assistance, don’t hesitate to contact Immigration Advisers New Zealand Ltd at [email protected] or call +64 09 3790219. Our experienced team of licensed immigration advisers will be happy to guide you.
Vandana Rai is a Senior Licensed Immigration Adviser and has built a reputation around her rare set of skills, which could be considered ideal for her legal profession.