This site is in beta. We are still smoothing out rough edges. If you spot something wrong or have a suggestion, tell us on the contact page.

Immigration and Protection Tribunal (IPT)

The Immigration and Protection Tribunal (IPT) is the independent New Zealand tribunal that hears appeals against declined residence applications, deportation liability, and refugee and protection decisions. It was established under the Immigration Act 2009, is chaired by a District Court judge, and is administered by the Ministry of Justice. It is not part of Immigration New Zealand.

Outcome figures are computed from the tribunal's published decisions and refresh as new decisions are analysed.

What the tribunal hears

Published IPT decisions analysed on this site
20,793
Decided appeals allowed, represented against self-represented, four biggest categories
43% vs 27%
General residence appeal deadline, statutory and strict
42 days
  • Residence appeals. Against a declined residence class visa application, generally within 42 days. See appeal rights explained.
  • Deportation appeals. Against deportation liability, on the facts and on humanitarian grounds (the “unjust or unduly harsh” test). See facing deportation.
  • Refugee and protection appeals. Against declined recognition as a refugee or protected person, and cessation decisions.

What the tribunal cannot hear

There is no appeal to the IPT against a declined temporary visa, work, visitor or student. The tribunal has said so in hundreds of its published decisions, because hundreds of people have tried. If a temporary application was declined, the realistic paths are a fresh application, reconsideration where available, or advice on what went wrong: see options after a declined visa.

How often appeals succeed

Outcome rates across the tribunal's published decisions, by appeal type. “Allowed” is the share of decided appeals (allowed plus dismissed) that succeeded. Outcomes reflect case selection as much as advocacy, and past rates decide nothing about any individual case. Full analysis: appeal success rates.

Decided appeals and the share allowed, by appeal type
Appeal typeDecidedAllowed
Refugee & protection6,77221%
Deportation: non-resident4,00937%
Residence: skilled migrant3,64048%
Residence: partnership1,33154%
Residence: parent77738%
Deportation: under the 1987 Act76621%
Deportation: resident53635%
Residence: sibling & adult child47646%
Residence: dependent child42157%
Residence: special policies39168%
Residence: business entrepreneur33443%
Residence: business investor23048%
Residence: from work & Green List21060%
Residence: permanent & returning resident13242%
Residence: 2021 Resident Visa13540%
Residence: category not stated3155%
Residence: other1369%
Deportation: type not stated1283%

Compiled from the tribunal's published decisions as described under how listings are ordered.

Three different bodies

  • The Immigration and Protection Tribunal hears appeals against immigration decisions: this page.
  • The Immigration Advisers Complaints and Disciplinary Tribunal hears complaints about licensed immigration advisers. This site summarises every published decision.
  • The Immigration Advisers Authority is the regulator that licenses immigration advisers in the first place: see what the IAA does.

Help with a visa appeal

Appeal deadlines are short and the represented against self-represented gap above is large. Every practitioner profile on this site shows its published IPT appeal record, matched conservatively, ordered by register facts, never by payment.

Search immigration advisers and immigration lawyersGet help with an appeal

Frequently asked questions

The Immigration and Protection Tribunal (IPT) is the independent New Zealand tribunal that hears appeals against declined residence applications, deportation liability, and refugee and protection decisions. It was established under the Immigration Act 2009, is chaired by a District Court judge, and is administered by the Ministry of Justice.

No. There is no appeal right to the tribunal for declined temporary visas. The tribunal has said in hundreds of published decisions that it is not a review body for temporary visa declines. The realistic responses to a declined temporary visa are a fresh application, a request for reconsideration where available, or professional advice on what went wrong.

The deadlines are statutory and strict: generally 42 days for a residence appeal, and 28 or 42 days for deportation appeals depending on the ground, counted from when you are told of the decision. The tribunal has no general power to extend a missed deadline, which is how many appeals end before they start.

Success rates differ sharply by appeal type. Across the 20,793 published decisions analysed on this site, represented appellants in the four biggest appeal categories succeeded in about 43% of decided appeals, against about 27% for people who represented themselves, a gap that reflects case selection as much as advocacy.

No. Immigration New Zealand is the government agency (within MBIE) that makes visa and deportation decisions; the IPT is the independent tribunal that hears appeals against some of those decisions. It is also separate from the Immigration Advisers Complaints and Disciplinary Tribunal, which handles complaints about licensed immigration advisers.

Sources