A Request for Information (RFI) is a formal notice from Immigration NZ asking you to provide additional documents, clarify something in your application, or explain an apparent inconsistency. Receiving one doesn't mean your application is in trouble — many RFIs are routine — but the way you respond matters significantly. An incomplete, late, or poorly framed response can turn a solvable problem into a decline.
What an RFI Is and Why INZ Sends Them
When a case officer reviews your application and needs more information before making a decision, they issue an RFI. Common triggers include:
Missing documents: Your application was submitted without a document that's required for the specific pathway, or a document was missing a page, was illegible, or wasn't certified.
Information that needs verifying: The case officer wants to confirm details you've provided — for example, verifying your employment with your employer directly, or confirming a qualification is genuine.
Gaps or inconsistencies: An unexplained gap in your employment history, a date that doesn't match across documents, an address that appears in one document but not another, or information in your application that conflicts with information in a document.
Outdated documents: A bank statement from six months ago that no longer reflects your current financial position, or a police certificate that's approaching its validity limit.
Policy requirement: Some visa categories routinely generate RFIs for specific documents regardless of individual application quality — it's part of how that category is processed.
An RFI pauses your application's processing clock. Processing time is measured from a complete application to a decision — the period between receiving an RFI and receiving your response doesn't count toward the published processing estimate. This means a slow response extends your total wait by exactly the time you take to respond.
RFI vs Section 26 Letter: Understanding the Difference
A standard RFI asks for documents or information. A Section 26 letter (also called a Potentially Prejudicial Information or PPI letter) is more serious: INZ has identified specific concerns about your application and is giving you the opportunity to address them before a potentially adverse decision is made.
The distinction matters because the response to a Section 26 letter isn't just about providing documents — it's about addressing specific concerns that, if not adequately resolved, will result in a decline. Section 26 letters are commonly issued when:
- Your criminal history has been identified and raises character concerns
- A health condition has been identified that may affect the health standard assessment
- Information in your application appears to be inconsistent or potentially false
- INZ has received information from a third party (an employer, a previous landlord, a reporting party) that raises questions about your application
If you receive a Section 26 letter, engage a licensed immigration adviser or immigration lawyer immediately. The framing, evidence, and legal argument in your response can determine whether your application is approved or declined. This is not a situation to handle alone.
Deadlines: What They Mean and What to Do If You Can't Meet Them
The RFI will state a specific deadline for your response — typically 14 to 28 days from the date of the RFI, though some categories or circumstances allow different timeframes. The deadline is stated explicitly in the RFI document itself; that figure overrides any general guidance.
The deadline is not flexible by default, but extensions can be requested. If you need more time — because a document will take longer than the deadline to obtain, because you're getting specialist advice, or because of a genuine personal circumstance — contact INZ before the deadline to request an extension. Explain why you need more time and propose a realistic alternative date. Extensions are not guaranteed, but a legitimate reason with a prompt request is usually accommodated for reasonable additional time.
If you cannot obtain a specific document before the deadline and an extension isn't granted, provide what you can on time and explain clearly in writing that the remaining item is being obtained, why it's taking longer, and when you expect to provide it. A partial response submitted on time is better than a complete response submitted late.
Missing the deadline entirely is the worst outcome. INZ can proceed to make a decision on the information available — which, if your application is missing material evidence, typically means a decline. Even if your response will be late, submit it and contact INZ to explain.
How to Structure an Effective Response
Read the RFI Before Preparing Anything
Read the RFI carefully and completely before gathering any documents. Case officers write RFIs with specific language for a reason — the precise wording tells you what's needed, what concern prompted the request, and sometimes what will and won't satisfy the requirement.
Make a list of every item explicitly requested in the RFI. For each item, note:
- What exactly is being asked for (the document, the explanation, the clarification)
- Whether you have it, can get it, or need to provide an alternative
- What format INZ has specified (certified copy, original, translation)
Address Every Item
Your response must address every point in the RFI. A response that answers seven of eight items leaves the eighth unanswered, which typically results in a further RFI or a decision made on incomplete information.
If you cannot provide something, explain why in writing. If an alternative form of evidence can demonstrate the same thing, explain what you're providing instead and why it's equivalent. Do not simply omit items you can't answer.
Write a Cover Letter
A cover letter at the front of your response is not required but is good practice. It should:
- State your full name, date of birth, and application reference number at the top
- List every item included in the response (a numbered inventory)
- For clarification requests, directly answer the question being asked
- For document requests, briefly state what each document demonstrates
The cover letter is not the place for a lengthy argument or emotional appeal. Be factual, direct, and organised. The goal is to make the case officer's job easy — they should be able to match your cover letter items to the RFI items without hunting through pages of text.
Quality of Documents
All documents should be:
- Clear and legible — poor-quality scans of handwritten documents or photos of documents taken at an angle are often unacceptable
- Complete — every page of a multi-page document, not just the page with the relevant information
- Translated — any non-English document must be accompanied by a certified translation into English (the translator must certify the translation is accurate and state their qualifications)
- Certified where required — some documents need certified copies (certified by a notary public, solicitor, or other acceptable certifier depending on the document type)
Keep copies of everything you submit. If there's a later dispute about what was provided, your copies are your record.
Submit Through the Right Channel
The RFI will specify how to submit your response — usually through your Immigration Online account, uploaded against the relevant application. Submit through that channel, not by email or post, unless the RFI specifically directs otherwise. Upload documents individually with clear file names (e.g., "Police_Certificate_Germany.pdf" rather than "scan001.pdf") so the case officer can identify what each document is without opening every file.
Common RFI Scenarios and How to Handle Them
Missing financial evidence: If you're asked for updated bank statements, provide the most recent three months. If the RFI asks about the source of funds shown in your account (a large deposit, for example), provide an explanation and supporting evidence — gift letter, sale contract, tax return, or other documentation showing where the money came from.
Relationship evidence gaps: Partnership applications often trigger RFIs asking for additional evidence of the relationship — particularly if the current evidence doesn't convincingly show daily shared life. Add bank statements showing payments to the same household expenses, additional photos with timestamps, declarations from friends or family who know you as a couple, messaging history printouts (screenshots of extended conversations), or evidence of joint travel.
Employment gaps or inconsistencies: If INZ has identified a period of your work history that isn't accounted for, provide an explanation. Self-employment, periods of study, caregiving, job searching, or other legitimate reasons for employment gaps can be explained in a statutory declaration accompanied by whatever supporting evidence is available. Don't fabricate employment; if you weren't working, explain that honestly.
Character disclosure questions: If INZ has identified criminal history you declared (or didn't declare) and is asking about it, be completely honest and comprehensive. Provide the police certificate if not already submitted, a personal statement explaining the circumstances, evidence of rehabilitation, character references if appropriate, and legal advice on what the conviction means under New Zealand's character assessment framework. This is a situation where an adviser or lawyer's help is valuable.
When to Get Professional Help
For routine document RFIs — "please provide an updated bank statement" or "please provide a certified copy of your qualification" — you can respond without professional help. The task is straightforward document gathering and submission.
For anything more substantive, consider getting advice:
- Section 26 letters with specific concerns about your character, health, or the genuineness of your application
- RFIs that suggest INZ has identified information inconsistent with your application
- Situations where you genuinely cannot provide what's requested and need to construct an alternative evidence argument
- Complex character or health matters where the explanation requires legal or medical framing
- Any RFI where you're uncertain what's actually being asked or what would satisfy the requirement
An immigration adviser who handles RFIs regularly understands what case officers are looking for, how to frame explanations effectively, and what level of evidence satisfies particular requirements. The cost of professional help for an RFI response is modest compared to the cost of a declined application and the delay and expense of reapplying.
Frequently Asked Questions
I received an RFI but don't understand what they're asking for. What should I do?
Contact INZ through your online account or by phone to ask for clarification about what specific documents or information would satisfy the request. Get the clarification in writing if possible. You can also consult an immigration adviser who can interpret what the RFI is asking based on its wording and context.
The document INZ is asking for doesn't exist in my country. What can I do?
Provide a statutory declaration explaining that the document doesn't exist, along with whatever official confirmation you can obtain (a letter from the relevant authority stating that this type of document isn't issued, for example). Then provide the closest available alternative evidence. Be proactive in explaining what you're doing — don't just provide an alternative without explaining why the requested document can't be obtained.
I provided something in my original application that's now inconsistent with what an updated document shows. How do I handle this?
Acknowledge the inconsistency directly and explain it. If your financial situation changed between the original application and the RFI response period, explain what changed and why. Don't try to paper over inconsistencies — case officers notice, and an attempt to obscure a discrepancy is worse than the discrepancy itself.
My application has been pending for a long time and now I've received an RFI. Does this mean it's about to be decided?
Usually yes — an RFI typically means the case officer is actively working on your application. Responding promptly and completely is likely to lead to a decision relatively quickly after your response. This is the phase where the momentum is in your favour if you respond well.
Received an RFI from INZ? Find a licensed immigration adviser who can help you prepare a thorough and effective response.