Pursuant to a latest report, between the periods of 17 April to 19 April 2012, the Refugee Family Support program’s (RFSP) Tier 2 category will be opened for the very first time. The RFS program of New Zealand allows immigrants to sponsor their family members for permanent residence status in the country with a quota of 300 approvals for residence every year.

Earlier these quotas have been filled by individuals applying under RFSP’s Tier 1 category; however, at present there are not sufficient numbers of applicants available under the Tier 1 category to fill in the quotas. The applications under Tier 1 category take priority over the tier 2 category, as applicants under the category of tier 1 don’t have any immediate family member in the country.

The said report has also mentioned that before a family member is allowed to apply for permanent residence under the Tier 2 category of the FRSP, the qualified New Zealand sponsor first has to submit a form of registration to the Immigration Department of New Zealand. When the registration is processed further, then the relatives of the sponsor will be allowed to invite for residence application.

People, who intend to sponsor their family members under the tier 2 of the RFSP, will have to fill in INZ 1192 Refugee Family Support Category Tier 2 Sponsor Registration Form. It will be accessible online on the official website of New Zealand Immigration from 26 March 2012.