Move forward with a clear plan for your Tribunal appeal.
When INZ declines a visa, cancels a status, or issues a deportation notice, the appeal window is short and the stakes are personal — we help you use it well.
The basics
An appeal to the Immigration and Protection Tribunal — the independent body that hears certain immigration appeals — against a decline, a deportation liability notice, a status cancellation, or a refugee or protected-person determination.
Nature
An appeal to an independent body, not a request to INZ. Decisions are made by the Tribunal, not by Immigration New Zealand.
Process
Established under the Immigration Act 2009, administered by the Ministry of Justice, seated in Auckland. Hearings are generally private.
Pathways
Different appeal types apply: residence declines (section 187), residents and PRs facing deportation, non-resident humanitarian appeals (section 207), refugee/protected-person cancellations, and RSU determinations.
Deadline
The appeal window is short and statutory. Missing it generally closes the route.
Assessment
Not a forum for changing immigration policy or renegotiating unfavourable but lawful conditions. If a decision is lawful and correctly made, the Tribunal generally won't disturb it.
Alternatives
Section 185 reconsideration is with INZ. Section 61 requests are with the Minister. Judicial review is in the High Court. The IPT is a different forum from each.
Not sure if an IPT appeal is your route?Reconsideration, Section 61, and judicial review each cover different ground. Get in touch — a short call can confirm which pathway applies and what deadline you're working against.
Most people in that position are not trying to become experts in immigration appeals — they are trying to keep a life on track.
When our help makes a difference
Some immigration processes are approved without much friction. Some situations carry real risk of delay, hard pushback or decline.
Real cases · Illustrative
Every case is different. These are illustrative and don't guarantee a particular outcome.
Avoidable problems
Visitor Visa applications can be declined or delayed for reasons that are sometimes avoidable with better preparation.
Weak ties to a home country, inconsistent travel history, or vague explanations of the purpose of a visit can raise concerns. A well-prepared application addresses these points directly with supporting evidence.
Bare-minimum bank balances, unclear income sources, or missing sponsorship documentation can lead to requests for further information or decline.
Applicants from countries without a low TB incidence may need a chest X-ray. Those with criminal history may need police certificates. Out-of-date evidence delays processing.
Your passport must be valid for at least three months beyond your planned departure date. Travelling on a passport close to expiry can result in being refused boarding or refused entry at the border.
Providing false, misleading, or incomplete information — even unintentionally — can result in decline, and may affect future visa applications.
Applying too close to your intended travel date, or failing to apply for an extension before your current visa expires, creates complications that are difficult to resolve.
Important constraints
An IPT appeal is a specific legal process. It isn't the right tool for every adverse immigration outcome — and it can't change policy or unfavourable but lawful decisions.
Not permitted
We'll tell you up front if a different forum is the right next step.
Get INZ to reconsider a decision under section 185
Reconsideration is with INZ, not the Tribunal. We can discuss whether it applies.
Make a Section 61 request
A separate Minister-level mechanism. See Section 61 Request.
Get judicial review of the decision-making process
Heard by the High Court. We can discuss if it applies in your matter.
Change immigration policy or renegotiate unfavourable but lawful conditions
he Tribunal generally won’t disturb lawful decisions, even where the result is difficult.
Address a character matter ahead of a new application
See Character Waiver.
Find the right pathway
If a different immigration process fits your situation, we can take you there directly.
Working with us
We will guide you step by step on your Immigration and Protection Tribunal Appeal process, from start to finish.
Short conversation to review the decision, confirm the relevant deadline, and identify the appeal grounds available. We'll tell you up front if a different pathway is the better fit.
Letter of engagement signed, invoice paid. We open the file and map the timeline against the appeal deadline and any related proceedings.
We work through the decision letter, the available grounds, the evidence required (medical, school, family, public-interest, factual record where relevant), and any coordination with other proceedings — so the appeal is built on a stable factual base.
We file the notice of appeal within the statutory window and lodge the supporting submissions and evidence.
We engage with the Tribunal through the hearing process — written submissions, evidence exchanges, and any oral hearing required.
We walk you through the outcome. If allowed, we explain what comes next — including any referral to the Minister where applicable. If dismissed, we discuss the limited further options.
FAQ
A lawyer is not legally required, but an IPT appeal involves strict deadlines, specific legal tests, and evidence standards that are difficult to navigate without immigration law experience. A lawyer brings structure to the grounds, the evidence bundle, and the hearing preparation — and can identify procedural fairness arguments, humanitarian framing, or coordination issues that are easy to miss without legal training. A short initial conversation can help clarify what professional support would look like for your particular appeal.
Appeal deadlines under the Immigration Act 2009 are generally measured in weeks from the date of notification, not months, and the extension regime is limited. Even when the evidence is not yet complete, making contact helps protect the filing window while the case is built. Waiting until the bundle feels “ready” is a common reason appeals arrive too late.
That depends on the appeal type. Some appeals are decided on the written file alone, without anyone attending. Others involve an oral hearing at the Specialist Courts and Tribunals Centre in Auckland, where the appellant and any witnesses give evidence and a lawyer presents submissions. Hearings are generally private and are less adversarial than a courtroom, though still formal.
The options narrow significantly, but they are not always zero. Depending on the facts, a reconsideration request to INZ, a section 61 request to the Minister, or judicial review in limited circumstances may still be available. We can review your situation and explain which of those pathways, if any, is realistically open.
That depends on your current visa status and the type of appeal. Some appellants are lawfully in New Zealand on a visa that continues during the appeal process; others are not. Before filing, we work through the status question so you understand what your position is while the appeal is active, rather than assuming one way or the other.
A dismissal is not always the end of the matter. Depending on the grounds, a statutory appeal on a point of law or a judicial review may be available in the High Court, generally within a short window after the decision. A ministerial request or a different visa pathway may also be worth considering. We explain the options after a decision rather than leaving that question for later.
Immigration appeals often sit alongside family, criminal, or employment matters. A deportation liability notice may relate to a criminal case still in progress; a humanitarian appeal may depend on a family law dispute about care of children; an employment relationship may need to be managed if an employee faces deportation. Where the tribunal appeal runs alongside a related proceeding, we coordinate with practitioners in the relevant area so the appeal preparation reflects the full picture rather than treating the immigration matter in isolation.
Yes, within the applicable rules. Previous refusals and character concerns add complexity to both the evidence bundle and the grounds, and legal framing often matters more in these cases. Classified-information matters are more restricted — what the appellant can see and respond to is limited by law, which shapes how the appeal can be argued. We can assess how those factors affect your situation and explain what can realistically be done within the applicable framework.
The engagement usually starts with an initial consultation to review the decision, confirm the correct pathway, and agree on scope. From there, work typically covers drafting the grounds, preparing the evidence, filing the appeal, managing correspondence with the Tribunal, and — where applicable — preparing for and attending the hearing. We agree fees in writing at the outset and do not quote fees on this page because they depend on the appeal type and the complexity of the case.
Whether your immigration process is straightforward or involves complicating factors, we can help you understand your options and put your best case forward.
MyLaw is a New Zealand law firm with a focus on immigration law.
Our team is led by Michael Yoon, a New Zealand lawyer and member of the New Zealand Law Society.
He holds a current practising certificate and works across a range of immigration matters, from Immigration and Protection Tribunal Appeal matters to complex cases involving prior refusals, character issues, and multi-visa strategies.
If you have received an adverse immigration decision, or expect one, a short initial conversation can help clarify where you stand — which pathway applies, what the deadline is, and whether legal support is likely to make a difference. We assist with appeals where the evidence is clear, and with situations that involve humanitarian factors, procedural fairness arguments, or coordination with other proceedings.
Contact us to arrange an initial discussion. We will review the decision, confirm the relevant deadline, and talk through the pathway that fits your situation.
