4. Question No. 4—ImmigrationDr JAMES McDOWALL (ACT) to the Minister of ImmigrationQuestion No. 4—Immigration4. Dr JAMES McDOWALL (ACT) to the Minister of Immigration: Can football fans from non - visa waiver countries wishing to take advantage of this month's release of additional tickets for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup come to New Zealand to watch games that start in 28 days and how many days does it currently take Immigration New Zealand on average to process 90 percent of visitor visa applications for non - visa waiver countries?Hon ANDREW LITTLE (Minister of Immigration): To the first part of the member's question yes provided they have the appropriate visa when they board their flight to New Zealand. And to the second part of the question in May 2023 over 49500 visitor visa applications were received by Immigration New Zealand. Of those on average it took seven working days to process visitor visa applications—75 percent were processed in 20 working days and 90 percent were processed within 35 working days.Dr James McDowall: Point of order Mr Speaker. Regarding the second leg of the question I asked how many days does it currently take Immigration New Zealand on average. On every day there's a rolling figure of 90 percent and the Minister referred to the previous month.SPEAKER: Can the Minister remind me what you actually answered for that part.Hon ANDREW LITTLE: Yeah so I'm happy to repeat the second part. In May 2023—so the latest figures for the latest month of figures available—49500 visitor visa applications were received and I said it took seven working days to process on average across all of them. It took seven working days to process visitor visa applications—75 percent were processed in 20 working days and 90 percent were processed within 35 working days.SPEAKER: That actually answers the question.Dr James McDowall: Point of order. SPEAKER: New point of order?Dr James McDowall: Yes. Specifically Mr Speaker I'm asking and it's on notice about non - visa waiver countries. The Minister by using visa-waiver countries in that total is skewing that information.SPEAKER: It's not really for me to judge the quality of the answer. It definitely has been answered. You can use your supplementaries to get more information out of the Minister so I suggest you do that.Dr James McDowall: Has he seen the comments made by a FIFA boss in a Newstalk ZB article this afternoon where she states this is going to be the biggest sporting event this country has seen." but they're keeping a close eye on New Zealand as there are still concerns about empty seats and is he confident that the Government has done enough with our immigration settings to welcome fans from non - visa waiver countries in the three years since the games were announced?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: I haven't seen those particular comments from that representative of FIFA but there are two comments I would make. I stand by and applaud the work of our Minister for Sport and Recreation for the outstanding leadership that he has provided in working with FIFA and indeed Australian authorities in an enthusiastic and energetic application to ensure a great tournament. But the comments of FIFA that I am aware of are those on its website where FIFA says "Fans are encouraged to complete their respective visa applications as early as possible". FIFA goes on to say on that same website "The Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand Governments expect a higher-than-normal number of applications as such processing times may take longer than usual." I'm very thankful that FIFA is sensitive to the demands placed on the immigration system of Aotearoa New Zealand which they have reflected in their advice to fans.Dr James McDowall: Is he aware that FIFA has stated that in addition to the 250000 tickets released this month further ticket allocations may be released over the coming weeks and if so will a single fan from a non - visa waiver country such as China be able to buy one of these tickets today apply for a visa and attend the game here in New Zealand or will our immigration system just not let them?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: What I am confident that FIFA knows and understands is that they deal with Sovereign countries and the systems that those Sovereign countries run in the interests of that Sovereign country and indeed in their national security interests. That's why they give warnings to fans if they have to travel and require a visa to give themselves an appropriate amount of time to do it. In the end the release and allocation of tickets is a matter for FIFA an international private body and does not override the Sovereign obligations and requirements of a country like Aotearoa New Zealand. Dr James McDowall: Supplementary?SPEAKER: You've run out of supplementaries."