Immigration Reception Service for Korea

The Government is to set up a basic immigration reception facility at its embassy in Seoul.

The decision was announced jointly by the Minister of Immigration and the Minister for International Trade Lockwood Smith.

Commenting on the decision, the ministers said they saw it as a positive move for the education sector.

"An education mission will be visiting Korea this month," Dr Smith said.

"This decision will resolve any uncertainties in the Korean market over the issuing of student visas. Long term, the market has considerable potential for New Zealand education exporters." The NZIS office in Seoul was closed last December following a fall-off in residence applications and the introduction of visa free entry for Korean tourists. As a result of the closure, the processing of all Korean applications (mainly student visas) was shifted to Hong Kong.

Mr Bradford and Dr Smith explained that under the new arrangement visas would still be processed in the NZIS Hong Kong office but Koreans would be able to lodge their application with the New Zealand Embassy in Seoul. A specialist receptionist would be recruited for this purpose and to answer any local inquiries.

Mr Bradford added that the decision would pave the way for the Working Holiday Scheme agreed between the Korean and New Zealand Governments last year.

Under the scheme 200 New Zealanders and Koreans each year would be entitled to visit each others' countries for a working holiday.