Clause 15.1. Refugees, Protected Persons, Afghan Interpreters and Afghan Evacuees

15.1

Refugees, Protected Persons, Afghan Interpreters and Afghan Evacuees

15.1.1

If a refugee, protected person, Afghan interpreter or Afghan evacuee has ceased to be entitled to other forms of government assistance (not provided by MSD) accorded to refugees, protected persons, Afghan interpreters or Afghan evacuees, MSD may make non-recoverable Grants not exceeding $5,000 in total for one or more of the following purposes:

(a)

accommodation, bond or rent in advance, up to a maximum of $3,500 in total;

(b)

beds, bedding and essential appliances;

(c)

the cost of connecting telephone, electricity and gas;

(d)

clothing requirements;

(e)

the cost of, including transport costs of, attending English language classes; or

(f)

translation costs for work related documents.

15.1.1AA

A grant under clause 15.1.1 may be made to an Applicant lawfully present in New Zealand who is awaiting the outcome of that Applicant's application for an Afghan emergency resettlement visa.

15.1.1A

Despite clause 15.1.1, the overall maximum Grant total of $5,000 under clause 15.1.1 must be increased by $100 for every dependent child of the applicant after the applicant's second dependent child.

15.1.2

A Grant under clause 15.1.1 may be made only if the application is lodged within one year of the refugee, protected person, Afghan interpreter or Afghan evacuee's first arrival in New Zealand except that a Grant for the purpose stated in clause 15.1.1(e) may be made if the application is lodged within 2 years of the refugee, protected person, Afghan interpreter or Afghan evacuee's first arrival in New Zealand.

15.1.3

MSD may make more than one Grant for the purposes stated in clause 15.1.1 within the appropriate time period stated in clause 15.1.2, but the total amount of the Grants are not to exceed the total of the amounts stated in clause 15.1.1 and clause 15.1.1A.

15.1.4

In clauses 15.1.1 and 15.1.2-

refugee has the same meaning as in section 4 of the Immigration Act 2009.

protected person has the same meaning as in section 4 of the Immigration Act 2009.

Afghan interpreter means a person who has worked with the New Zealand Defence Force, the New Zealand Police or the New Zealand Special Air Service in Afghanistan and has been granted a residence class visa by the Minister of Immigration as an exception to residence instructions under section 72(3) of the Immigration Act 2009.

Afghan emergency resettlement visa means a permanent resident visa of a kind described in the immigration instructions S4.35 as published at 10 December 2021 (Afghan Emergency Resettlement Category) under the Immigration Act 2009.

Afghan evacuee means-

(a)

a person who holds an Afghan emergency resettlement visa; or

(b)

a person who:

(i)

holds a residence class visa (other than an Afghan emergency resettlement visa) under the Immigration Act 2009, or is a New Zealand citizen; and

(ii)

would have been eligible for an Afghan emergency resettlement visa, if they did not hold a residence class visa, or were not a New Zealand citizen.