Section 378 — Immigration Act 2009: Special directions

378 Special directions (1) The Minister may give to the chief executive or any other immigration officer, either in writing or orally, a special direction, in relation to any matter for which such a direction is contemplated by any provision of this Act or of regulations made under this Act, in respect of— (a) any person, visa, or document; or (b) any 2 or more persons, visas, or documents where by reason of any specific event, occurrence, or unusual circumstances there is a common link between those persons, visas, or documents. (2) The Minister may give in writing a special direction— (a) waiving the requirement to hold a visa permitting travel to New Zealand in relation to any class of persons, in accordance with section 69(2)(a) : (b) suspending, under section 69(2)(b) , a visa waiver made in accordance with section 69(1) : (c) classifying persons to whom a transit visa waiver applies, in accordance with section 86(4)(a) : (d) suspending, under section 86(4)(b) , a transit visa waiver made in accordance with section 86(2)(a). (3) A special direction comes into force on the day on which it is made, or any later date specified in the direction. (4) Where a special direction is given orally, the chief executive or immigration officer must as soon as possible make a written record of the content and date of the direction. (5) A special direction may be subject to such conditions as the Minister thinks fit. (6) A special direction may revoke or amend any previous special direction. (7) Nothing in this section limits or affects the powers of the Minister to give all such instructions to the chief executive as the Minister thinks fit in the ordinary course of the administration of the immigration portfolio and of this Act. (8) The decision whether to grant a special direction is in the absolute discretion of the Minister. Compare: 1987 No 74 s 130