Special residents' visa set up for Christchurch attack victims

Special residents' visa set up for Christchurch attack victims
Photo credit: Newshub

Victims of the Christchurch terror attack and their immediate families will be able to apply for a new type of visa, Immigration New Zealand says.

A special permanent resident visa has been set up and anyone who was present at either mosque during the shooting, or their families can apply.

Immigration NZ says to be eligible you must have been living in New Zealand on March 15, when the attacks happened, and not just visiting.

Family members can include partners, children and immediate family of children who were at the mosques.

Immigration NZ says they will check police records to verify who was there at the time of the attacks.

Fifty people died when a gunman opened fire the Masjid Al Noor and Linwood mosques and another 50 were injured.

This visa is designed to give victims and their families on temporary visas support and certainty. 

Newshub.