Thousands of Kiwis set to battle for latest MIQ spots

Tens of thousands of offshore-based Kiwis are set to launch a fresh bid to be able to return to New Zealand.

The Government will open its managed isolation virtual lobby at 11am, with rooms to be available for would-be returning Kiwis from noon.

The MIQ booking system has previously been labelled an "absolute joke", "depressing" and "heartbreaking" by those who have not been successful.

The latest release of rooms will cover dates in October, November, December and January.

Today's pending release will be the first time rooms in MIQ have been made available for 2022.

All up, 3700 rooms will be made available.

The previous release of MIQ rooms offered up 3800 spots.

To get into the lobby, people have to have an account at the Managed Isolation Allocation System website and have all their personal - including passport - and flight details handy.

People can only make one booking for themselves (or a group) per turn and once the room release starts, everyone in the lobby will be randomly organised into a queue.

Late last month, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said 12,000 rooms would be released over a several week period.

"The reason we stagger those releases is because some people may have urgent needs that only arise say, in October and November and it allows those people to get equal access if those needs arise a little closer to the time."

But the lobby system has been slammed by those who are unsuccessful.

 

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