RNZ understands the full border re-opening could be as soon as late July. 

The government will be announcing the official date in about an hour - and it's expected to be months earlier than the original October timeline. 

But immigration specialists say while that is a good thing, the people who will come need visas, and there are huge problems with processing. 

Immigration lawyer Alistair McClymont spoke to Māni Dunlop.