Which New Zealand Visa is right for you?
The New Zealand Immigration system holds a broad range of visa options for migrants to stay in New Zealand. Some may only apply for the visa once, whilst the majority would have an immigration pathway where multiple visa applications are involved. Tailoring your own visa plans in New Zealand, choosing the most suitable visa types, and submitting quality applications at each stage, is all crucial for the success of your migration.
Resident Visas and Temporary Visas
- What is your current and ultimate purpose in New Zealand?
- When you arrive in New Zealand, do you wish to visit, study, work, join your family, or invest into any projects?
- In the long term, are you looking for a permanent stay in New Zealand?
The type of visa you will need for your stay in New Zealand depends on your intent and purpose:
Visit
Study
Work
Business
Investor
Join your Family
Work
Business
Invest + Retire
Join Family
Join Your Partner
Applying for a Resident Visa for New Zealand
If you want to stay in New Zealand permanently, you will need a Residence Class Visa. The Residence Class Visas will entitle you to stay in New Zealand indefinitely and to live, work and study.
Visas to become a New Zealand resident:
1
Skilled Migrant Category
This visa category is the main pathway for migrants to apply for New Zealand residence. You will need a sound professional background and find skilled employment in New Zealand.
2
Business and Investor Visas
If you are an entrepreneur wanting to buy or establish and operate your own business, or look into investing your funds in New Zealand, one of the Business and Investor Resident Category might be the top options for you to consider.
3
Family Visas
Is your Partner, Parent(s), or Child a New Zealand citizen or Resident? You might be able to join them in New Zealand under one of the Family Stream Visas.
4
Parent Retirement Visas
Are you planning to invest a fund for your retirement years and make the most of New Zealand's cosy lifestyle accompanied by your Resident/Citizen child(ren)? If yes, you might want to choose the Parent Retirement Visa pathway.
5
Straight-to-Residence/Work to Residence Visa
Are you a professional in a high-skilled and/or globally hard-to-find position, in the field such as engineering, healthcare, education, or information technology? If yes, you might qualify for a Straight-to-Residence or Work-to-Residence Visa under the Green List policy directly from offshore.
6
Permanent Resident Visa
After you have obtained your Resident Visa and live in New Zealand for certain years, you will need to apply for the Permanent Resident Visa as the last stage for you to stay, freely depart and re-enter New Zealand indefinitely.
Applying for a Temporary Visa for New Zealand
The purpose of New Zealand’s temporary entry visas is to facilitate the entry of genuine visitors, students and temporary workers.
Visas allowing you to be in New Zealand for a temporary stay:
01.
Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV)
Required if you’d like to work in New Zealand for a certain period of time.
03.
Visitor Visas
We all must start somewhere. And for some of us, this means a visitor visa.
04.
Residence Class Visas
If you’d like to settle permanently in New Zealand, this is your visa.
06.
Partner Visas
If you are in a relationship with an NZ citizen or someone holding an NZ visa, this is an option you should definitely consider.
03.
Visitor Visas
We all must start somewhere. And for some of us, this means a visitor visa.
04.
Residence Class Visas
If you’d like to settle permanently in New Zealand, this is your visa.
06.
Partner Visas
If you are in a relationship with an NZ citizen or someone holding an NZ visa, this is an option you should definitely consider.
08.
Section 61
If you are unlawfully in New Zealand and would like to resolve your situation.
- FOR ASSISTANCE
Other things relevant to your settlement in New Zealand
Visa Waiver countries
Citizens or nationals holding a passport from certain countries/districts may travel to New Zealand without the need of applying for a visa before departure. However a NZeTA pass may be required prior to the trip.
Refugee and protection
New Zealand is bound by several international instruments to facilitate refugees, asylum seekers and protected persons to settle and lead their life in New Zealand. Offshore applicants, unless otherwise specified, will normally need to contact the United Nation in the first place before they seek support from the New Zealand government.
Citizenship
There are four ways of becoming a New Zealand citizen, only one of them is relevant for migrants.
– Citizenship by birth in New Zealand
– Citizenship by descent
– Adoption
– Citizenship by grant
For the Citizenship by grant approach, the eligible applicant will need to be a New Zealand resident first and spend a significant period of time in New Zealand.