Help & Support

Immigration FAQ: Your Questions Answered

Find answers to frequently asked questions about New Zealand immigration, visa applications, processing times, costs, and requirements. Quick, reliable.

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Costs & Fees

NZ Visa Fees 2026: Every Visa Cost in One Table

New Zealand Visa Fees 2026: Complete Government Fee Schedule New Zealand visa fees are set by Immigration New Zealand (INZ) and updated periodically. This page lists the current government costs f...

NZ Immigration Fee Waivers & Exemptions

Immigration Fee Waivers in New Zealand Immigration application fees are substantial and non-refundable in almost all circumstances. Once INZ has assessed an application — regardless of whether it'...

NZ Visa Processing Times 2026, by Visa

NZ Visa Processing Times 2026, by Visa These are INZ's published wait times: the average, and the time within which most applications are decided. They're for complete, straightforward app...

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Eligibility & Requirements

Age Requirements for NZ Immigration

Age Limits for New Zealand Visas Age matters for New Zealand immigration in a few specific places: skilled residence has an upper limit of 55, working holiday visas have age windows, and child...

NZ Immigration Health Requirements

NZ Immigration Health Requirements: What to Expect Health screening is a standard part of New Zealand's immigration process. INZ requires health checks for two broad reasons: to protect public hea...

NZ Immigration Character Requirements

NZ Immigration Character Requirements: What You Need to Know Every New Zealand visa application — from a short visitor visa to a residence application — includes a character assessment. For most p...

English Requirements for NZ Visas: IELTS

English Language Requirements for NZ Visas: IELTS, PTE & Alternatives Many New Zealand visas require applicants to demonstrate English language proficiency. The required level varies by visa type...

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Work & Study Rights

NZ Visa Work Rights Explained

Work Rights on Your NZ Visa: What's Allowed and What Isn't Your work rights in New Zealand are set by the conditions on your visa. The same visa type that lets one person work full-time for any em...

NZ Interim Visa & Work Rights 2026

Working While Waiting: NZ Interim Visa and Work Rights Explained The short answer: Yes, in most cases you can continue working in New Zealand while a new visa application is being processed —...

Self-Employment Visa Options NZ

Self-Employment in New Zealand: Visa Options for Freelancers and Independent Workers New Zealand does not have a "freelancer visa." The immigration system is built around employment relationships,...

Understanding NZ Visa Conditions

NZ Visa Conditions: What They Mean and How to Stay Compliant Every New Zealand visa is granted with conditions — legally binding rules that define what you can and cannot do while in the country....

Working for the Wrong Employer NZ

Working for the Wrong Employer in NZ: Visa Condition Breach Explained Working for an employer other than the one named on your visa is a visa condition breach in New Zealand. It doesn't matter...

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Family & Partners

Dependent Child Visas NZ

Dependent Child Visas for New Zealand Children can come to New Zealand in two ways: included in your application, or with their own visa based on their relationship to you. Which visas the...

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Residence & Citizenship

NZ Citizenship: You Need Residence First

New Zealand Citizenship: Residence Comes First You can't apply for New Zealand citizenship from overseas, or while you're on a work, student or visitor visa. Citizenship by grant is for people...

Permanent Residence vs Residence NZ

Resident Visa vs Permanent Resident Visa: The Practical Difference When you're granted New Zealand residence, you receive a resident visa — not a permanent resident visa. These are two distinc...

Returning to NZ as a Resident: Travel Conditions

Returning to New Zealand as a Resident: Travel Conditions A New Zealand resident visa lets you leave and come back only until a set date, shown on your visa as "Expiry date travel" (us...

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When Things Go Wrong

Visa Declined NZ: Appeals, Reconsideration & Your Options

Visa Declined NZ: Your Options After a Refusal A declined visa is stressful, but it is often not the end of the road. What you can do depends on three things: whether it was a temporary or a r...

Overstaying Your Visa in NZ

Overstaying Your Visa in NZ: What Happens & How to Fix It Overstaying your visa—remaining in New Zealand after your visa has expired—creates serious legal consequences. However, understanding your...

Multiple Visa Applications NZ

Multiple Visa Applications in New Zealand: Strategy and Rules You can only hold one active visa at a time in New Zealand, but you can have multiple applications pending simultaneously. Understandi...

Refugee & Asylum in NZ: Protection

Refugee and Asylum in New Zealand New Zealand provides protection to people fleeing persecution under its obligations as a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention. There are two distinct pathways...