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 they can get depends on your visa and their age. Dependent children can't get work visas.
Checked with INZ on 29 October 2026.
Who counts as a dependent child
| For | Dependent if |
|---|---|
| Resident visas | 24 or younger and single; if 18+, no children of their own; if 21 to 24, relying on you (or another adult) financially, depending on the visa |
| Visitor and school student visas | 19 or younger, single and relying on you; if 18 or 19, no children of their own |
| Child of a New Zealander or Child of a Worker visitor visas | Can be 20 to 24 if they've applied for, or are included in, an eligible residence application |
Children aged 20 or older can't be included in your visitor or student visa application; they need their own visa.
By your situation
| You are | Your children can get |
|---|---|
| A New Zealand citizen or resident | Included in your residence application, or a Dependent Child Resident Visa later (24 or younger) |
| Applying for residence | Included in the application, with medicals and (if 17+) police certificates |
| On an eligible work visa (such as some AEWVs) | Child of a Worker Visitor Visa (school for up to 3 months), or student visas for longer schooling |
| On a student visa | Visitor visas, and sometimes student visas |
Not every work visa can support children's visas. You may need to show you earn enough to support them.
Where an adviser helps: a child who turns 20, or 25, at the wrong moment can drop out of the family's options. If a child is close to an age limit, a licensed adviser can check whether to include them now, and which visa keeps them with you while residence is decided.
Child of a Worker Visitor Visa
- lasts as long as your work visa
- lets your child attend school for up to 3 months; for longer, they need a student visa
- can be applied for at the same time as your work visa; it's granted after yours
- needs proof of identity, that you're the parent, and that the child is single and dependent, with translations of documents not in English.
School
Children on student visas can attend school. Many children of work visa holders are domestic students for state schools, so they don't pay international fees; check with the school and the Ministry of Education.
Children from previous relationships
If the other parent isn't coming, INZ usually needs evidence you have the right to take the child: custody orders or the other parent's consent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my 22-year-old come with me to New Zealand?
Only as part of a residence application (24 or younger, single, dependent), or on their own visa. Not on a visitor or student visa based on your work visa.
Can my children go to school on a visitor visa?
For up to 3 months. For longer, they need student visas.
Can my dependent child work in New Zealand?
Not on a dependent child visa. Older children need their own work visa.
Can I add a newborn to my application?
Yes, INZ has a process for adding a newborn to an existing application.
What if the other parent doesn't agree?
INZ usually needs the other parent's consent or a custody order. Get advice early.
Getting help
Including children in a straightforward application is usually simple. A licensed immigration adviser helps with children near age limits, children from previous relationships, and custody questions. If a child's visa is declined, talk to an adviser or immigration lawyer.
Tell us your situation and we'll introduce you to a licensed adviser or immigration lawyer. It's free to ask.
Sources: Immigration New Zealand, "Bringing children", "Child of a Worker Visitor Visa" and "Dependent Child Resident Visa" (immigration.govt.nz), read 29 October 2026.