Article Type: Media Articles

Analysis: A new visa coming this September will let migrants have their parents stay with them for up to a decade in New Zealand. The terms of the Parent Boost Visitor Visa, announced on June 8, can be difficult to comprehend at first but we’ve got your back.

The headline message is – besides the obvious reason for cheer – that procuring this visa is not going to be a walk in the park. Layers of vetting mean many won’t even qualify to apply. Those who make the cut will find it is not an easy ride.

Applications open September 29, 2025. The overarching criteria to apply is whether your family can afford to provide for your visiting parents. The visa tests you for this on one of three criteria.

Affordability

• Criteria 1

The first way to qualify as a sponsor – and probably the most straightforward – is to earn the median wage of roughly NZ$70,000 annually. That allows you to bring one parent.

For a similar visa, Australia sets this threshold at about NZ$90,000; while Canada has a significantly lower entry point of NZ$36,000. Both these countries have a higher cost of living than New Zealand.

The Parent Boost Visitor Visa also allows two people to become joint sponsors. The good news is the co-sponsor could be your partner or your sibling. For a joint application, the sponsors together need to earn  at least about NZ$105,000 annually.

Single sponsors can also invite both parents if they earn at least NZ$104,707 annually, or NZ$139,610 in case they co-sponsor with a partner or a sibling.

• Criteria 2 

Parents don’t necessarily need to rely on the sponsor’s income. They can make the cut on their own if they earn as much as seniors in New Zealand earn from superannuation, which is about NZ$33,000 (about INR 17 lakh) per year for a single parent and NZ$50,000 (INR 26 lakh) for a couple.

Procedural details have yet to be announced, but there will most likely be heavy vetting to verify these earnings are legit and ongoing. Parents will also have to demonstrate they’ll continue to earn this income five years from when they apply.

A range of income sources will be acceptable including pensions, earnings from rental properties, dividends from share portfolios, interest from investments, profits from company ownership, share market trading.

More information about the exact requirements will be available on the Immigration New Zealand (INZ) website in August.

• Criteria 3

A third way to prove your parents can support their stay here is for them to show pre-existing funds worth NZ$160,000 (nearly INR 83 lakh) for a single parent; and NZ$250,000 (about INR 1.3 crore) for both parents. Once again, you can assume these funds will undergo rigorous checks for legitimacy.

Funds held offshore will likely be acceptable provided those funds can be accessed from New Zealand. More information about the exact requirements will be available on the INZ website in August.

Health insurance cost

Insurance must include emergency care (minimum NZ$250,000 a year), repatriation, return of remains, and cancer treatment (minimum NZ$100,000 a year).

Applicants can access insurances from domestic and offshore providers with experience in the health and/or travel insurance business and a credit rating of no lower than A (strong) or equivalent from an internationally recognised credit rating agency (for example, Standard and Poor’s). Immigration New Zealand (INZ) will check any overseas insurer meets the credit rating.

As Auckland-based insurance advisor Firozi Mistry explains here, insurance premiums can vary according to a range of criteria. That means even ballpark assessment of yearly premiums can be tricky. With that caveat out of the way, she estimates an elderly couple with good health conditions can expect to pay NZ$1,810-$2,300 for a year’s health coverage.

Health insurance not enough

Procuring health insurance won’t help if your parents can’t clear the health fitness test as per New Zealand standards. As Auckland-based immigration advisor Ankur Sabharwal explains here, there could be a 16 per cent chance your parents will be declined a visa despite meeting other requirements.

This estimated decline rate is based on the historical decline rate for the three-year Parent/Grandparent Multiple Entry visitor visa, a category which has been open for many years.

Sabharwal says in his experience almost all applications declined under this category are because applicants do not meet “acceptable standard of health” (ASH) requirements.

“Like the new Parent Boost category, a Parent/Grandparent Multiple Entry visa application requires elderly parents to complete Immigration New Zealand’s General Medical and Chest X-ray Certificates,” he says.

Sabharwal points out the main reasons cited are – likely to be a danger to public health; or likely to impose significant costs or demands on New Zealand’s health services; there is no “medical waiver” provision under the Parent/Grandparent Multiple Entry category, and there is unlikely to be one under the Parent Boost category.

An added layer of scrutiny pops up in the third year of your parents’ stay under the new visa, as they are required to leave the country that year and can re-enter only if they clear a fresh medical test.

Immigration Minister Erica Stanford says the visa is all about finding a happy middle ground. “The Parent Boost Visa strikes the balance of making New Zealand more attractive for people who want to make our beautiful country their home, without putting additional strain on public services,” Ms Stanford says.

As soon as this new visa was announced over the weekend, many people started complaining:

– Health insurance will cost too much!
– The $3000 visa application fee is too high!
– We shouldn’t need to meet a high-income threshold for our parents to be approved a Parent Boost visitor visa.

These are all valid concerns, but there is a bigger hurdle to your parents being approved Parent Boost visitor visas which you may not have thought about.

Remind me, what is the Parent Boost visitor visa?

This is a five-year visitor visa, available for parents of New Zealand citizens and residents. It can be extended for a further five years, for a maximum stay of 10 years in total.

To apply, parents must:

Have health insurance that covers medical emergencies and cancer treatment for the first year. They must also promise to keep this insurance the whole time they stay in New Zealand.

Be sponsored by their adult child in New Zealand who earns:

– $69,805 a year (that’s $33.56 per hour) to sponsor one parent, or
– $104,707 if the income is shared with a partner to sponsor one parent
– $104,707 alone or $139,610 jointly to sponsor both parents

If the child in New Zealand does not earn this much, parents can still apply by showing savings:

– $160,000 for one parent, or
– $250,000 for two parents (a couple)

Another option is to show proof of guaranteed retirement income.

Applications under the Parent Boost category open on 29 September 2025.

So why might your parents still be declined?

Even if you meet the income or savings requirement, can pay the $3000 visa application fee, and buy health insurance, there is still a 16% chance that your parents will be declined a visa.

This estimated decline rate is based on the historical decline rate for the three-year Parent/Grandparent Multiple Entry visitor visa, a category which has been open for many years.

In my experience, almost all applications declined under this category are because applicants do not meet “acceptable standard of health” (ASH) requirements.

Like the new Parent Boost category, a Parent/Grandparent Multiple Entry visa application requires elderly parents to complete Immigration New Zealand’s General Medical and Chest X-ray Certificates.

Even though they are willing to pay for health insurance for five years, INZ will not approve them Parent Boost visas if they are:

– likely to be a danger to public health; or
– likely to impose significant costs or demands on New Zealand’s health services.

There is no “medical waiver” provision under the Parent/Grandparent Multiple Entry category, and there is unlikely to be one under the Parent Boost category.

What’s worse is that your parents will need to prove evidence of their health TWICE: once before they lodge their Parent Boost visa application, and once more after three years. If their health has deteriorated by the time they complete their second medical certificate (which needs to be completed offshore), they may not be able to return to New Zealand.

What are the workarounds?

It’s possible to do INZ Medical Certificates before lodging a visa application and view the results. If your parent has a medical condition, a doctor should be able to tell them what treatment they will need in the next five years.

For a couple applying together under Parent Boost, the principal applicant should always be the healthier of the two.

That way, if the secondary applicant is found not to be of an acceptable standard of health, they can withdraw their spouse from the application, and they won’t have wasted their $3000 visa application fee.

If you have parents in India who are currently in good health and if you meet the income/funds requirements for the Parent Boost, I strongly recommend that they apply as soon as possible. The longer they wait, the higher the risk of being declined for health reasons.

I see a lot of clients who have been declined temporary visa applications to visit, study or work in New Zealand. Let me share some tips so that your friends and family members can avoid being declined temporary visas.

How to avoid being declined a visitor visa
The most common reason for people being declined visitor visa applications is what Immigration New Zealand (INZ) calls “bona fides”.

Bona fides means:

• Can you show that you have genuine reasons for visiting New Zealand?
• Can you show that you have reasons to leave New Zealand after your visit?

It’s not enough just to tell INZ “this is what I am going to do in New Zealand” and “this is
why I am going to return to India at the end”.

INZ’s approach to all visa applications is evidence-based. Visitor visa applicants need to provide evidence of their plans in New Zealand and evidence of their ties to their home country. For example, do they have a job to return to? Do they have family members to return to? What about assets and other financial ties? If they can provide evidence of these, they are more likely to be approved.

Similarly, if someone has travelled overseas before—especially to countries like the UK, US, or Canada—and returned home on time, it’s important to submit proof of that. INZ is more likely to trust that the person will return from a visit here if they’ve respected visa rules in the past.

How to avoid being declined a student visa

Currently, the most common reason for the decline of student visa applications is the lack of clear evidence of funds.

Applicants usually can show they (or their financial guarantor) have enough money in the bank. But the problem arises when they can’t show where that money came from. INZ takes the “source of funds” seriously.

What INZ hates the most is seeing large unexplained deposits on bank statements. If the owner of the bank account doesn’t earn that much … well, where did the money come from?

Again, it is important to provide evidence of how the money was earned. If it was transferred from someone’s bank account to yours, provide evidence of this.

INZ used to accept evidence of funds held for six months or more at face value. However, these days, INZ is likely to ask for evidence of the source of funds held for longer than six months.

Another common reason for a decline is when the student is perceived as lacking “genuine reasons for study.” That’s why your study plan (or statement of purpose) is important. A generic statement like “New Zealand has a top-quality education” won’t cut it.

You must write your study plan in your own words. If you conduct the research yourself, you will be in a much better position to handle any possible INZ interview.

How to avoid being declined a partnership-based work visa

Two common work visa categories are the Partner of a Worker and the Partner of a New Zealander. The most frequent reason for declining these applications is that the couple can’t show they’ve been living together in a partnership.

Here’s a typical scenario: the New Zealand-based partner travels to India, the couple gets married, spends a few weeks together (either on their honeymoon or staying with family), and then the supporting partner returns to New Zealand due to work or other commitments.

In these cases, the best option is for the Indian partner to apply for a general visitor visa—not a partnership-based visa. This approach allows the couple to start living together in New Zealand and gather evidence of this.

How to avoid being declined a culturally arranged marriage special category visitor visa
Don’t apply under this category in the first place. The decline rate is around 50%. Apply for a general visitor visa instead.

Life just got easier for employers wanting to hire migrants on Accredited Employer work visas.

Starting this month, employers no longer need to pay the median wage (formerly $29.66/hour) to new employees hired under this visa category.

Now they only need to pay the “market rate” – which could be as low as the minimum wage for low-skilled occupations.

The Government has been generous to employers in other ways

But it’s not just about pay rates—employers have gained several other advantages under the Government’s new AEWV settings.

From now on, low-skilled workers (such as cleaners and retail staff) can be approved three-year work visas instead of two. Higher-skilled workers still get five-year visas.

In theory, employers still need to make genuine attempts to recruit New Zealand citizens or residents before applying to Immigration New Zealand for a “job check” approval.

However, the Government has included two provisions which make it easier for employers who wish to hire workers from overseas instead of New Zealand workers:

• Immigration New Zealand will accept declarations from employers that they have “engaged with Work & Income New Zealand (W & I) in good faith” to try to find New Zealand workers; and
• INZ will also accept declarations that employers did not find any suitable Kiwi workers through W & I or other advertising.

The new policy allows INZ to ask for evidence of these, but the emphasis is on accepting employers at their word.

Also, employers won’t need to do any advertising or list positions with W & I if their current employees are extending their visas (for a maximum stay of five years).

Even more generosity

The Government has also been generous in upgrading some occupations from “low-skilled” (i.e. ANZSCO Level 4 or 5) to “high-skilled” (ANZSCO Level 1-3).

Now if you’re an employer who wants to hire a cook, a nanny, a scaffolder, a fitness instructor, a slaughterer, or someone who works with pets, you only need to advertise positions for two weeks instead of three, you don’t need to list positions with W & I, and your overseas workers can now be approved five-year visas.

Another way of upgrading a low-skilled occupation to a high-skilled one is for employers to claim that extra qualifications or work experience are required for the positions being offered. For example, a caregiver in a rest home who is paid the minimum wage can be upgraded to Skill Level 3 from Skill Level 4 and approved a five-year work visa instead of three years.

Will employers pay their migrant workers less in future?

In the long run, yes.

People who already hold AEWVs will have to be paid at their current rates of pay.

However, new employees can be paid at the “market rate.” For most occupations, this is likely to be lower than the $29.66/hour previously required for Accredited Employer work visa applications.

The “market rate” is defined is the rate which New Zealanders are paid to undertake the same work that is being offered to a migrant.

However, the market rate is typically expressed as a pay range, often referring to sources such as the Careers New Zealand website.

Under the previous Essential Skills work visa category, which also required that migrant workers be paid the “market rate,” INZ used to accept employment offers at the lower end of the range.

So, for example, someone who pours concrete could be paid the minimum wage ($23.50/hour from 1 April) or as high as $30/hour, according to the Careers website.

Will INZ approve job checks for concrete workers paid the minimum wage? The new AEWV rules allow them to.

My view

It’s good for employers that they can retain migrant employees for longer, especially at a time when New Zealand is losing skilled workers to Australia in record numbers.

Ultimately, migrant workers who are paid less in the future will undercut the labour market, leading to lower pay rates for New Zealand workers in low-skilled jobs roles.

And don’t expect employers to hire many Kiwis on the dole – it just got easier not to do so.

With this month’s changes, the Government has enabled a new “high trust” model of accepting New Zealand employers at their word.

And we know how that turned out last time.

Poor advice from a licensed immigration adviser (LIA) or lawyer could lead to costly mistakes—jeopardising your future in New Zealand. Not all immigration professionals are equal. Some lack the expertise, diligence, or ethical commitment required to manage the intricacies of your case.

Are you at risk of being misled? Here’s how to safeguard yourself and ensure you’re getting value for your money.

What Immigration Professionals Can Do for You

Both LIAs and immigration lawyers can:

• Assess your eligibility for a visa
• Prepare and submit your visa application
• Handle communication with Immigration New Zealand
• Represent you for resident visa appeals before the Immigration and Protection Tribunal

However, only lawyers can represent you in the High Court—a step so rare that it applies to less than 0.1% of immigration cases.

So, how do you choose the right professional for your needs?

1. Experience Counts
Check the types of cases they have handled and ask for case studies to review.Also, check how long they’ve been practising. You can verify this through:

• The Immigration Advisers Authority’s website (for LIAs).
• The Law Society’s website (for lawyers).

2. Read Client Reviews and Complaints

A quick look at Google or Facebook reviews can provide a sense of a professional’s reputation. But don’t stop there—check if your adviser or lawyer has been subject to disciplinary action on:

• The Immigration Advisers Complaints and Disciplinary Tribunal (IACDT)
• The New Zealand Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal (NZLCDT)

While being listed on these sites doesn’t necessarily mean someone is a bad adviser or lawyer, reading the Tribunal’s decisions can provide valuable insights into how they have treated their clients.

Ask yourself: Do I want this adviser or lawyer who treated their clients this badly to work for me?

3. Transparency: Are They Upfront About Their Services and Fees?

• Do they provide written advice, including eligibility assessments?
• Do they give you the reasons for their advice?
• Are all services and fees clearly outlined in a written agreement?
• Does their written service agreement include service standards to clarify how long it will take them to respond to emails or phone calls?Beware of vague answers from professionals. Consider it a warning sign if their responses are unclear or if they fail to document their advice in writing. This may indicate that they lack confidence in the advice they are providing.

4. Know Your Rights, Protect Your FutureImmigration professionals are bound by standards to evaluate your eligibility comprehensively, identify barriers to your application and provide detailed, reasoned advice in writing.

For LIAs, these obligations are clearly laid out under Competency Standard 4.1, which requires them to assess a client’s immigration situation, including:

• establishing eligibility criteria
• gathering appropriate information
• conducting preliminary assessments
• identifying potential barriers to eligibility
• evaluating the possible range of visa options
• providing correct advice and information
• providing reasons for advice given.

LIAs and immigration lawyers are required to provide their advice in writing. If your adviser or lawyer hasn’t done this promptly after you have engaged them, ask them why not.

If these services are not delivered early in your engagement, ask for a refund. I strongly recommend that you don’t continue with an adviser or lawyer who provides subpar assistance—it could jeopardise your visa approval.

5. Professional Fees: What Should You Pay?

You get what you pay for.

Professional fees vary based on expertise, experience, reputation, results and the adviser’s or lawyer’s operating costs. While cost is a factor, quality immigration advice is an investment in your future.

Expert advisers can usually handle complex cases better. This can save you time and avoid costly mistakes in the long run.

A good professional doesn’t just provide generic advice; they understand your specific needs and tailor their approach accordingly.

As visa application fees rise, it’s tempting to cut corners to save money. However, this can lead to mistakes or incomplete applications that result in delays, rejections, or additional costs.

6. Take Charge of Your Immigration Journey

Don’t leave your future in the hands of subpar advisers or lawyers. Research thoroughly, ask tough questions, and insist on written advice.

Your life in New Zealand is too important to gamble on the wrong advice.

YouTube sensation IShowSpeed is caught in hot water during his New Zealand trip, facing allegations of breaking visa rules.

The buzz? Immigration officials are investigating whether the creator’s monetized streams violated his visitor visa terms—claims his cameraman flat-out denies.

2024 has been a global whirlwind for Speed, with stops across continents. His latest adventures in Australia and New Zealand have gone viral, featuring wild moments like stepping into the cage with UFC star Dan Hooker and beating an Aussie football player in a $10k race. Classic Speed chaos.

But while fans are loving the content, New Zealand authorities aren’t as amused. According to 1News, Immigration New Zealand confirmed Speed entered the country on a visitor visa. The catch? Earning money through streams could put him in breach of visa laws.

“In assessing this case, we will follow our standard compliance procedures,” said Immigration NZ’s Richard Owen.

Immigration adviser Ankur Sabharwal added that Speed would need a work visa for future trips if he plans to keep creating content there. For now, officials are deciding how to handle the current situation.

Immigration New Zealand is “assessing” the visit of YouTube star IShowSpeed after confirming he does not have the visa required to work in the country.

IShowSpeed or Speed, whose real name is Darren Jason Watkins Jr, has been touring New Zealand, filming a series of livestreams for a broadcast to YouTube and his audience of 33 million subscribers.

In a statement to 1News, Immigration New Zealand general manager risk and border Richard Owen confirmed Speed was on a visitor visa to New Zealand, after travelling to the country as a visa-waiver traveller.

“A person cannot work in New Zealand while holding a visitor visa.

“In general, individuals require a work visa (or hold a visa with conditions that allow for work) to engage in activities that result in gain or reward (such as payment) during their time in New Zealand,” Owen said.

“In assessing this case, we will follow our standard compliance procedures.”

On the Immigration NZ website, it stated: “When a report is made about a possible immigration breach or offence, an assessment is made to determine the veracity and severity of the allegation and how it is best addressed.”

Immigration adviser Ankur Sabharwal from Visa Matters told Breakfast this morning: “If he’s monetising the video’s he’s streaming during his travel in New Zealand — in other words, if he’s receiving a payment from YouTube for streaming these videos — then he’s working in New Zealand, and visitor visa conditions do not allow work.

“What he needs to do is apply for a work visa before he travels to New Zealand next time.”

Sabharwal said the easiest way to find out if Speed is being paid for the videos he’s filming in New Zealand would be to ask him.

“I don’t know whether INZ would do that, or they’ve done that, but INZ is actually not required to prove anything here,” he added. “If they feel that he’s breaching his visa conditions by working in this country while he holds a visitor visa which doesn’t allow work, then they could simply serve him a deportation liability notice.

“When someone’s breaching their visa conditions, INZ has the choice to decide whether they want to investigate it further or they just simply want to serve them a deportation liability notice.

“In this particular case, I think they are more than likely to have a word with him or his team,” Sabharwal said.

A deportation liability notice “doesn’t mean you can be deported straightaway — it simply begins the process”, Community Law explains on its website.

“You have various appeal rights (depending on what kind of visa you’ve got and why they’re deporting you) that you can use before you’re deported,” the organisation said.

“Only after you’ve had the chance to use your appeal rights can Immigration NZ then make a deportation order and force you to leave the country.

“After they’ve made a deportation order, you can still ask Immigration New Zealand to cancel the order. They have a broad power to do this.”

Speed has built a huge following on YouTube after gaining attention through his online content in 2021. He is known for his wild stunts, high energy, and collaborations with celebrities.

Recently, he has been visiting a variety of countries and livestreaming his travels to his YouTube audience.

Earlier this week, Speed was swarmed by hundreds of young fans at the base of the Sky Tower in Auckland.

The internet personality spent the day travelling across the city, visiting professional Kiwi boxer Dan Hooker and looking at the views from the top of the Sky Tower. Groups of fans could be seen chasing his van as it left the venue at the time.

Breakfast has contacted Speed and his representatives for comment but has not yet had a response.

SOURCE: 1news

Speed, also known as IShowSpeed, whose actual name is Darren Jason Watkins Jr., has been traveling across New Zealand to record a number of livestreams for a YouTube show that would be viewed by his 33 million fans. Richard Owen, general manager of risk and border for Immigration New Zealand, confirmed to 1News that Speed was in the nation on a visiting visa after entering as a visa-waiver traveler.

Darren Jason Watkins Jr., a well-known YouTuber who goes as IShowSpeed or Speed online, is being investigated in New Zealand for possible visa violations. With 33 million subscribers, Speed has been traveling the nation and documenting his experiences live for his fans across the world.

According to confirmation from Immigration New Zealand (INZ), Speed entered the nation on a visiting visa, which limits work-related activities. “A person cannot work in New Zealand while holding a visitor visa,” said INZ General Manager for Risk and Border Richard Owen.

• Monetized Streams Raise Questions

Ankur Sabharwal, an immigration adviser, said that Speed’s livestreams may be considered employment if they are paid for. He clarified, “Visitor visas do not allow work,” Visa requirements would be broken if YouTube videos shot in New Zealand were paid for. Sabharwal continued by saying that INZ could resolve the matter by only interrogating Speed or his group.

• Compliance Procedures in Place

INZ follows standard compliance procedures when investigating visa breaches. “When a report is made, an assessment determines the severity of the allegation,” Owen said. INZ has not confirmed whether Speed is under formal investigation.

Community Law, an advisory organization, clarified the deportation process for visa breaches. “A deportation liability notice begins the process, but it doesn’t mean immediate removal,” their website states. Speed would retain appeal rights before any deportation order is enforced.

• Fans Flock to YouTuber’s Appearances

Speed drew sizable audiences during his visit of New Zealand, including hundreds of youthful admirers at Auckland’s Sky Tower. The YouTuber, who became well-known in 2021 for his exuberant exploits and celebrity partnerships, has since taken a lot of trips and broadcast live from his travels.

• Possible Outcomes for Visa Breach

Sabharwal emphasized that INZ does not have to provide evidence of misconduct. “They can choose to investigate further or serve a deportation liability notice,” he stated. Speed would be able to contest the notice or ask for its cancellation if it were served.

Although INZ has not revealed its next course of action, analysts predict that talks with Speed’s team will probably take place. The result may establish a standard for other content producers who come to New Zealand.

SOURCE: Times Now News