Immigration Guides

The Fee Paying Student Visa is the visa most commonly held by international students in New Zealand. If you have an offer of place from an approved education provider and...

If your job is on Tier 1 of the Green List, you may be able to apply for a Resident Visa straight away. No points test, no two years of...

The Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) is New Zealand’s main residence pathway for skilled workers. It is for people who are already working here, or who have a skilled job offer,...

The median wage is the single most important number in New Zealand’s visa system. It decides whether your partner can work here, how long your work visa lasts, and whether...

The Post Study Work Visa (PSWV) is how most international graduates stay on in New Zealand after finishing their studies. You do not need a job offer to apply, and...

A decline can feel like the end of the road. It is not. There are recognised options, and many declined applications are resolved successfully. But the right option depends on...

If you are a New Zealand citizen or resident, the Partner of a New Zealander Work Visa lets your partner live and work here while you build your life together....

Partnership visa applications need evidence that your relationship is real. Part of that evidence is letters from people who know you both as a couple. Friends, family, your employer, your...

A relationship ending is difficult enough without the added pressure of worrying about your visa. If your New Zealand Partnership Visa application or current visa is connected to your relationship,...

Whether you and your partner are already here on different visas, planning to move from offshore, or ready to apply for residence together, there’s almost always a partnership-based pathway that...

This checklist covers everything you need to gather for a New Zealand Partnership Visa (online) application, whether you’re applying for a Resident Visa, Work Visa, or Visitor Visa. Use it...

The Work to Residence Visa is for skilled migrants in Green List Tier 2 roles. It allows you to apply for residence after completing two years of eligible full-time work....

A simple way to understand this visa and how the process works The Parent Boost Visitor Visa is a new long-term visitor visa designed to allow parents of New Zealand...

Not everyone is legally entitled to apply for a visa for New Zealand. There are specific situations where Immigration New Zealand will not accept a visa application at all. Understanding...

The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) is New Zealand’s main temporary work visa for skilled migrants who have a job offer from an accredited employer. Introduced to simplify the hiring...

A Permanent Resident Visa, commonly referred to as a PRV, allows a person to live in New Zealand indefinitely with no restrictions on travel in and out of the country....

Subject to limited exceptions, all applicants for New Zealand visas must have an acceptable standard of health. If an applicant, or a family member included in the application, does not...

When your New Zealand resident visa application is declined or you’re facing deportation, the Immigration and Protection Tribunal (IPT) offers a formal avenue for appeal. Understanding how IPT appeals work...

If you are in New Zealand without a valid visa, you are considered to be unlawfully in the country. This can happen if your visa has expired or a new...

If your temporary visa application is declined after you applied from within New Zealand, you may be able to ask Immigration New Zealand to reconsider the decision. A reconsideration request...

Special Directions are one of the most powerful, and least understood, tools available under New Zealand immigration law. They are discretionary powers exercised by the Minister of Immigration, or more...

First, let’s talk about Job Change. If you hold an Accredited Employer work visa (AEWV) and want to change one or more of the conditions on your current visa, you...

Receiving a Deportation Liability Notice (DLN) from Immigration New Zealand (INZ) can be frightening and overwhelming. However, a DLN does not automatically mean you will be deported. In many cases,...

If Immigration New Zealand contacts you during a visa application, the type of letter you receive matters. Two of the most common letters applicants receive are PPI letters and RFI...

Immigration New Zealand often contacts applicants before making a final decision on a visa application. When Immigration New Zealand sends a Potentially Prejudicial Information letter, commonly called a PPI letter,...

Guide to what to do if you need a Character waiver All applicants for New Zealand visas must be of good character and must not pose a potential security risk....

A study plan is a vitally important part of your student visa application. Immigration New Zealand uses the study plan to assess whether you are a genuine student with a...

Once you receive employer accreditation from Immigration New Zealand (INZ), your responsibilities don’t end there. Accredited employers are subject to post-accreditation checks, which are used to ensure ongoing compliance with...

If your marriage was culturally arranged, Immigration New Zealand does recognise this and has a specific visa pathway designed to help couples begin living together in New Zealand. On paper,...