Understanding the difference between a Resident Visa and a Permanent Resident Visa

This means that once a PRV is granted, you can leave New Zealand for as long as you like and return at any time, as long as your PRV is correctly transferred to your current passport.

In contrast, a standard Resident Visa includes travel conditions that expire after a set period.

A Resident Visa allows you to live and work in New Zealand indefinitely, but only allows travel in and out of the country for a limited time. Travel conditions are usually granted for two years, though in some cases they may be issued for five years or, for people approved under the Parent Category, up to ten years.

A Permanent Resident Visa has no visa conditions and allows you to travel in and out of New Zealand indefinitely.

In almost all cases, Immigration New Zealand will not grant a PRV as a person’s first Resident Visa. Most people must hold a Resident Visa for a qualifying period before they are eligible to apply.

For most applicants, you must have held a Resident Visa continuously for at least two years before you can apply for a Permanent Resident Visa. The two years start from the date you first arrived in New Zealand as a resident, or from the date your Resident Visa was granted if you were already in New Zealand. You must also hold a current Resident Visa, or one that expired no more than 90 days before you apply, have met any conditions on your Resident Visa, be of good character, and show your commitment to New Zealand in one of the ways accepted by INZ.

People granted residence under the Parent Category usually need to wait ten years before they can apply.

During this time, you must continue to meet residence requirements and comply with visa conditions.

If your travel conditions expire while you are outside New Zealand, your Resident Visa expires and you cannot return to New Zealand on that visa.

For this reason, many people choose to apply for a Permanent Resident Visa as soon as they are eligible, particularly if they plan to travel.

This can allow you to travel temporarily while maintaining your resident status, but it does not provide the long term certainty of a PRV.

Visa Matters can help you understand where you stand, whether you qualify for a PRV, and what steps you should take next. We can also advise on travel risks, variations of travel conditions, and timing your application to protect your residency.

If you are unsure about your eligibility or planning overseas travel, contact us for advice before you make any decisions.

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