New Zealand Visa FAQs

Begin with your purpose: work, study, a visit, joining family or residence. Then consider your current status, employment or study plans and relevant relationships. Our visa categories page provides the starting points.

No. The employer, employment and worker must meet the applicable requirements. Under the AEWV framework, accreditation and the Job Check are separate from the worker's visa application.

No. It is linked to authorised employment. Check whether approval is needed before changing employer, role or location. Read the AEWV guide.

Tier 1 relates to qualifying Straight to Residence employment. Tier 2 relates to Work to Residence, generally after 24 months of qualifying New Zealand work. Occupation-specific conditions and other visa requirements still apply.

No. Student permission, a Post Study Work Visa and a resident visa are separate assessments. Not every course qualifies for post-study work, and completing a course does not guarantee qualifying employment or residence.

Possibly. The category and family circumstances determine whether eligible family members can be included or need separate applications. An AEWV does not include family members in the same application. Do not assume one person's visa gives everyone else work or study rights.

A marriage certificate alone does not establish every requirement. Evidence of living together in a genuine and stable partnership is important. Partnership residence generally requires at least 12 months of living together, alongside the other conditions.

No. An NZeTA is a travel authority relevant to specified travellers, including eligible visa-waiver travellers. Check the route that applies to your passport and circumstances, as well as entry requirements.

Not necessarily. A Resident Visa can permit an indefinite stay while travel conditions remain time-limited. A Permanent Resident Visa has different travel rights and separate eligibility requirements.

No. Parent Boost is a temporary visitor category. A Parent Resident Visa is a separate category with its own selection, sponsor and other requirements.

A licensed immigration adviser or a person legally exempt from licensing. Check the individual with the Immigration Advisers Authority. Australian migration-agent registration alone is not proof of a New Zealand licence.

Keep the decision letter and contact an appropriately qualified adviser or lawyer promptly. Review or appeal rights depend on the decision and circumstances. Sending a general website enquiry does not lodge an application or preserve a deadline.

Use our contact page with a brief summary of your plans, current location and any relevant date. Do not send passport, medical, financial or sensitive relationship documents until an appropriate channel has been agreed.