While we welcome people from overseas we need to protect the interests of New Zealand citizens and residents.

If an immigration officer believes a prospective student from overseas has not made a genuine application for a visa, or that they don’t intend to meet the conditions of the visa we may grant them, we will not grant a visa.

A person may be refused a visa if:

• they’re not eligible for a visa under sections 15 or 16 of the Immigration Act 2009. In summary, this covers:
  • people involved in criminal activities:
    • who have been sentenced to, or have served, specified prison terms
    • who have committed other criminal or drug offences
  • people who have been required to leave countries:
    • who have a deportation order in force under the Immigration Act 2009
    • who are subject to a removal order or deportation order under the Immigration Act 1987 
    • who have been deported from New Zealand or any other country
• people involved in any way with criminal or terrorist organisations or activities
  or
• they’re in New Zealand unlawfully when they apply
  or
• in our view, they do not meet an acceptable standard of health or character
  or
• we believe they’re likely to stay in New Zealand unlawfully or that they would break the conditions we would apply to the visa granted to them. 

Want to see the wording of the immigration instructions?
Go directly to the Operations Manual, sections E2.40 - E2.70.