An applicant intending to give birth in New Zealand will no longer be considered as not having an acceptable standard of health.
Applicants for temporary entry class visas who intended to give birth in New Zealand have not been considered to have an acceptable standard of health, as it was considered likely they would impose significant costs or demands on New Zealand's health services. Applicants who intend to give birth in New Zealand will no longer be considered as not having an acceptable standard of health.
Temporary entry visa applicants who intend to give birth while in New Zealand will be required to prove that they are a bona fide visitor, student or worker and are either eligible for publicly-funded maternity health services; or are able to pay for maternity health services (evidence of at least NZ$9,000 will be required, in addition to adequate funds for maintenance and accommodation).
Chest X-ray certificate required post-birth for pregnant temporary entry visa applicants with risk factors for tuberculosis.
Applicants for temporary entry class visas who intend to be in New Zealand for more than six months and are considered to have risk factors for tuberculosis, must provide a chest X-ray certificate unless they are pregnant; or are under 11 years of age. The exception is where an immigration officer considers a chest X-ray certificate is necessary to establish whether the applicant has an acceptable standard of health. Pregnant women will still not ordinarily be required to provide a chest X-ray certificate.
Applicants for temporary entry visas intending to stay for more than six months with risk factors for tuberculosis will, however, only be granted a visa valid for up to three months after the date that they are due to give birth (unless they have recently provided Immigration New Zealand (INZ) with a chest X-ray certificate with a previous application).
In order to stay beyond this period once a woman has given birth, she will need to provide a chest X-ray certificate with an application for a further visa.
It is no longer considered that a temporary migrant intending to give birth in New Zealand will impose significant demands on New Zealand maternity health services. Therefore intending to give birth in New Zealand is no longer considered a basis for determining that an applicant does not have an acceptable standard of health.
The change requiring pregnant women with risk factors for tuberculosis to provide a chest X-ray certificate after giving birth is being made to minimise any risk to public health.
If you intend to be in New Zealand for less than six months you are not required to provide a chest X-ray certificate.
If you intend to be in New Zealand for more than six months and you have risk factors for tuberculosis, you do not need to provide a chest X-ray certificate with your application if you are pregnant. You will, however, only be granted a visa for up to three months after you are due to give birth. If you wish to stay beyond this period you will be required to provide a chest X-ray certificate with an application for a further visa. The exception to this will be where you have made an earlier application for a temporary entry visa and provided a Chest X-ray Certificate (INZ 1096) which was issued less than 36 months prior to your current application.
You are not required to provide a chest X-ray certificate while pregnant.
A bona fide applicant for temporary entry is a person who genuinely intends a temporary stay in New Zealand for a lawful purpose; and in the opinion of an immigration officer is not likely to:
The fact that all the mandatory requirements for lodging an application for temporary entry are met is not, in itself, a reason for an immigration officer to approve the application. Granting a temporary entry class visa is discretionary and an immigration officer will consider the individual circumstances of each applicant.
You can refer to our leaflet Health Requirements (INZ 1121) which includes a brief summary table of common eligibility scenarios. Alternatively you can check the Ministry of Health’s website at www.health.govt.nz/eligibility which provides comprehensive information about eligibility for publicly-funded health and disability services.
You should explain in your application form why you are or will be eligible based on the information you have obtained from the Ministry of Health or from our leaflet Health Requirements (INZ 1121). You may need to attach evidence that you meet the criteria if the evidence is not already available to INZ (eg evidence of partnership or your partner’s eligibility for publicly-funded health services).
The figure of NZ$9,000 which you are required to show as evidence of having sufficient funds to pay for maternity health services has been provided by the Ministry of Health. It is an estimate of the average cost of a routine birth (including pre- and post-natal care). A birth with complications could be well in excess of this figure.
The district health board responsible for the region where you will give birth will invoice you for the cost of the maternity health services provided. Payment may be required in advance of the date you are due to give birth.
Acceptable evidence of your funds includes:
You must not send cash or original evidence of funds.
Alternatively you may provide evidence of sponsorship which meets Immigration New Zealand’s sponsorship requirements. Your sponsor must complete the Sponsorship Form for Temporary Entry (INZ 1025).
You are considered to have risk factors for tuberculosis if:
Before your visa expires you need to provide INZ with a chest X-ray certificate, a new application form for the appropriate visa, the application fee, your passport and any other information that you may have been advised to provide when your current visa was approved. It is important to allow sufficient time for your application to be assessed and decided, so you should submit your application as early as possible after giving birth rather than waiting until closer to the expiry of your visa.
From 30 July 2012 there is one chest X-ray certificate form only, Chest X-ray Certificate (INZ 1096).
Yes.
Your chest X-ray certificate will be referred to an INZ medical assessor for comment. If you are not considered to have an acceptable standard of health your application may be declined.
If you and your partner hold temporary visas, your baby will be deemed to hold a visitor visa valid for the same period as you or your partner’s visa (depending on which parent’s temporary visa is valid for the longest period). If you intend to remain in New Zealand for a further period, you will need to lodge an application for a visitor visa for your baby when you submit your application.
If your partner is a New Zealand citizen or resident, your baby will be born a New Zealand citizen.
You may be granted a visa valid until three months after your baby is due to be born. You may apply for a further visa valid for the same length of time as your partner’s when you provide your chest X-ray certificate.
Your partner and dependent children may only be granted a visa valid for the same length of time as your visa. Once you have provided a chest X-ray certificate with an application for a further visa, if you are considered to have an acceptable standard of health, you may be granted a further visa. Your partner and dependent children may also apply for further visas valid for the same length of time as your visa.
If you are coming to New Zealand to visit but not intending to give birth in New Zealand; and are departing within the recommended timeframes for air travel by pregnant women, you are not affected.
If you are intending to give birth in New Zealand, however, it is advisable to apply for a visa before you enter New Zealand otherwise an assessment will need to be made at New Zealand’s border upon your arrival, as to whether you are a bona fide visitor and have adequate funds to pay for maternity health services.
