If you fall under one of the following categories, check to see what extra evidence or conditions are required, or what allowances are provided.

Antarctic travellers

People travelling between mainland New Zealand and the Ross Dependency do not require additional visas, once they have legally entered New Zealand (see V3.50 of our operational manual).

Applicants seeking occupational registration

Applicants seeking entry to New Zealand to obtain occupational registration may be granted a visitor visa (or in the case of nurse from the Philippines, a work visa). Those lawfully in New Zealand waiting on a residence application can undertake the necessary training for New Zealand registration on a visitor visa. The training can be for up to three months: if you need longer you must apply for a student visa.

Business visitors

Those here to discuss or negotiate business arrangements and who stay no longer than three months in any year need not apply for a work visa. Instead, they can get a visitor visa by meeting the general visitor requirements.

Note: This includes but is not limited to producers scouting potential film locations and clients overseeing the filming and production of TV commercials.

Children adopted overseas

Children aged under 14 years of age, adopted by New Zealand citizens, must be approved New Zealand citizenship before they can travel to New Zealand.  Go to the Department of Internal Affairs website for citizenship application forms and country-specific information and timeframes.

Children to be adopted

The adoption must be supported by Child Youth and Family of the Ministry for Social Development. We’ll also need to see the child’s birth certificate and proof of the adoptive parents’ New Zealand citizenship or residence. The initial visa will allow a stay of six months.

Conference delegate

Conference organisers usually arrange for the arrival of delegates. Contact your conference organiser for details.

Crew members joining vessels or aircraft

Visitors from visa-required countries can be granted a visa of 28 days while they travel to New Zealand to join their craft.

Culturally-arranged marriage

Your visa will allow you to stay for three months, during which time you must be married. Your intended partner must be in New Zealand for the time you are here and must complete a Form for supporting partnership-based temporary entry applications (INZ 1146) PDF, and your intended partner must meet the character requirement for partners supporting ‘partnership-based temporary entry applications’.  There must be no legal obstacle to the marriage and you need to prove that it follows an accepted cultural tradition.

Dependent children of New Zealand citizens and residents

Dependent children can be granted visitor visas if their parent will be in New Zealand for the same length of time and supports the children’s application. If a child is travelling alone or with one parent we may need proof of their right to leave their home country, such as custody or guardianship papers. We may allow dependent children to stay for up to 2 years.

German law students and graduates

We may grant law students and graduates of the Federal Republic of Germany a visitor visa for up to six months if they are to be an unpaid observer in a New Zealand law firm. They will need to provide proof of an offer of the position.

Group visas

It is possible to get a single visa for a group that shares the same travel plans and itinerary. All group members must be travelling together and be here for the same purpose. The group must also leave New Zealand together and have a group leader to take care of the travel arrangements. Each group member will be granted an individual visa.

Tour guides

If you are a tour guide, leader or escort and you will be working while you are in New Zealand, you will need to apply for a Specific Purpose work visa before you arrive.  Working is any activity resulting in gain or reward, including any form of payment or benefit that can be valued in terms of money, such as board and lodging, goods (eg food or clothes) and services (e.g., transport).

If you are granted such a specific purpose visa, it will generally be endorsed with multiple journey conditions. This will allow you to travel to New Zealand multiple times for the duration of your visa with one month stay each visit.

The following durations will generally apply:

• if your employment is ongoing - three years multiple journey visa with one month stay per visit (or as appropriate).
• if the employment is for a limited time – duration that is appropriate to the length of employment with one month stay per visit (or as appropriate).

Multiple entry visitor visa for parents and grandparents of New Zealand citizens/residents

If you have family members in New Zealand and you wish to visit them, you may apply for a visitor visa under normal visitor instructions to allow you to travel to New Zealand, or you may travel to New Zealand visa-free if you are a ‘visa waiver visitor’.

However, if you are the parent or grandparent of a New Zealand citizen or resident you may like to have the flexibility of a multiple entry visa, to allow you to visit your child or grandchild several times over a three-year period. To do this, you may apply for a visitor visa under the parent and grandparent multiple entry visitor visa (see V3.110 in our operational manual).

To be eligible for a visa under these immigration instructions, you must apply from outside New Zealand, and you will need to complete full medicals and meet normal character requirements (you may include your partner in the application but not your children). Your New Zealand sponsor* will need to complete the Sponsorship for Temporary Entry (INZ 1025) PDF and must guarantee to meet the cost of your maintenance, accommodation, repatriation (if necessary) and healthcare costs (if required).

If the application is approved you will be granted a three-year multiple entry visitor visa, authorising stay for a visit of six months from your date of arrival. You will not be able to extend the visa, however you will be able to enter and leave New Zealand during the validity of your visa, as long as you do not remain in New Zealand for more than 18 months during the validity of the visa.

Further applications under these immigration instructions:

• A further visa will not normally be granted under these instructions within three years of the date that the most recent visa was granted.
• If you have previously been granted a visa under these instructions and your sponsor was not in New Zealand during the period(s) of your visit(s) to New Zealand, or if you exceeded the 18-month maximum stay on your previous visa, you will not normally be eligible for a subsequent multiple entry visitor visa under these instructions.

*Notes:

• The sponsor must be your child or grandchild aged 17 years or older, or the New Zealand parent of your child or grandchild. 
• Evidence of the family relationship(s) must be provided. 
• The sponsor may sponsor only one person or one family unit (principal applicant and their partner) at one time.

For more information, see our FAQs.

Parents and guardians of students

If you are the parent or legal guardian of a student enrolling in school years 1 to 13, or who is aged 17 years or younger, you may be granted a guardian visa so you can live with and care for the student. If you need to stay longer than 12 months, your visa can be renewed for further 12-month periods as long as the student continues his or her studies, until that student reaches the age of 18 years.

If you fail to live with and care for the student, either by withdrawing your support or moving away, you may become liable for deportation. If the student you are caring for is required to be accompanied by a guardian, that student may also become liable for deportation.

Guardians who hold visitor visas are prohibited from being granted a student visa or a work visa. However, they are eligible to apply for a variation of conditions to their visitor visa for part time work or study.

Partners and dependent children of student or work visa holders

Most partners and dependent children of student or work visa holders can be granted a visitor visa for the same duration as their partner or parents' stay. However, this does not apply to you if your partner or parent holds a work visa granted under the following immigration instructions: 

• Crew of foreign chartered fishing vessels,
• Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) Work instructions,
• Supplementary Seasonal Employment instructions, or
• Silver Fern Job Search instructions.

If your partner or parent holds a work visa granted under any of these instructions, you must meet our general requirements for a visitor visa.

Partners of New Zealand residents and citizens

To apply for a visitor visa, partners must show they are in a genuine and stable relationship, and the New Zealand resident or citizen must complete a Form for Supporting Partnership-Based Temporary Entry Applications (INZ 1146) PDF.

Seeking medical treatment or consultation

If you are coming to New Zealand for medical treatment or consultation you will need a visa, even if you are from a visa-free country. You will need to complete the Details of Intended Medical Treatment form (INZ 1009) PDF. We also require evidence to show that you have been accepted for medical treatment, information about the cost of your treatment, and evidence of how it will be paid for. If the medical treatment requires it, we may extend the visa beyond the initial six months.

Sports events

Sports people competing in sports events and those associated with the success of these events, such as match and tournament officials, can enter New Zealand on visitor visas, as long as their stay is for three months or less. Longer stays will require work visas.

Media and broadcasters accredited to cover a sport event or tournament can enter New Zealand on visitor visas, as long as their stay is for three months or less. Longer stays will require work visas.

Temporary Retirement Category

The Temporary Retirement Category is designed for those who wish to invest in New Zealand and stay here longer than what the visitor instructions allow. Successful applicants will be granted a two-year multiple entry visitor visa that allows for travel in and out of New Zealand.

Travelling by private yacht or aircraft

Visitors who arrive at a New Zealand entry point that does not have Customs service must report immediately to an immigration officer to complete an arrival card. Visitors may be permitted to stay longer than usual if they need to make repairs or to wait out the hurricane season.

Visiting Media Programme

Journalists on the Visiting Media Programme can work in New Zealand for up to one month on a visitor visa. If they are from a visa-required country, they will need to provide a letter of introduction from the New Zealand Tourism Board with their visa application.

Visiting academics

Visiting academics coming to New Zealand to undertake activities of a pedagogical, educational, professional management or research nature, can enter New Zealand on visitor visas, as long as their stay is for three months or less (or multiple short stays amount to three months or less per calendar year). Longer stays will require work visas.

Visiting academics will need to provide a letter of invitation from the Tertiary Education Institute where they plan to undertake the academic work.

Work visa holders dismissed during a trial period

If your employer is named on your work visa and you have received a dismissal notice during the 90-day trial period under section 67A of the Employment Relations Act 2000 you may be eligible for a visitor visa.

To be eligible for a visa under these instructions, you are required to hold a work visa which specifies your employer, have an employment agreement which includes a trial period and have received a dismissal notice within that trial period.  Applicants applying under these instructions must also meet general visitor visa requirements. 

A visitor visa under these instructions may be granted for up to three months.  You can only be granted a visa once under these instructions.

Partners

Partners of dismissed work visa holders will no longer be eligible to hold a visitor, work or student visa granted on the basis of their partner’s employer-specific work visa.  Therefore, partners of dismissed work visa holders may be included in their partner’s visitor visa application under thee instructions.

School-age dependent children

Student instructions allow school-age dependent children of holders of a special category visitor visa to continue to hold their student visa and attend school as domestic students for the duration of their parents’ special visitor visa.

View the Operational Manual to see the wording of these instructions.