To help you make sure you have everything you need to apply for residence, please print out our checklist.

Note: holders of a work visa under Ministers of religion, missionaries, and members of religious orders instructions, or Specific purpose or event instructions (pastors and lay missionaries), who were granted a work visa before 5 November 2011 may apply for a Religious Worker Residence from Work visa.

Complete the form

Print and complete the form Residence Application (INZ 1000) PDF [1056KB].

Also available is the Residence Guide (INZ 1002) PDF [2.5MB], which will assist you in applying.

If you cannot print the form and guide, they are available from your nearest Immigration New Zealand branch.

Submit evidence of sponsorship

You must provide a recently completed Sponsorship Form for Religious Workers (INZ 1190) PDF [234KB] from a religious charitable organisation registered with the Charities Commission (with the primary purpose of advancing religion) who will be sponsoring you for residence.

The completed sponsorship form must include a signed undertaking declaring that the sponsoring organisation will provide you with accommodation and maintenance during the first five years of your residence in New Zealand.  The undertaking must also guarantee the sponsoring organisation will pay repatriation or deportation for you, and anyone else included in your application, should this be required.

The sponsoring organisation must also provide the following with the completed Sponsorship Form:

• a copy of their Charities Commission Registration Certificate;
• information to demonstrate a long-term need for a religious worker;
• a statement establishing the reasons the sponsoring organisation considers the religious work will continue to serve their religious objectives; 
• evidence of financial ability to meet their sponsorship undertaking; and
• a copy of an employment agreement or a description of the religious work you will be undertaking during your sponsorship period.

Submit evidence of religious training or religious work experience

You must submit evidence of religious training or religious work experience of at least five years.  Evidence may include, but is not limited to:

• testimonials;
• certificates of ordination;
• curriculum vitae;
• documentation demonstrating relevant work experience; or
• a verified copy of an awarding certificate for a relevant qualification.

Any evidence must be relevant to the religious work you are being sponsored to undertake.

Submit evidence of your partnership

If you are including a partner in your residence application, you must include evidence that you meet the requirements for recognition of a partnership. See the guide for more details.

Submit everything that we require, including the fee

Everyone included on your application must provide:

• two recent passport-size photographs 
• a current passport or certificate of identity 
• a full birth certificate 
• the Residence from Work application fee.

Submit evidence that everyone meets health requirements

You will need to provide a completed General Medical Certificate (INZ 1007) PDF [474KB] and Chest X-ray Certificate (INZ 1096) PDF [134KB] for each person included in your application.

Pregnant women and children under the age of 11 years are not required to submit X-ray certificates unless a special report is required.

For full details on health requirements, see our guide Health Requirements (INZ 1121) PDF [70KB].

Submit evidence that everyone 17 and over meets character requirements

You will also need to supply a police certificate for you and anyone else aged over 17 included in your application. You must supply police certificate(s) less than six months old, from your country of citizenship and from any country in which you have lived for over 12 months in the last 10 years, including New Zealand.

Submit evidence that you, your partner and children 16 and over meet English language requirements

You must provide evidence that anyone included in your application aged 16 and over meets English language requirements.

If your partner and children 16 and over cannot meet English language requirements they may pre-purchase ESOL tuition for your application to be successful.

For more information, see the leaflet English Language Information PDF [130KB].

Lodge your application

Applicants under these instructions must be in New Zealand at the time they lodge their application for a residence class visa.

Applications for Residence from Work (Religious Worker) can be lodged at any onshore Immigration New Zealand branch.

Migrant levy

If your application is successful, you will need to pay a migrant levy before we can grant your residence class visa.

More about applying for a visa

For more information about getting your documents together, how long the application process might take, and what you can expect from us, see the more about applying for a visa section.

For more information on work visas for religious workers, see the Work visas for religious workers section.