WI4 Domestic staff of diplomatic, consular and official staff

1. Diplomatic, consular and official staff (see H2) posted to New Zealand may bring with them domestic staff such as cooks, nannies, drivers and gardeners.

   Note: ‘Domestic staff’ does not include people filling administrative and technical roles at posts in New Zealand.

2. The following rules govern whether or not domestic staff employed by diplomatic, consular or official staff are eligible for work visas:
   1. the Protocol Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) must confirm that the employer is eligible to have domestic staff and that they have no objections to a work visa being granted; and
   2. the applicant must be over 18; and
   3. the applicant must not be a person who entered New Zealand by means of a working holiday scheme; and
   4. the applicant must leave New Zealand on termination of their employment or when the employer's tour of duty is complete; and
   5. the applicant must not undertake any other type of work or enrol in any formal study; and
   6. 3 years must pass before a person formerly employed in New Zealand under these provisions is eligible for a further period of domestic employment with another diplomatic, consular or official staff; and
   7. partners and dependent children are not eligible for a visa as a dependant of a person granted a visa under these instructions.
3. Applicants must meet the lodgement, bona fide applicant and health and character requirements as set out at W2.10.1.
4. A work visa (with multiple journey travel conditions) current for the same duration as their employer’s diplomatic, consular or official visa may be granted to domestic staff of diplomatic, consular and official staff.
5. Any work visa granted must specify the name of the diplomatic, consular or official staff for whom the domestic staff member will be working.
6. Employers must ensure that prospective applicants are advised in writing and in their own language of the conditions relating to their employment in New Zealand.
7. A further visa, in line with the employer’s diplomatic, consular or official visa duration, may be granted if the employer is granted a further diplomatic, consular or official visa (for example, if their tour of duty is extended) and there are no objections to a further visa being granted from the Protocol Division of MFAT.

   Note: Partners and dependent children of holders of work visas granted to domestic staff of diplomatic, consular and official staff are not eligible for work, student or visitor visas as a dependants of the work visa holder (see V3.10, U8.20 and WF3.1).

Effective 30/07/2012