Apply for critical purpose travel
How to complete your application for critical purpose travel.
Visa applications to visit, study and work in New Zealand are open.
Requests for border exceptions are now closed. Requests for border exceptions ended for deep-sea fishing crews on 30 October 2022, and on 30 November 2022 for seafood processors.
Bringing workers to New Zealand
If you made a request before the relevant exception closed, we will review your request. If you are eligible, we will send you an invitation to apply.
We will invite you to apply for either:
- a Critical Purpose Visitor Visa, if you do not already have a visa or
- a variation of your visa conditions if you already hold a work or student visa.
We aim to respond to most requests within 5 working days. It may take longer depending on the volume and complexity of requests. Requests from employers and agents for approval in principle to bring other critical workers to New Zealand may take 2 weeks.
You may need to pay a fee for a Critical Purpose Visitor Visa or Variation of Conditions
Most applicants are charged an application fee for a Critical Purpose Visitor Visa or Critical Purpose Variation of Conditions. The fee you pay depends on your country of citizenship and where you are now.
The fee for a Critical Purpose Variation of Conditions is NZD $190.
Fees, decision times and where to apply
Forms for border exceptions
If you have been invited to apply for a Critical Purpose Visitor Visa, submit your application using the online form. The form will ask you what type of visitor visa you are applying for. Select Special Category Visitor Visa, then Critical Purpose Visitor Visa.
Apply for a Critical Purpose Visitor Visa
If you have been invited to apply for a Critical Purpose Variation of Conditions, use the online application form.
Critical Purpose Variation of Conditions application
If you have any questions about using the online forms, you can call our contact centre.