News and notifications

We have contacted a group of people who were recently declined visas to visit a New Zealand citizen or resident partner. These people have been told they may apply for a visitor visa which will be assessed against updated guidelines. The fee for this application will be waived.

The Pathway Student Visa will become permanent from January 2021 and the pilot project will continue until then.

We are updating the Culturally Arranged Marriage Visitor Visa so that people who had arranged marriages overseas can apply for a visitor visa, and giving more guidance for getting a general visitor visa to join a partner.

A new version of ANZSCO has been released. We will continue to use the previous version until the middle of next year, although not for every occupation.

From October 2019, visa applicants only need to provide a Notarised Police Certificate with their visa application.

The review is underway and your views are crucial. Find out how to get involved and give feedback on the proposals.

The Government recently announced an increase of 1550 RSE workers for 2019/20. We have now agreed how those extra workers will be allocated to RSE employers.

Applications for the Parent Resident Visa will open again from February 2020 with new criteria that applicants and sponsors must meet.

The Minister of Immigration has announced how many RSE workers can come to New Zealand for the coming season and changes to accommodation employers must provide.

An initiative aimed at creating thriving and inclusive communities is going nationwide.

The Minister of Immigration has announced changes to the way employers support migrant workers for temporary work visas.

From 7 October we are changing the Talent (Accredited Employer) Work Visa.

On 7 October the Silver Fern Job Search Work Visa will close permanently.

If you are applying for a visa in China do not use an unlicensed, undeclared agent to assist you with your visa application.

A New Zealand Visa Application Centre (VAC) will be opening in Kyiv, Ukraine on Monday 2 September 2019.

The New Zealand Visa Application Centre (VAC) in Beijing is moving.

Visa holders in New Zealand are being contacted by a person pretending to be from Immigration New Zealand. They are demanding money to be sent to them, in order to maintain or correct their immigration status in New Zealand. This is a scam.

Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has published the successful registration numbers for the 2019 Samoan Quota.

From Monday 1 July 2019 New Zealand Visa Application Centres (VAC) in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Cochin, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, New Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore will operate from new locations.

Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has published the successful registration numbers for the 2019 Pacific Access Category.

From Monday 3 June 2019 the New Zealand Visa Application Centre (VAC) in Guanzhou will be in a new location. The Beijing VAC relocation has been delayed until further notice.

From 13 May, we are raising the minimum income for some visa holders to reflect changes to New Zealand benefit rates.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has completed its regular review of the Essential Skills in Demand (ESID) lists, and changes to the lists will take effect on 27 May 2019.

From Monday 13 May 2019 the New Zealand Visa Application Centre (VAC) in Ankara will be in a new location.

People directly affected by the terrorist attacks in Christchurch and their families can now apply for permanent residence in New Zealand if they want to.

On 1 May 2019 the service fee you pay to some Visa Application Centres (VACs) is changing.

We are committed to doing everything we can to support all those who have been affected by this tragedy.

On 25 February 2019, the Government confirmed details of the Electronic Travel Authority (ETA), which is a new security and facilitation measure that will help to speed things up at the border.

The Government has decided on the New Zealand Residence Programme (NZRP) Planning Range through to the end of the year.

The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) has declared a 6-week seasonal labour shortage across Hawke’s Bay, which will run from 25 February to 5 April 2019.

From Monday 25 February 2019 the New Zealand Visa Application Centre (VAC) in Moscow will be in a new location.

On 18 December 2018, the Government announced it is consulting on proposed changes to employer-assisted temporary work visa settings to ensure that work visas issued reflect genuine regional skill shortages. The consultation will close on 18 March 2019.

Immigration New Zealand’s (INZ) Auckland Central Visa Services counter services at 280 Queen Street will close permanently at 16:00 on 21 December 2018. There will no longer be a drop box at this location.

From Monday 31 December 2018 the New Zealand Visa Application Centre (VAC) in Sydney is moving.

On 17 December 2018, Immigration New Zealand (INZ) will establish the Construction and Infrastructure Skill Shortage List (CISSL) to support the government’s construction and infrastructure commitments.

Immigration New Zealand (INZ) is currently receiving high numbers of visa applications. This is likely to continue until March 2019.

To avoid delays with your temporary visa application, you should provide certified English translations of your key supporting documents.

Expression of interest (EOI) selections over the holiday period will stop in mid-December 2018 and start again in late January 2019.

From 26 November 2018 visa labels will not be issued for student visas granted through Provider Direct.

On 8 August 2018, the government announced changes to the Post-study work visa policy to ensure that post-study pathways for international students are fit for purpose and provide the skills and qualifications New Zealand needs. These changes will come into effect on 26 November 2018.

Remuneration thresholds in Skilled Migrant and Essential Skills policies will be increasing on 26 November 2018.

Students from some countries use the FTS to transfer the money they must have to support themselves when they study in New Zealand. From 1 October 2018 the scheme will be easier to use.

In 2019 the Government will introduce an Electronic Travel Authority for some groups of travellers. It is a new security and facilitation measure that will help to speed things up at the border.

Immigration New Zealand will open Visa Application Centres (VACs) in Karachi, Ankara and Tehran on 1 October 2018.

New fees and levies will take effect from Monday, 5 November 2018.

Changes to the post-study work rights for international students will come into effect on 26 November 2018.

Successful registration numbers for the 2018 Samoan Quota are now available.

There are some changes to the China Working Holiday Visa which will come into effect on 28 June 2018.

From 4 July 2018 visa labels will no longer be issued by Immigration New Zealand (INZ). All applicants of approved visas will receive an email with a letter of approval, which is an eVisa.

On 1 July annual adjustments to the minimum income thresholds for certain categories come into effect.

The opening of the China Working Holiday Visa scheduled on 21 June 2018 has changed to 3 July 2018 at 10:00 am (New Zealand time). The new date allows for some changes to evidential requirements for high school qualifications to be considered.

Following the ballot draws that occurred on 8 June 2018, all successful registration numbers for the Pacific Access Category are now available.

Partners and dependent children of visa applicants, New Zealand citizens and New Zealand visa holders can now apply for visas (including resident visas) online.

Annual adjustments to minimum income thresholds for certain visa categories will come into effect from 1 June 2018 and 1 July 2018

On 1 June 2018 the service fee payable to a number of Visa Application Centres (VACs) will increase.

The Canterbury Skills and Employment Hub will be closing permanently on 29 June 2018. It will not accept any new vacancies after 1 June 2018.

Successfully attracting and retaining skilled migrants to the Auckland region is the primary focus of a new Regional Partnership Agreement (RPA) which has been signed by senior officials representing Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED), Auckland Council and Immigration New Zealand (INZ).

The Ministry of Social Development has declared a seasonal labour shortage across the Bay of Plenty region, valid from 7 May 2018 to 8 June 2018.

Tourism New Zealand and Immigration New Zealand have launched an extension of the Tourism Industry Partnership (TIP) Programme to facilitate faster processing of visitor visa applications for Indian leisure travellers.

On 1 May 2018 the service fee payable to a number of Visa Application Centres (VACs) will increase.

The Ministry of Social Development has declared a seasonal labour shortage across the Tasman region, valid from 5 April until 18 May 2018.

The Ministry of Social Development has declared a seasonal labour shortage across the Hawke’s Bay region, valid from 12 March to 6 April 2018.

Immigration New Zealand (INZ) is pleased to announce a new Working Holiday Visa for citizens of Portugal.

Our online application process has been improved to increase the types of visas that can be applied for online, to allow online visitor visa applications from families, and to allow groups of applications to be submitted together.

Immigration New Zealand’s Visa Application Centre in London is moving and will operate from its new location from Monday 5 February 2018.

From Monday 15 January 2018 the opening hours of the New Zealand Visa Application Centres in Manila and Cebu are changing.

Immigration instructions for the Community Organisation Refugee Sponsorship category have now been published.

Proposed changes to the Overseas Investment Act (2005) mean that overseas nationals will generally be unable to buy existing homes or residential land within New Zealand.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has completed its annual review of two of the Essential Skills in Demand (ESID) Lists – the Long Term Skill Shortage List (LTSSL) and the Immediate Skill Shortage List (ISSL).

Remuneration thresholds in Skilled Migrant and Essential Skills policies will be increasing on 15 January 2018.