Acceptable Standard of Health

Immigration New Zealand's Acceptable Standard of Health requirement.

Immigration New Zealand (INZ) assess if applicants who are applying for a New Zealand visa need to undergo a medical assessment. This is to show they have an acceptable standard of health. We check the applicant meets the visa’s criteria before we can approve an application for a residence or temporary visa.

The criteria helps us decide if we should decline or approve the application.

With the acceptable standard of health criteria, we look to see if the applicant:

• is a risk to public health
• is going to add significant cost to, or demands on, New Zealand's health services
• may have to stop working or studying due to their health, if that is what their visa is for
• is going to qualify for Ongoing Resourcing Scheme (ORS) funding.

Ongoing Resourcing Scheme (ORS) — Ministry of Education

If a medical condition is identified, a qualified medical assessor provides an opinion on whether an applicant has an acceptable standard of health as per the set criteria.

We will carefully consider all applications involving dependent children. Children with a severe developmental disorder or cognitive condition including those with a physical or intellectual disability, autistic spectrum disorder or brain injury will be assessed to determine whether they meet our criteria.

Immigration health screening does not discriminate against individuals but focuses on assessing the likely impact of that individual’s medical condition on New Zealand’s public health services, special education services and on the health of the New Zealand public.

In some cases, the overriding issue of concern might not be the cost of services required or the ability of an applicant to undertake the purposes of their visa, but the need for services and resources which are already under pressure.

An example of the types of questions included in an Immigration New Zealand (INZ) immigration medical examination form is available in our General Medical Certificate form.

When an applicant doesn’t have an acceptable standard of health

If an applicant does not have an acceptable standard of health, there are multiple possible outcomes for their visa application. Their application might be declined, however, they may be able to be granted a medical waiver, or an exception to instructions (the criteria that visa applicants must meet). These are decided on a case-by-case basis and take into account factors such as the level of support required, family connections to New Zealand, and the potential contribution of the applicant or their family to the country.

Why you may need to provide evidence you are in good health

Publicly funded health care

New Zealand’s publicly funded health system is a common good. Citizens, residents and people on work visas who are in New Zealand longer-term (with a visa of 2 years or more) have automatic access to our health system. There is no option to opt out of the health system as it provides universal coverage. Under immigration requirements, all applicants must have an acceptable standard of health to be issued a visa.

As only some visa holders can get publicly funded health care in New Zealand, people intending to travel to New Zealand should ensure they understand what they will be eligible for and consider whether comprehensive travel insurance is appropriate.

Who can get public health care

Statistics

Obesity

The immigration medical examination visa applicants may be required to undergo, collects a wide range of health information including an applicant’s weight. However, this is only one of many considerations.

Obesity alone does not mean that a visa applicant does not have an acceptable standard of health.

Obesity can be a risk factor for medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

If a visa applicant has such associated conditions, they could be determined not to have an acceptable standard of health and their application could be declined.

For a resident visa application, a medical waiver could be able to be granted. The medical waiver process takes into account a number of factors including the objectives of the category they are applying under, the applicant’s connection to New Zealand and their likely contribution.

BMI

A Body Mass Index (BMI) measurement on its own is not currently used as a measure of whether a visa applicant has an acceptable standard of health or not. INZ medical assessors consider other health conditions and use a combination of tools to assist in determining associated risks.

BMI has been required in INZ immigration medical examinations since April 2005 as a tool to assist in identifying obesity. We acknowledge that measuring BMI is imperfect and that it does not differentiate between body fat and muscle mass and that there are limitations in its applicability given that body fat distribution differs by ethnicity and other variables.

In some cases, INZ may defer the applicant’s visa application for 3 months to allow time for them to begin reducing their BMI and to address any associated health conditions.