Visa processing times by month
Detailed data is available on our processing times for various student, work, visitor and residence visas.
This page contains visa processing times for the past 6 months. If you are planning to apply for a visa, there is more up-to-date information about how long it takes for us to process visas:
Latest data
This table displays the number of work days to decide Visitor Visa applications processed in the last 4 weeks.
| Median (50% of applications) | 80% of applications | 90% of applications |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 10 | 16 |
Monthly data
This table displays the number of work days to decide Visitor Visa applications.
| Month — Year | Median (50% of applications) | 80% of applications | 90% of applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| March — 2026 | 6 | 11 | 18 |
| February — 2026 | 7 | 15 | 22 |
| January — 2026 | 7 | 17 | 23 |
| December — 2025 | 7 | 16 | 23 |
| November — 2025 | 6 | 14 | 18 |
| October — 2025 | 5 | 11 | 16 |
Latest data
This table displays the number of work days to decide Partner of a New Zealander Visitor Visa applications processed in the last 4 weeks.
| Median (50% of applications) | 80% of applications | 90% of applications |
|---|---|---|
| 26 | 36 | 50 |
Monthly data
This table displays the number of work days to decide Partner of a New Zealander Visitor Visa applications.
| Month — Year | Median (50% of applications) | 80% of applications | 90% of applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| March — 2026 | 29 | 46 | 73 |
| February — 2026 | 28 | 50.4 | 61 |
| January — 2026 | 28 | 49.6 | 65.2 |
| December — 2025 | 23 | 37.8 | 76.4 |
| November — 2025 | 20 | 35.2 | 48.8 |
| October — 2025 | 18 | 37 | 77 |
Latest data
This table displays the number of work days to decide Business Visitor Visa applications processed in the last 4 weeks.
| Median (50% of applications) | 80% of applications | 90% of applications |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 5 | 9 |
Monthly data
This table displays the number of work days to decide Business Visitor Visa applications.
| Month — Year | Median (50% of applications) | 80% of applications | 90% of applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| March — 2026 | 4 | 6 | 10 |
| February — 2026 | 5 | 11 | 14 |
| January — 2026 | 4 | 8 | 10 |
| December — 2025 | 4 | 9 | 11 |
| November — 2025 | 4 | 6 | 11 |
| October — 2025 | 4 | 9 | 11 |
Latest data
This table displays the number of work days to decide student visa applications for Te Pūkenga processed in the last 4 weeks.
| Median (50% of applications) | 80% of applications | 90% of applications |
|---|---|---|
| 45 | 62 | 70 |
Monthly data
This table displays the number of work days to decide student visa applications for Te Pūkenga.
| Month — Year | Median (50% of applications) | 80% of applications | 90% of applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| March — 2026 | 27 | 53.2 | 60 |
| February — 2026 | 18 | 41 | 50 |
| January — 2026 | 22 | 38 | 47 |
| December — 2025 | 21 | 36 | 56.4 |
| November — 2025 | 23 | 43 | 91 |
| October — 2025 | 23 | 32 | 39 |
Latest data
This table displays the number of work days to decide student visa applications for private training establishments (PTEs) in the last 4 weeks.
| Median (50% of applications) | 80% of applications | 90% of applications |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | 52.6 | 63 |
Monthly data
This table displays the number of work days to decide student visa applications for private training establishments (PTEs).
| Month — Year | Median (50% of applications) | 80% of applications | 90% of applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| March — 2026 | 24 | 49 | 57 |
| February — 2026 | 24 | 41 | 51 |
| January — 2026 | 23 | 38 | 48 |
| December — 2025 | 19 | 32 | 42 |
| November — 2025 | 19 | 35 | 43 |
| October — 2025 | 18 | 29 | 36 |
Latest data
This table displays the number of work days to decide student visa applications for schools processed in the last 4 weeks.
| Median (50% of applications) | 80% of applications | 90% of applications |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | 19 | 27 |
Monthly data
This table displays the number of work days to decide student visa applications for schools.
| Month — Year | Median (50% of applications) | 80% of applications | 90% of applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| March — 2026 | 11 | 19 | 26 |
| February — 2026 | 10 | 20 | 28 |
| January — 2026 | 14 | 21 | 26 |
| December— 2025 | 10 | 16 | 22 |
| November — 2025 | 7 | 11 | 15 |
| October — 2025 | 7 | 15 | 22 |
Latest data
This table displays the number of work days to decide student visa applications for universities processed in the last 4 weeks.
| Median (50% of applications) | 80% of applications | 90% of applications |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | 43 | 55 |
Monthly data
This table displays the number of work days to decide student visa applications for universities.
| Month — Year | Median (50% of applications) | 80% of applications | 90% of applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| March — 2026 | 16 | 33 | 44 |
| February — 2026 | 18 | 34 | 41 |
| January — 2026 | 18 | 30 | 38 |
| December — 2025 | 13 | 26 | 35 |
| November — 2025 | 11 | 25 | 36 |
| October — 2025 | 15 | 27 | 34 |
Latest data
This table displays the number of work days to decide Family Parent Resident Visa applications processed in the last 4 weeks.
| Median (50% of applications) | 80% of applications | 90% of applications |
|---|---|---|
| 190 | 231 | 275 |
Monthly data
This table displays the number of work days to decide Family Parent Resident Visa applications.
| Month — Year | Median (50% of applications) | 80% of applications | 90% of applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| March — 2026 | 190 | 241 | 269.6 |
| February — 2026 | 185 | 230 | 245 |
| January — 2026 | 197 | 253 | 422 |
| December — 2025 | 186.5 | 354.6 | 442.2 |
| November — 2025 | 185 | 317.2 | 431.8 |
| October — 2025 | 174 | 327 | 395.9 |
Latest data
This table displays the number of work days to decide Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa applications processed in the last 4 weeks.
| Median (50% of applications) | 80% of applications | 90% of applications |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | 111.4 | 127.7 |
Monthly data
This table displays the number of work days to decide Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa applications.
| Month — Year | Median (50% of applications) | 80% of applications | 90% of applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| March — 2026 | 50 | 117 | 131.7 |
| February — 2026 | 40 | 76 | 117.5 |
| January — 2026 | 50 | 102 | 112 |
| December — 2025 | 56 | 98.8 | 112.8 |
| November — 2025 | 46 | 75.6 | 95.3 |
| October — 2025 | 42 | 64.8 | 76 |
Latest data
This table displays the number of work days to decide Work to Residence Visa applications processed in the last 4 weeks.
| Median (50% of applications) | 80% of applications | 90% of applications |
|---|---|---|
| 39 | 75.6 | 101 |
Monthly data
This table displays the number of work days to decide Work to Residence Visa applications.
| Month — Year | Median (50% of applications) | 80% of applications | 90% of applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| March — 2026 | 38 | 76 | 104 |
| February — 2026 | 39 | 59 | 94.6 |
| January — 2026 | 43.5 | 64 | 80.5 |
| December — 2025 | 46 | 75 | 94.5 |
| November — 2025 | 41 | 58 | 79.5 |
| October — 2025 | 39 | 53 | 68 |
Latest data
This table displays the number of work days to decide Straight to Residence Visa applications processed in the last 4 weeks.
| Median (50% of applications) | 80% of applications | 90% of applications |
|---|---|---|
| 37.5 | 106 | 126.5 |
Monthly data
This table displays the number of work days to decide Straight to Residence Visa applications.
| Month — Year | Median (50% of applications) | 80% of applications | 90% of applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| March — 2026 | 48.5 | 120 | 139 |
| February — 2026 | 36 | 76 | 113.8 |
| January — 2026 | 47 | 95 | 114.4 |
| December — 2025 | 43 | 87.6 | 107.2 |
| November — 2025 | 42 | 74.4 | 96 |
| October — 2025 | 39 | 63.4 | 86.7 |
Latest data
This table displays the number of work days to decide Permanent Resident Visa applications processed in the last 4 weeks.
| Median (50% of applications) | 80% of applications | 90% of applications |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 10 | 21 |
Monthly data
This table displays the number of work days to decide Permanent Resident Visa applications.
| Month — Year | Median (50% of applications) | 80% of applications | 90% of applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| March — 2026 | 5 | 11 | 24 |
| February — 2026 | 4 | 9 | 23.8 |
| January — 2026 | 7 | 11 | 16 |
| December — 2025 | 7 | 12 | 17 |
| November — 2025 | 5 | 9 | 17 |
| October — 2025 | 4 | 11 | 23 |
Latest data
This table displays the number of work days to decide Partner of a New Zealand Resident Visa applications processed in the last 4 weeks.
| Median (50% of applications) | 80% of applications | 90% of applications |
|---|---|---|
| 105 | 143 | 176 |
Monthly data
This table displays the number of work days to decide Partner of a New Zealand Resident Visa applications.
| Month — Year | Median (50% of applications) | 80% of applications | 90% of applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| March — 2026 | 101.5 | 147 | 185.5 |
| February — 2026 | 97 | 140 | 175 |
| January — 2026 | 92.5 | 127 | 167.1 |
| December — 2025 | 90 | 128.6 | 178.4 |
| November — 2025 | 91 | 125 | 161 |
| October — 2025 | 93 | 123 | 169.7 |
Latest data
This table displays the number of work days to decide Accredited Employer Work Visa applications processed in the last 4 weeks.
| Median (50% of applications) | 80% of applications | 90% of applications |
|---|---|---|
| 17 | 30 | 43 |
Monthly data
This table displays the number of work days to decide Accredited Employer Work Visa applications.
| Month — Year | Median (50% of applications) | 80% of applications | 90% of applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| March — 2026 | 14 | 28 | 40 |
| February — 2026 | 13 | 29 | 42 |
| January — 2026 | 17 | 33 | 46 |
| December — 2025 | 16 | 31 | 46 |
| November — 2025 | 14 | 27 | 40 |
| October — 2025 | 12 | 26 | 38 |
Latest data
This table displays the number of work days to decide Partner of a Worker Work Visa applications processed in the last 4 weeks.
| Median (50% of applications) | 80% of applications | 90% of applications |
|---|---|---|
| 24 | 29 | 35 |
Monthly data
This table displays the number of work days to decide Partner of a Worker Work Visa applications.
| Month — Year | Median (50% of applications) | 80% of applications | 90% of applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| March — 2026 | 26 | 32 | 38 |
| February — 2026 | 25 | 30 | 36.5 |
| January — 2026 | 24 | 28 | 33.4 |
| December — 2025 | 13 | 19 | 27.5 |
| November — 2025 | 16 | 23 | 32 |
| October — 2025 | 17 | 25 | 39.8 |
Latest data
This table displays the number of work days to decide Post Study Work visa applications processed in the last 4 weeks.
| Median (50% of applications) | 80% of applications | 90% of applications |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | 22 | 28 |
Monthly data
This table displays the number of work days to decide Post Study Work visa applications.
| Month — Year | Median (50% of applications) | 80% of applications | 90% of applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| March — 2026 | 13 | 23 | 28 |
| February — 2026 | 11 | 22 | 27 |
| January — 2026 | 13 | 21 | 25 |
| December — 2025 | 6 | 13 | 17 |
| November — 2025 | 8 | 14 | 27 |
| October — 2025 | 14 | 25.6 | 40 |
Latest data
This table displays the number of work days to decide Variation of Conditions Work applications processed in the last 4 weeks.
| Median (50% of applications) | 80% of applications | 90% of applications |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 8 | 11 |
Monthly data
This table displays the number of work days to decide Variation of Conditions Work visa applications.
| Month — Year | Median (50% of applications) | 80% of applications | 90% of applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| March — 2026 | 5 | 7 | 10 |
| February — 2026 | 6 | 10 | 15 |
| January — 2026 | 17 | 21 | 27 |
| December — 2025 | 15 | 18 | 20 |
| November — 2025 | 12 | 14 | 18 |
| October — 2025 | 12 | 14 | 17.9 |
Latest data
This table displays the number of work days to decide working holiday visa applications processed in the last 4 weeks.
| Median (50% of applications) | 80% of applications | 90% of applications |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 6 | 14.7 |
Monthly data
This table displays the number of work days to decide working holiday visa applications.
| Month — Year | Median (50% of applications) | 80% of applications | 90% of applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| March — 2026 | 2 | 12 | 24 |
| February — 2026 | 2 | 5 | 14 |
| January — 2026 | 2 | 8 | 19 |
| December — 2025 | 2 | 10 | 20 |
| November — 2025 | 4 | 13 | 20 |
| October — 2025 | 3 | 10 | 18 |