2021 Resident Visa

Check if you are eligible to apply for this visa and what supporting documents and information you need to provide.

Identity

You must provide proof of your identity

You must provide:

• a copy of the relevant pages of your passport or travel document
• a photo of your head and shoulders
• a copy of your birth certificate.

Acceptable photos for a visa

Character

You must be of good character

We will undertake New Zealand Police checks for all 2021 Resident Visa applicants aged 17 years or older, regardless of how long they have been in New Zealand. An overseas police certificate may be requested if more information is required.

We may also request more information or verification needed as part of the process.

Health

You must be in good health

If you have provided a medical certificate within the last 36 months and were assessed as having an acceptable standard of health, you will not need to provide a further medical certificate. We will have this information available.

If it has been more than 36 months since you provided us with your health information you will need to provide a new Limited Medical Certificate (INZ 1201).

Eligible visa

You must have been on an eligible visa on 29 September 2021

You must hold one of the following visas:

• Post Study Work Visa
• Talent (Accredited Employer) Work Visa
• Essential Skills Work Visa
• Religious Worker Work Visa
• Talent (Arts, Culture, Sports) Work Visa
• Long Term Skill Shortage List Work Visa
• Silver Fern Practical Experience Work Visa
• Trafficking Victim Work Visa
• Migrant Exploitation Protection Work Visa
• Skilled Migrant Category Job Search Work Visa
• Victims of Family Violence Work Visa
• South Island Contribution Work Visa
• Work Visa granted under Section 61 of the Immigration Act (provided the applicant held any of the visas above within 6 months before being granted a Section 61 visa)
• Some Critical Purpose Visitor Visas (CPVV)

Location

You must have been in New Zealand on 29 September 2021

We will check our records to confirm your location.

If you meet all the criteria but were in Australia on 29 September 2021 and unable to return to New Zealand, you may be considered eligible. 

Location when applying

You must be in New Zealand when you apply

We will check our records to confirm your location.

Settled, skilled or scarce

You must meet the criteria of being settled, skilled or scarce

You will need to provide evidence depending on which criteria you come under.

Settled criteria

To apply under the settled criteria, you must confirm that you have been in New Zealand for at least 821 days between 29 September 2018 and 29 September 2021. You do not need to provide any documents to demonstrate this.

Skilled critieria

To apply under the skilled criteria, you must earn at or above NZD $27 per hour and supply:

• your job details, including the name and address of your employer
• your pay rate
• an employment agreement or a letter from your employer confirming your pay and hours
• a full bank statement showing your salary payments or an Inland Revenue summary of income or payslips showing your current pay rate and pay rate on 29 September 2021.

Scarce criteria

To apply under the scarce criteria you must supply:

• your job details (including the name and address of your employer) and which of the four ‘scarce’ lists your job is on
• employment agreement or a letter from your employer confirming your job and hours. This must show your current job as well as evidence of the job you held on 29 September 2021
• evidence of provisional or full occupational registration in New Zealand if that is required for your job.

Your relationship with your partner

You can include your partner in your application

If your current has not previously been granted a relationship-based visa on the basis of your relationship, you will need to provide partnership evidence.

You must provide:

• proof of your relationship with your
• evidence you have been living with your partner for more than 12 months
• timeline information of your relationship.

Partnership

Dependent children 24 and under

You can include dependent children aged 24 and under

You can include dependent children if they are aged 24 and under. They will need to meet the same identity, health and character requirements as the principal applicant.

If your child is under 16, they must have permission to travel with just one parent or travel alone. 

Dependent children 25 and over

Dependent children aged 25 and over can apply independently

If your dependent child was included in your skilled residence application or Skilled Migrant Category Expression of Interest as at 29 September 2021 but is now aged 25 years or older, they will be eligible for a 2021 Resident Visa, if you (the parent) is approved a 2021 Resident Visa and they meet the health and character requirements.

They will need to meet the same identity, health and character requirements as the principal applicant. They will also need to meet dependent child requirements, except for age.

They must apply using the INZ 1275 application form. You will need to upload a completed form with your application and provide supporting evidence.

These are the conditions that you must meet once you have your visa.

Work

Once granted a resident visa, you can work for anyone you like, in any occupation you like.

Study

Once granted a resident visa, you can do any study you like.

Travel

You can travel in and out of New Zealand as often as you like until your travel conditions expire — normally 2 years from the date you first arrive in New Zealand as a resident.

To travel in and out of New Zealand after your travel conditions expire, you need to apply for:

• a variation to your travel conditions, or
• a Permanent Resident Visa.

Extending the travel conditions of a resident visa

Resident to permanent resident

Keep your visa in a valid passport

If you want to travel, your visa must be in a valid passport.

If your passport expires, you must apply to transfer your visa to a new passport before you can travel.

Transferring my visa to a new passport

To transfer your visa, you must:

• • send us your old and new passports
  • complete an ‘Application for Transfer or Confirmation of a Visa’ form
  • pay a transfer fee.

Application for transfer or confirmation of a visa

Fees, decision times and where to apply