Interim visa conditions
The conditions on an Interim Visa — that is, what you can do on that visa — depend on the type of visa you had before and the type of visa you are applying for next.
If you are applying for a Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa
If you apply for a Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa from 9 October 2023 under the new criteria and you do not apply for another type of temporary visa, we will process a Skilled Migrant Category Interim Visa for you. It will come into effect the day after your current visa expires. You do not need to apply.
The conditions of your Skilled Migrant Category Interim Visa will depend on the visa you currently have. However your visa conditions may vary depending on your situation.
If you are applying for a 2021 Resident Visa
If you are applying for a 2021 Resident Visa and your current visa expires in the next 7 days, we will process a 2021 Interim Visa for you.
- If you have a work or visitor visa the 2021 Interim Visa will let you stay in New Zealand with your current visa conditions.
- If you have a student visa you will get open student visa conditions, allowing you to study any programme at any educational institute at any location.
If your last visa was a visitor visa
Your Interim Visa has the same conditions as a visitor visa if you are applying for:
- a new visitor visa, or
- a work visa.
You have a Visitor Visa and have applied for a work visa based on your partnership with a New Zealand resident. Your Interim Visa will have the same conditions as your Visitor Visa. You cannot work until you have a work visa.
If you are applying for a student visa, your Interim Visa will have the same conditions as a student visa with open conditions.
Holding this Interim Visa has does not mean you are eligible for funded education. You must meet the definition of a domestic student to be eligible for funded education. Otherwise you need to pay fees as an international student.
Definition of a domestic student in New Zealand – Education in New Zealand
You had a Visitor Visa and are applying for a student visa to study a diploma in business for Good College in Auckland. Your Interim Visa gives you the same conditions as an open student visa. You can start studying at Good College while you wait for your student visa application to be completed.
If your last visa was a student visa
Your Interim Visa has the same conditions as a visitor visa if you are applying for:
- a Visitor Visa, or
- a work visa.
If you are applying for another student visa, your Interim Visa will have the same conditions as a student visa with open conditions.
With open conditions you can study:
- any course
- at any education provider
- in any New Zealand location.
Holding this Interim Visa has does not mean you are eligible for funded education. You must meet the definition of a domestic student to be eligible for funded education. Otherwise you need to pay fees as an international student.
Definition of a domestic student in New Zealand – Education in New Zealand
If you held work conditions
If you held work conditions with your expired student visa and are applying for another student visa, then your work conditions will be the same for this Interim Visa.
If your last visa was a work visa and you want to visit
If you are applying for a Visitor Visa, your Interim Visa will have the same conditions as a Visitor Visa.
If your last visa was a work visa and you want to study
If you are applying for a student visa, your Interim Visa will have the same conditions as a student visa with open conditions.
With open conditions you can study:
- any course
- at any education provider
- in any New Zealand location.
Holding this Interim Visa has does not mean you are eligible for funded education. You must meet the definition of a domestic student to be eligible for funded education. Otherwise you need to pay fees as an international student.
Definition of a domestic student in New Zealand – Education in New Zealand
If your last visa was an employer-specific work visa
If you are applying for a new work visa, your Interim Visa will have the same conditions as a Visitor Visa if you:
- want to work for a different employer, in a different job or location, or
- are applying for an open work visa.
If you are applying for a Visitor Visa, your Interim Visa will have the same conditions as a Visitor Visa.
If you are applying for a new work visa and will stay in the same job and location, and work for the same employer, the conditions on your Interim Visa will be the same as your current work visa.
Changing location to work for a different employer
You had an Accredited Employer Work Visa to work as dental assistant for Nice Smile Dentists in Hamilton. You applied for a variation of conditions and we approved it to allow you to work as a dental assistant for another employer, Good Teeth Dentists in Hamilton. You are now applying for a new Accredited Employer Work Visa to continue working as a dental assistant for your new employer, Good Teeth Dentists in Hamilton.
Your Interim Visa conditions are Work (employer specific — same employer, position and location). You can keep working as a Dental Assistant for Good Teeth Dentists in Hamilton while we assess your new visa application.
Changing location to work for a different employer
You had an Accredited Employer Work Visa to work as dental assistant for Nice Smile Dentists in Hamilton. You applied for a variation of conditions and we approved it to allow you to work as a dental assistant for another employer, Good Teeth Dentists in Hamilton. You are now applying for a new Accredited Employer Work Visa to continue working as a dental assistant for your new employer, Good Teeth Dentists in Hamilton.
Your Interim Visa conditions are Work (employer specific — same employer, position and location). You can keep working as a Dental Assistant for Good Teeth Dentists in Hamilton while we assess your new visa application.
Applying for an open work visa
You have an Accredited Employer Work Visa that lets you work as a pattern-maker for Good Tailors in Christchurch. You have applied for an open work visa based on your partnership with your wife who holds a work visa. Your Interim Visa will have the same conditions as a Visitor Visa. You are not allowed to work until we approve your application for a new work visa.
If your last visa was an open work visa
If you are applying for the same type of open work visa as you already have, your Interim Visa conditions will be the same as your current visa.
If you are applying for another work visa, your Interim Visa will have the same conditions as a Visitor Visa if you apply for:
- a different type of open work visa, or
- an employer-specific work visa.
If you are applying for a Visitor Visa, your Interim Visa will have the same conditions as a Visitor Visa.
If your last visa was a military, diplomatic, consular or official visa
If you are applying for the same visa you already have, your Interim Visa conditions will be the same as your current visa.
Your Interim Visa will have the same conditions as a Visitor Visa if you apply for any other type of temporary visa to work, study or stay as a visitor.
If you varied the conditions of your last visa
If you varied the conditions of your last visa the same conditions will apply to your Interim Visa if you are applying for:
- the same student visa
- the same work visa, or
- a Guardian of a Student Visitor Visa.