Information about Permanent Resident Visa
If you’ve been a resident visa holder for 2 years or more, and can show a commitment to living in New Zealand you can apply for a Permanent Resident Visa. Once granted, you can live and work in New Zealand permanently and come and go from New Zealand without travel conditions.
You can
- Live, work, and study in New Zealand.
- Travel to and from New Zealand any time you like.
- Include your partner, and dependent children aged 24 and under, in your visa application - if you included them in your original residence application.
Things to note
- If you want to travel, your Permanent Resident Visa will need to be in a valid passport. You may need to apply to transfer your permanent resident visa to a new passport.
- Non-principal applicants can’t apply for permanent residence before the principal applicant, unless a non-principal exception applies.
- If we’re unable to grant you a Permanent Resident Visa, we may be able to offer you another resident visa or a variation of your resident visa travel conditions. This would give you more time to travel to and from New Zealand as a resident.
- People directly affected by the Christchurch terrorist attacks on 15 March 2019 and their New Zealand-based family can apply for permanent residence using a different process.
Christchurch Response (2019) — permanent residence visa
Check that you meet the detailed criteria