Character and identity

Before you can get a visa or enter New Zealand to visit, work or study we check that your reasons for coming here are genuine — in legal terms, bona fide.

Find out the character requirements you need to meet to apply for a resident or permanent resident visa - if you don't meet these requirements your visa application can be declined.

Find out the character requirements that you need to meet to apply for a work, student or visitor visa - if you don't meet these requirements your visa application can be declined.

To show you are of good character, you may need to provide us with police certificates. Whether you need to provide police certificates depends on the visa you apply for and how long you will spend in New Zealand.

You may have to supply a police certificate (or similar) as evidence of good character, depending on which visa category you apply under. INZ provides a searchable list of countries and what you will need to do.

If you apply for a visa as the partner of a New Zealand citizen or a New Zealand visa holder, your partner must be of good character.