Japanese Interpreters Work Visa

Apply for this visa if you have a full-time job offer to work as a qualified interpreter in a tourism-related industry in New Zealand. You must be from Japan.

Length of stay
Up to

3 years

Cost
From
NZD $700
Processing time
80% within
5 weeks
With this visa you can
Things to note
  • It’ll improve your chances of getting a visa, if you’re young, have experience working in a tourism-related industry, and you’re planning to use your experience in New Zealand to do work that will benefit Japan or New Zealand.
  • The length of your stay will depend on the length of your job offer.
  • You can't include a partner or dependent children in your visa application, but they can apply for visas based on their relationship to you.

    Explore family visa options

What you need to apply

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

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You must provide proof of your identity:

Acceptable photos

You may provide your original passport, or a certified copy when you submit your application. If you provide a certified copy we may request your original passport to complete your application.

Tips

Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months after you plan to leave New Zealand.

We may ask you to have a chest x-ray, a medical examination or both as proof of your good health.

If you are staying less than:

  • 6 months you do not normally need a chest x-ray. 
  • 12 months you do not normally need a medical certificate. 

Who needs an x-ray or medical examination

When we process your application we let you know if we need you to have a chest x-ray or medical examination.

Acceptable standard of health criteria for visa approvals

Please only provide medical certificates if requested

If you have a criminal conviction or are a security risk to New Zealand we may not be able to grant you a visa.

Good character for temporary visas

You must provide police certificates if your total time in New Zealand will be 24 months or longer across all visits. This includes any time you have spent in New Zealand in the past on other visas, even if you have been out of the country since then.

You also must provide police certificates if we ask for them.

If you are 16 years old or younger you do not need to provide police certificates.

Providing police certificates

How to get a police certificate

If you have already sent us Police Certificates with a previous visa application and they are less than 24 months old, you do not need to send them again.

Police certificates must be less than 6 months old when you submit your application. They must be from any country you are a citizen of, or have spent more than 5 years in since you turned 17.

Tips

If you provide a police certificate that is not in English, you must provide an English translation.

This includes police certificates that record no convictions.

When we decide if your intentions are genuine, we consider all the information:

  • you provide to support your application
  • we have about your personal circumstances, and
  • you provided in any previous applications.

Genuine intentions to visit, study or work in NZ

The job you’re offered must be full-time and from a tourism-industry employer.  You’ll need to provide a copy of your employment agreement, which must include:

  • a description of the work you’ll be doing
  • your employer’s name and contact details
  • details of your pay and other conditions of your employment
  • your working hours
  • the length of your contract
  • details of any qualifications or experience or you’ll need to do the work.

Your employer must provide a written guarantee that they’ll cover the following costs:

  • your wages or salary
  • any medical treatment not covered by the Accident Compensation Corporation
  • your accommodation for the whole time you’re in New Zealand
  • your return home, once your employment ends.
Tips

Your employer may include their guarantee as part of your employment agreement.

Any evidence that shows you’re qualified to interpret and translate Japanese and English.
Evidence may include a certified copy of any qualifications.

Evidence may include:

  • a certified copy of your tourism-related qualification
  • letter from your current or previous employer(s) explaining the tourism-related work you’ve done for them.
Tips

We’re more likely to grant a visa, if you have a tourism background. Especially if you’re planning a career in tourism that will benefit Japan and and/or New Zealand.

Process and costs

The information below will help you understand the process, timeframes and costs involved in applying for this visa, so you can plan ahead and have the best chance of submitting a complete application.

Notes

We cannot display any process or costs information until you have provided your country details. Enter your country details in the panel above to view information relevant to your situation.

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How to submit

Payment methods and receiving centre details if applicable.

Notes

We cannot display any receiving centre or payment method information until you have provided your country details. Enter your country details in the panel above to view information relevant to your situation.

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Conditions

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

Entry permission

You must apply for entry permission when you arrive in New Zealand. You can do this by completing a digital New Zealand traveller declaration (NZTD), or an NZTD paper declaration.

New Zealand Customs and Biosecurity also check that you meet their entry requirements.

Arriving in New Zealand

Notes

You can be refused entry permission if:

  • you don’t meet our character requirements
  • your circumstances have changed since you were granted a visa
  • you refuse to let us to take your photo, or provide us with your fingerprints or an iris scan, if we ask you for them.

Travel

After you arrive, you can travel in and out of New Zealand as many times as you like before your visa expires.

Work

You may work only in the specific occupation, for the employer and in the location specified on your visa.

Study

You can study for up to 3 months in any 12-month period.

Visa expiry

You must leave New Zealand before your visa expires.

Notes

If you’ve been in New Zealand on a Japanese Interpreters Work visa for 3 years, you can only apply for another Japanese Interpreters Work visa after you’ve been back in Japan for 3 years.