Evidence that you are a genuine visitor
Find out what evidence you can provide to show you are a genuine visitor to New Zealand.
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.
When you apply for a temporary visa or permission to enter New Zealand, we must be satisfied that you have genuine reasons for coming to New Zealand on the visa you apply for, and that while you are here you will obey the law.
We must believe that you:
We may not grant you a visa or let you enter New Zealand if we believe that:
If you are refused entry to New Zealand
The lawful purpose of your stay in New Zealand depends on the visa you are applying for.
If you are travelling on a visitor visa or visiting from a visa waiver country, lawful purposes for your visit include:
Evidence that you are a genuine visitor
If you have a special visitor visa, you must visit for the specific reason your visa was granted. For example, if you have a Medical Treatment Visitor Visa, you can only visit to get medical treatment.
The primary lawful purpose of a student visa is to undertake study.
The primary lawful purpose of a work visa is to work in a legitimate job or run your own business — depending on the type of work visa you have.
We consider:
You must provide documents that:
When we assess information about your personal circumstances, we look at things like:
Information from your previous applications and travel to New Zealand can tell us if you have:
You must answer truthfully when you complete your visa application or arrival card. If we believe you provided any false or misleading information, you may not be able to get a visa or allowed to enter New Zealand.