Resettlement for Afghan nationals in New Zealand
Applications for resettlement if you are an Afghan national are now closed.
Current situation
The evacuation operation has now come to an end and Afghan nationals with a valid visa will need to rely on commercial flights to be able to travel to New Zealand.
Your visa conditions will remain the same.
If you already hold a valid visa to enter New Zealand
If you already hold a valid visa to enter New Zealand and have questions about your visa status, you can contact us on +64 9 914 4100.
If you were in Afghanistan on 15 August 2021 and held a valid temporary or resident visa on 19 August 2021 and continue to hold that visa you are exempt from border restrictions and may travel to New Zealand.
People who hold a partnership based visa or a critical purpose visitor visa can already travel to New Zealand as they are exempt under current border restrictions.
Applications for resettlement are now closed
Applications for resettlement if you are an Afghan national are now closed.
Afghan nationals who helped the NZDF or other New Zealand Government agencies in Afghanistan, and their immediate family (partner and dependent children), were able to apply for resettlement in New Zealand.
Applications received before 11.59pm 25 August 2021 (New Zealand Time) will continue to be processed.
Other support
While the current evacuation operation has drawn to an end, our efforts to help those who have helped us do not end here.
The New Zealand Government will consider how to best assist and support Afghan nationals in other ways.
The government continue to work with the utmost urgency with our close partners to assist New Zealand citizens, permanent residents and their immediate families in Afghanistan, to return to New Zealand.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade will remain in close contact with those who have registered with them on the ground in Afghanistan and we encourage those people to register their details.
Arrivals
As at 0900, 29 July 2022, 1729 people have arrived in New Zealand from Afghanistan. The table provides a breakdown of what visas people hold on arrival.
| Visa type | Amount of people |
|---|---|
| Emergency visitor visas | 1473 |
| All Other temporary visas | 60 |
| New Zealand citizen | 94 |
| New Zealand Resident Visa | 68 |
| New Zealand Permanent Resident Visa | 34 |
| Total | 1729 |
The Government has been working to identify the settlement needs of these individuals. Temporary housing has been arranged for all evacuees who do not already have homes to go to within the community, and the evacuees will continue to receive support there.