Skilled Migrant Category Interim Visa
The Skilled Migrant Category Interim Visa lets you stay in New Zealand while your Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa is being processed.
About the Skilled Migrant Category Interim Visa
If you have applied for a Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa after October 2023 under the new criteria and you have not applied for another type of temporary visa, we will process a Skilled Migrant Category Interim Visa for you. It will come into effect the day after your current visa expires. You do not need to apply.
Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa
We will send you an eVisa with the appropriate duration and conditions.
Restrictions of the Skilled Migrant Category Interim Visa
The Skilled Migrant Category Interim Visa is more restrictive than most temporary visas. While you are on it you:
- cannot apply for another type of temporary visa
- cannot support your partner or dependent children to get a visa, and
- are not able to change most of the conditions of your visa.
If you include your partner and dependent children as secondary applicants in your Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa application, they can get their own Skilled Migrant Category Interim Visa.
How long the visa lasts
The Skilled Migrant Category Interim Visa is valid for 24 months unless your Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa application is declined or withdrawn within this 24-month period.
If you decide to withdraw your application or if we decline your application the interim visa will expire 2 months after the date of this decision.
Transfer your visa to a new passport
You can apply to transfer your visa to a new passport if your old passport expires, gets lost or is stolen.
There is no fee to transfer your eVisa. You cannot request a physical visa label for your passport.
You can apply online or download and complete the paper form.
Application for a transfer of a visa for Skilled Migrant Category Interim Visa holders online form
Application for Transfer or Confirmation of a Visa paper form (INZ 1023) PDF 375KB
Visa conditions
The conditions of your Skilled Migrant Category Interim Visa will be the same as the conditions of your current visa.
- If you have a work visa, and your visa is linked to an employer, you will get the same work conditions that you currently have.
- If you have an open or partnership based work visa, you will get open work conditions.
- If you have a Visitor Visa you will get Visitor Visa conditions.
However, your visa conditions may be different in some cases, depending on your situation. For example:
- If you have a student visa you will get open student visa conditions, allowing you to study any programme at any educational institute at any location. Depending on your age and whether you currently have work conditions, you also may be able to work up to 20 hours a week.
- If you are 18 or younger, your interim visa may allow you to study even if your current visa does not. The same conditions will apply to any partner or dependent child you have included in your Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa application who is 18 or younger.
You should carefully consider whether the Skilled Migrant Category Interim Visa is right for you. If you decide it is not right for you, make sure that you apply for a different type of temporary visa before your current temporary visa expires.
Travel conditions
Your Skilled Migrant Category Interim Visa is issued with conditions that allow you to leave and return to New Zealand as many times as you like.
Changing the conditions of your Skilled Migrant Category Interim Visa
You cannot change most of the conditions of your interim visa during the 24-month period that you have it. However you may be able to change some conditions.
If you have work conditions
If you have employer-specific work conditions on your interim visa you may be able to change your employer, job or location of employment.
You can do this if your new employment is:
- paid at or above NZD$29.66 an hour (the February 2023 median wage rate), and
- for an accredited employer who has an approved Job Check for the role.
These requirements apply even if you were not on an Accredited Employer Work Visa previously.
You must make sure your new job meets the skilled employment requirements. This includes meeting the median wage rate requirements for your role.
If you have study conditions
If you have study conditions on your interim visa you may be able to change your work conditions. You may be able to work for up to 20 hours a week and full-time during holiday periods.
You can do this if you meet our requirements for working on a student visa.
If you had a Visitor Visa before receiving your interim visa with study conditions, you will only be able to change your work conditions if you were included in a Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa application as a dependent child.
If you have visitor conditions
If you have visitor conditions on your interim visa you may be able to change them to study or work. You may be able to work or study for up to 20 hours a week and full-time during holiday periods.
You can apply for a variation of conditions if you:
- are 18 or older, and
- were included in a Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa application as a dependent child.
How to apply for a variation of conditions
You can apply for a variation of conditions using our online form.
Application for a variation of conditions for a Skilled Migrant Category Interim Visa
Apply using the paper form
You can also apply for a variation of conditions using our paper form.
- Read the form to find out about the application process and what to include.
- Download, print and complete the application form for a variation of conditions.
- Send in your application form, the fee and any supporting documents or evidence needed for your application.
Use our online tool to find out where to send your application and how much it costs.
Fees, decision times and where to apply
If you want to apply for another type of temporary visa
If your current visa is about to expire you may want to apply for another type of temporary visa rather than getting a Skilled Migrant Category Interim Visa.
You may want to do this if:
- you want to have a valid temporary visa and apply for other visas, even if your Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa application is declined or withdrawn.
- you want to support your partner or dependent children for temporary visas — you cannot do this if you are on a Skilled Migrant Category Interim Visa.
- the conditions of the other temporary visa are more suitable for you, for example you may want to move from work to study.
You must apply for another type of temporary visa before your current visa expires.
If you have applied for another type of temporary visa and a Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa
If you apply for:
- a Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa
- a temporary visa such as an Accredited Employer Work Visa, and
- your current temporary visa expires before you receive a decision on either application.
You will receive a 6-month temporary Interim Visa with conditions that are based on your expired temporary visa, instead of the 24-month Skilled Migrant Category Interim Visa.