Bringing family if you have a student visa
If you have a student visa you can support visitor visas for your family. Depending on your study, you may also be able to support a work visa for your partner and student visas for your children.
Visas your family can apply for
If you have a student visa, you can support a visitor visa for your partner and children. You may also be able to support a work visa for your partner, or student visas for your dependent children.
Partner of a Student Visitor Visa
Child of a Student Visitor Visa
Partner of a Student Work Visa
Supporting a work visa for your partner
Your partner may be able to get a Partner of a Student Work Visa if you are studying:
- a level 9 or 10 qualification
- a level 7 or 8 qualification specified for a role on our Green List – listed either as a requirement or a registration qualification
- a level 7 or 8 qualification specified on our Qualifications eligible for a Post Study Work Visa list, or
- a level 7 or 8 qualification on the Long Term Skill Shortage List – if your study started on or before 7 September 2022.
Update to work rights for partners of a student
More about qualifications and the visas you can support are in the following sections.
Visas you can support based on your study
We use the qualification levels from the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework.
Master's and Doctoral degrees
If you are studying a level 9 or 10 qualification you can support:
- visitor visas for your partner and dependent children
- a work visa for your partner.
If you are studying a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) at a New Zealand university or as an MFAT-funded New Zealand Scholarship student – excluding Short-term Training Scholarships and English Language Training for Officials Scholarships – you can support:
- visitor visas for your partner and dependent children
- a work visa for your partner
- student visas for your dependent children.
Green List qualifications
If you are studying a level 7 or 8 qualification specified for a role on our Green List – listed either as a requirement or a registration qualification – you may be able to support:
- visitor visas for your partner and dependent children
- a work visa for your partner.
Check the Green List appendix in the amendment circular for the eligible qualifications.
Amendment Circular 2024-14 PDF 283KB
Post Study Work Visa qualifications
If you are studying a level 7 or 8 qualification specified on our Qualifications eligible for a Post Study Work Visa list, you can support:
- visitor visas for your partner and dependent children
- a work visa for your partner.
Qualifications eligible for a Post Study Work Visa
Long Term Skill Shortage list
If your study started on or before 7 September 2022, and you are studying a level 7 or 8 qualification that is on the Long Term Skill Shortage List, your partner may still be able to get a work visa.
Student exchange scheme
If you are studying under a New Zealand Government approved student exchange scheme you can support:
- visitor visas for your partner and dependent children
- student visas for your dependent children.
Other qualifications
If you are studying for any other qualification, you can support visitor visas for your partner and children.
When your partner can support student visas for your children
Depending on your study, you may be able to support a work visa for your partner, but not student visas for your dependent children. However, if you support your partner to get a work visa, they may be able to support the student visas for your children.
You are studying a level 8 qualification that is specified on the Green List. You can support a work visa for your partner, but not student visas for your dependent children.
To get student visas for your children:
- You get a student visa.
- Your partner gets a Partner of a Student Work Visa.
- Your children can apply for Dependent Child Student Visas – as dependent children of your partner who has a work visa.