Visas that allow you to join family

Visitor Visa

Depending on your plans, you can visit New Zealand for up to 9 months. You can come here to holiday, study for 3 months, or to visit friends and family.

Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa

If your partner is a New Zealand citizen or resident, you can apply to become a New Zealand resident. Your partner must support your application.

Child of a Worker Visitor Visa

If you have a work visa or you’re applying for one, you can apply for your children who are 19 and under to come to New Zealand as visitors. Your children can stay in New Zealand for the same length of time as your visa.

Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa

Parents and grandparents can visit family in New Zealand multiple times on the same visa, for up to 18 months in a 3-year period.

Partner of a Student Work Visa

If your partner holds a Student visa, and they support your application, you may be able to come to New Zealand to work for the same length of time allowed by your partner’s visa. To be eligible your partner must be studying towards a level 7 or 8 qualification on our Long Term Skill Shortage List, or a level 9 or 10 qualification.

Parent Retirement Resident Visa

Parents, who have an adult child who is a New Zealand citizen or resident, can apply to live in New Zealand permanently. To apply, you’ll need an annual income of NZ $60,000 plus NZ $1 million to invest for 4 years, and another NZ $500,000 to live on.

Child of a Student Visitor Visa

If you have a student visa, your dependent children can come to New Zealand as visitors. They can stay here for the same length of time as your visa allows.

Guardian of a Student Visitor Visa

Parents and legal guardians can visit New Zealand to live with and care for their children who are studying in New Zealand.

Partner of a New Zealander Visitor Visa

If your partner is a New Zealand citizen or residence class visa holder, you can come to New Zealand as a visitor. Depending on how long you have been together, you may be able to stay here for up to 2 years.

Dependent Child Resident Visa

If you are a New Zealand citizen or resident and you live here, you can apply for your dependent children to move to New Zealand to live with you. If your children are granted residence, they can live in New Zealand permanently.

Samoan Quota Resident Visa

Each year we invite Samoan citizens to register for a ballot that, if drawn, may result in an invitation to apply for New Zealand residence.

Partner of a New Zealander Work Visa

If your partner is a New Zealand citizen or resident, you may be able to come with them to New Zealand and work while you are here.

Pacific Access Category Resident Visa

Each year we invite people from Fiji, Kiribati, Tuvalu, and Tonga to register for a ballot that, if drawn, allows you to apply to live in New Zealand.

Partner of a Worker Work Visa

If your partner has a work visa that is for more than 6 months, and they support your application, you may be able to come to New Zealand to work for the same length of time as your partner’s visa.

Partner of a Worker Visitor Visa

If your partner has an appropriate work visa, you may be able to come to New Zealand as a visitor. If you are granted a visitor visa, you will be able to stay for the same length of time as your partner.

Culturally Arranged Marriage Visitor Visa

If you have recently married a New Zealand citizen in a traditional arranged marriage, or want to marry in New Zealand, you can get a 3 month visitor visa to begin living with your partner.

Parent Resident Visa

If you have an adult New Zealand citizen or resident child who earns enough and agrees to sponsor you, you may be able to live in New Zealand permanently. You need to send us an expression of interest explaining how you meet the requirements and be sponsored by your child, or your child and their partner, and we may invite you to apply for residence.

Partner of a Student Visitor Visa

If your partner has a student visa, you can come to New Zealand as a visitor. You can stay here for the same length of time as your partner. You can study for up to 3 months with this visa, but you cannot work.

Dependent Child Student Visa

The dependent children of certain kinds of work and student visa holders can apply for a student visa to allow them to go to a primary or secondary school in New Zealand.

Partner of Military Visitor Visa

If your partner holds a military visa, you can come to New Zealand as a visitor. You can stay here for the same length of time as your partner. You can study for up to 3 months with this visa but you cannot work.

Child of Military Visitor Visa

If you have a Military Visa or you're eligible for one, your dependent children can come to New Zealand as visitors. They can stay here for the same length of time as your visa allows you to stay.

Child of a New Zealander Visitor Visa

If you’re a New Zealand citizen or resident any of your dependent children who aren’t New Zealand citizens or residents can join you in New Zealand as visitors.

Partner of Military Work Visa

If your partner has a military visa, and they support your application, you may be able to come to New Zealand to work for the same length of time as your partner’s visa.

Adoption Pre-citizenship Visitor Visa

Children adopted from other countries can visit New Zealand, before their New Zealand citizenship is confirmed.

Adoption Visitor Visa

Children can come to New Zealand to be adopted by New Zealand citizens or residents. The adoption must have the support of Oranga Tamariki - Ministry of Children.

Intercountry Adoption Resident Visa

If you’re a New Zealand citizen or resident, you can apply for a child you’ve legally adopted from overseas to move to New Zealand to live with you. If your adopted child is granted residence, they can stay in New Zealand indefinitely.

Partner of an NZ Scholarship Student Work Visa

This visa allows you to work in New Zealand while your partner is here on an MFAT-funded NZ Scholarship.

Refugee Family Support Resident Visa

If you have a family member who was granted New Zealand residence because they were a refugee or protected person, they may be able to sponsor your application for New Zealand residence.