You must provide:
- a copy of the relevant pages of your passport or travel document
- a photo of your head and shoulders
- a copy of your birth certificate.
2021 Resident Visa
This visa was for people who were in New Zealand on 29 September 2021 and met residency or work requirements. It closed to new applicants on 31 July 2022.
Length of stay
Indefinitely
Cost
From
NZD $2160
Processing time
is a
priority
With this visa you can
- Live, work, and study in New Zealand.
- Include your partner, and dependent children aged 24 and under in your visa application.
Things to note
- You must have a valid passport to apply online.
- If you arrive in New Zealand as a critical health worker or other critical worker for a longer term role you may be eligible without meeting settled, skilled or scarce criteria.
- If you have already submitted a Skilled Migrant Category Expression of Interest (EOI) or Residence from Work application you will only have to pay the difference between what you have already paid and cost of the 2021 Resident Visa, provided you withdraw your previous application or EOI. If you have submitted a Skilled Migrant Category application, you will be refunded the difference if you withdraw your previous application.
Provide your country to make the experience more relevant to you.
What you need to apply
Check if you are eligible to apply for this visa and what supporting documents and information you need to provide.
View All Evidence
We will undertake New Zealand Police checks for all 2021 Resident Visa applicants aged 17 years or older, regardless of how long they have been in New Zealand. An overseas police certificate may be requested if more information is required.
We may also request more information or verification needed as part of the process.
If you have provided a medical certificate within the last 36 months and were assessed as having an acceptable standard of health, you will not need to provide a further medical certificate. We will have this information available.
If it has been more than 36 months since you provided us with your health information you will need to provide a new Limited Medical Certificate (INZ 1201).
You must hold one of the following visas:
- Post Study Work Visa
- Talent (Accredited Employer) Work Visa
- Essential Skills Work Visa
- Religious Worker Work Visa
- Talent (Arts, Culture, Sports) Work Visa
- Long Term Skill Shortage List Work Visa
- Silver Fern Practical Experience Work Visa
- Trafficking Victim Work Visa
- Migrant Exploitation Protection Work Visa
- Skilled Migrant Category Job Search Work Visa
- Victims of Family Violence Work Visa
- South Island Contribution Work Visa
- Work Visa granted under Section 61 of the Immigration Act (provided the applicant held any of the visas above within 6 months before being granted a Section 61 visa)
- Some Critical Purpose Visitor Visas (CPVV)
Tips
If you applied for an eligible visa before 29 September 2021 and it was later granted, you can apply.
If you arrive in New Zealand on a Critical Purpose Visa as a critical health worker or other critical worker for a longer term role you do not need to meet settled, skilled or scarce criteria if you:
- held a visa as a critical health worker or other critical worker on 29 September 2021, or
- were granted a visa as a critical health worker or other critical worker after 29 September 2021.
We will check our records to confirm your location.
If you meet all the criteria but were in Australia on 29 September 2021 and unable to return to New Zealand, you may be considered eligible.
Tips
If you arrived in New Zealand as a critical health worker or other critical worker for a longer term role you do not need to have been in New Zealand on 29 September 2021. You must arrive in New Zealand and apply for the 2021 Resident Visa before 31 July 2022 to be eligible. You must be in New Zealand to apply.
We will check our records to confirm your location.
You will need to provide evidence depending on which criteria you come under.
Settled criteria
To apply under the settled criteria, you must confirm that you have been in New Zealand for at least 821 days between 29 September 2018 and 29 September 2021. You do not need to provide any documents to demonstrate this.
Settled, skilled or scarce criteria
Skilled critieria
To apply under the skilled criteria, you must earn at or above NZD $27 per hour and supply:
- your job details, including the name and address of your employer
- your pay rate
- an employment agreement or a letter from your employer confirming your pay and hours
- a full bank statement showing your salary payments or an Inland Revenue summary of income or payslips showing your current pay rate and pay rate on 29 September 2021.
Settled, skilled or scarce criteria
Scarce criteria
To apply under the scarce criteria you must supply:
- your job details (including the name and address of your employer) and which of the four ‘scarce’ lists your job is on
- employment agreement or a letter from your employer confirming your job and hours. This must show your current job as well as evidence of the job you held on 29 September 2021
- evidence of provisional or full occupational registration in New Zealand if that is required for your job.
Tips
Applicants who met the skilled criteria on 29 September 2021 may change to meet the scarce criteria at the time of application.
Applicants who met the scarce criteria on 29 September 2021 may change to meet skilled criteria at the time of application.
If your current partner has not previously been granted a relationship-based visa on the basis of your relationship, you will need to provide partnership evidence.
You must provide:
- proof of your relationship with your partner
- evidence you have been living with your partner for more than 12 months
- timeline information of your relationship.
Tips
Partners do not have to be in New Zealand to be included in an application.
Immigration New Zealand (INZ) recognises the COVID-19 pandemic and current border restrictions have meant some partners have been separated for genuine reasons. INZ will consider the relationship history and how the relationship has been maintained during that time.
You can include dependent children if they are aged 24 and under. They will need to meet the same identity, health and character requirements as the principal applicant.
If your child is under 16, they must have permission to travel with just one parent or travel alone.
If your dependent child was included in your skilled residence application or Skilled Migrant Category Expression of Interest as at 29 September 2021 but is now aged 25 years or older, they will be eligible for a 2021 Resident Visa, if you (the parent) is approved a 2021 Resident Visa and they meet the health and character requirements.
They will need to meet the same identity, health and character requirements as the principal applicant. They will also need to meet dependent child requirements, except for age.
Dependent children aged 25 years and over
They must apply using the INZ 1275 application form. You will need to upload a completed form with your application and provide supporting evidence.
Process and costs
The information below will help you understand the process, timeframes and costs involved in applying for this visa, so you can plan ahead and have the best chance of submitting a complete application.
1
You submit your application and supporting documents
You must enter your Skilled Migrant Category, Residence from Work application or Expression of Interest (EOI) number before you can proceed with your application. The application number can only be used for one application.
You must have a valid passport to submit your application and you will need to provide your passport details and a photo. You will also need to provide a photo and the passport details for any family members included in your application.
You must provide an eMedical reference number for a limited medical certificate if you have not provided medicals within the last 36 months.
If you have a dependent child aged 25 or over, you will need to include their independent application form with your application.
What if my passport is expired
If your passport has expired, you are not able to apply online for the 2021 Resident Visa. However, from 4 July, you are able use paper application form INZ 1365 for this purpose.
When you send your application form to us, you and anyone included in the application will also be required to submit copies of your passports (whether they are expired or current), full birth certificates or other identity documents when you submit your application. You should also provide evidence that you have applied for a renewal of your passport, and/or an explanation of why you are not able to obtain or apply for one before the 2021 Resident Visa closes.
Once we have received your application, we will contact you to collect any fees if required to lodge your application.
Alert
Do not send us your credit card information by email.
2
We make a decision about your application
If your application is approved, we will ask you if you want to withdraw your existing Skilled Migrant Category Expression of Interest, Skilled Migrant category application or Residence from Work application. The fee you have already paid for your Residence from Work application can then be credited to your 2021 Resident Visa application.
Timeframes - Processing
is a priority
Immigration New Zealand is focused on processing applications as soon as possible.
Timeframes - Applications closed
on 31 July 2022
The 2021 Resident Visa closed at 23:59 on 31 July 2022. Applications received after this date will not be approved
3
You pay the fee
We will email you payment instructions, including the amount to pay.
You will need to pay the cost of your 2021 Resident Visa when you submit your application.
If you choose to withdraw your existing Skilled Migrant Category Expression of Interest or Residence from Work application, the fee you have already paid can be credited towards your 2021 Resident Visa application fee.
If you need to pay the difference between the two fees, details of the amount to be paid and a link to a payment form will be sent to you.
If the amount you have already paid is more than the cost of the 2021 Resident Visa, we will arrange to refund you with the difference.
Immigration costs
NZD $
2,160
Application cost – This includes a NZD $1,330 application fee and NZD $830 immigration levy. You do not need to pay a fee upfront if you have already paid for a Skilled Migrant Category application or Expression of Interest, or a Residence from Work application which has not been determined. If you have already submitted a Skilled Migrant Category Expression of Interest (EOI) or Residence from Work application you will only have to pay the difference between what you have already paid and cost of the 2021 Resident Visa, provided you withdraw your previous application or EOI. If you have submitted a Skilled Migrant Category application, you will be refunded the difference if you withdraw your previous application. Further information about the fees for the 2021 Resident Visa You can pay for your application online by Visa, Mastercard or UnionPay.
4
We confirm our decision about your application
If there is anything else you need to do, we will be in touch.
If you are in New Zealand, and your temporary visa expires before your new visa is granted, we will issue you an interim visa to let you stay in New Zealand lawfully.
How to submit
Payment methods and receiving centre details if applicable.
Apply for 2021 Resident Visa Phase 1
Payment methods
Online
Credit Card
You can pay by Visa, MasterCard or UnionPay credit card.
Debit Card
You can pay by Visa, MasterCard or UnionPay debit card.
Hours
Phone enquiries
Monday to Friday
06:00 to 22:00
Closed Saturday and Sunday
Telephone
Conditions
These are the conditions that you must meet once you have your visa.
Work
Once granted a resident visa, you can work for anyone you like, in any occupation you like.
Study
Once granted a resident visa, you can do any study you like.
Travel
You can travel in and out of New Zealand as often as you like until your travel conditions expire — normally 2 years from the date you first arrive in New Zealand as a resident.
Alert
If you are outside New Zealand when your travel conditions expire, your visa will expire as well.
To travel in and out of New Zealand after your travel conditions expire, you need to apply for:
- a variation to your travel conditions, or
- a Permanent Resident Visa.
Notes
Your travel conditions will expire 2 years from the date you first arrive in New Zealand as a resident.
If you are outside of New Zealand when your travel conditions expire, your visa will expire as well.
Keep your visa in a valid passport
If you want to travel, your visa must be in a valid passport.
If your passport expires, you must apply to transfer your visa to a new passport before you can travel.
Notes
To transfer your visa, you must:
- send us your old and new passports
- complete an ‘Application for Transfer or Confirmation of a Visa’
- pay a transfer fee.
Application for transfer or confirmation of a visa
Application for Transfer or Confirmation of a Visa (INZ 1023) PDF 375KB