Trafficking Child Victim Student Visa

A child may be granted this visa if they are in New Zealand and certified by the New Zealand Police as a victim of people trafficking. This visa allows the child to study as a domestic student at primary or secondary school.

Length of stay

12 months

Age range
Identified as a victim

17 or younger

Cost

NZD $0

Processing time
is a
high priority
With this visa you can
  • Send the child to a primary or secondary school in New Zealand — they will be treated as a domestic student, which means there are no tuition fees to attend school. 
  • Allow a child aged 16 or 17 to work after school, in the weekends and in the school holidays — they will need the permission of their parent or guardian, and their school.
  • Apply for the Trafficking Victim Resident Visa.
Things to note
  • A people trafficking report must have been made for the child, and after their report was assessed by New Zealand Police they were certified as a victim of people trafficking.
    Report people trafficking
  • The child must be aged 17 or younger when they were identified as a victim of people trafficking.
  • There is no fee to apply for this visa.

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

You must provide:

Acceptable photos for a visa

If the passport or certificate of identity is unavailable, the original or certified copy of the birth certificate or another identity document may be provided.

Tips

Please also provide copies of your children’s Identity cards.

Please also provide a copy of the child’s livret de famille.

If your child isn’t a French national, please also provide a copy of their carte d’assuré.

Please also provide a copy of the child’s Kartu Keluarga.

If you are a citizen of China and you submit a paper application form in China, you must also complete a supplementary form.

Supplementary form for Chinese citizens (INZ 1027) PDF 338KB

If you are submitting a paper application form, you must provide a supplementary form for Hong Kong and Macao visitors, workers and students.

Supplementary form for Hong Kong and Macao visitors, workers and students (INZ 1220) PDF 240KB

Please also provide a copy of:

  • your child’s Hukou (household registration book)
  • your child’s identity cards.

The child may need to have a chest x-ray and a medical examination as proof of their good health.

Who needs an x-ray or medical examination

Tips

You must provide a chest x-ray completed in the last 3 months, even if you have provided one to us previously, if:

  • your children have spent 6 consecutive months in China since the last x-ray certificate was issued, and
  • your children are now coming to NZ for more than 6 months.

When we decide if your intentions are genuine, we consider all the information:

  • you provide to support your application
  • we have about your personal circumstances
  • you provided in any previous applications.

Genuine intentions to visit, study or work in NZ

We will use the documents provided as proof of the child’s identity to confirm their age.

A people trafficking report must have been made for the child, and after their report was assessed by New Zealand Police they were certified as a victim of people trafficking.

Report people trafficking

We will check that the child is certified as a victim of people trafficking. Evidence of certification must be provided in the application.

Tips

The child victim can be in New Zealand unaccompanied or may be a victim of people trafficking together with their parents.

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 report to the New Zealand Police

A people trafficking report must have been made for the child, and after their report was assessed by New Zealand Police they were certified as a victim of people trafficking.

Report people trafficking

We will check that the child is certified as a victim of people trafficking. Evidence of the child's certification must be provided in the application.

3
We make a decision on the childs application

If there is anything else you need to do, we will be in touch.

If the child is in New Zealand, and the childs current temporary visa expires before the new visa is granted, we will normally issue an interim visa to let the child stay in New Zealand lawfully.

Interim Visa

Timeframes - Processing
is a high priority

You must apply for this visa in New Zealand. This visa is a priority for us.

4
You can apply for a resident visa for the child

If the child holds a trafficking victim student or visitor visa they may be eligible for a resident visa.

Trafficking Victim Resident Visa

How to submit

Payment methods and receiving centre details if applicable.

How to apply

Postal address

Immigration New Zealand
PO Box 76895
Manukau City
Auckland 2241
New Zealand

Courier address

Immigration NZ
DX Box: EP71514
20 Fairfax Avenue
Penrose
Auckland 1061
New Zealand

Conditions

These are the conditions that you must meet once you have your visa.

Study

School-aged children can study at primary or secondary school.

Work

The child may be allowed to work part-time for up to 20 hours a week and full-time during all scheduled holidays and during the Christmas and New Year holiday period.

Working on a student visa

Notes

Everyone who has a job in New Zealand pays tax on what they earn. An IRD number can be applied for online through Inland Revenue.

Apply online for an IRD number

We do not grant work rights to students under 16.

The children are not allowed to be self-employed. They have to work as an employee with an employment agreement and not as an independent contractor.

Visa expiry

The child must leave New Zealand before their visa expires.

Notes

Visa expiry dates are printed on a visa label or included in a visa letter.