Japanese Interpreters Work Visa

Visa details

Apply for this visa if you have a full-time job offer to work as a qualified interpreter in a tourism-related industry in New Zealand. You must be from Japan.

Length of stay
Up to

3 years

Cost
From
NZD $700
Processing time
90% within
49 days
With this visa you can
Things to note
  • It’ll improve your chances of getting a visa, if you’re young, have experience working in a tourism-related industry, and you’re planning to use your experience in New Zealand to do work that will benefit Japan or New Zealand.
  • The length of your stay will depend on the length of your job offer.
  • You can't include a partner or dependent children in your visa application, but they can apply for visas based on their relationship to you.

    Explore family visa options

Who can apply

The criteria and evidence below will provide you with the information you need to provide to meet the requirements of this visa.

View All Evidence

Identity

You must provide proof of your identity

You must provide proof of your identity:

Acceptable photos

You may provide your original passport, or a certified copy when you submit your application. If you provide a certified copy we may request your original passport to complete your application.

Tips

  1. Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months after you plan to leave New Zealand.

Character

You must be of good character

You may need to provide police certificates as proof of your good character.

If you are aged 17 or older and plan to stay in New Zealand for more than 24 months (including any time you have already spent in New Zealand), you must provide police certificates from:

  • any country you are a citizen of
  • any country you have spent more than 5 years in since you turned 17.

You do not need to provide police certificates if:

  • you have provided them to us with an earlier visa application, and
  • they were issued in the previous 24 months.

Good character

How to get a police certificate

Tips

  1. If you provide a police certificate that is not in English, you must provide an English translation.

    This includes police certificates that record no convictions.

New Zealand job offer

You must have offered a job as an interpreter

The job you’re offered must be full-time and from a tourism-industry employer.  You’ll need to provide a copy of your employment agreement, which must include:

  • a description of the work you’ll be doing
  • your employer’s name and contact details
  • details of your pay and other conditions of your employment
  • your working hours
  • the length of your contract
  • details of any qualifications or experience or you’ll need to do the work.

New Zealand employer guarantee

Your employer must provide a written guarantee to cover certain costs

Your employer must provide a written guarantee that they’ll cover the following costs:

  • your wages or salary
  • any medical treatment not covered by the Accident Compensation Corporation
  • your accommodation for the whole time you’re in New Zealand
  • your return home, once your employment ends.
Tips

  1. Your employer may include their guarantee as part of your employment agreement.

Qualifications

You must be qualified to interpret and translate Japanese and English

Any evidence that shows you’re qualified to interpret and translate Japanese and English.
Evidence may include a certified copy of any qualifications.

Tourism background

If you have experience in at tourism-related industry, you may use it to support your visa application

Evidence may include:

  • a certified copy of your tourism-related qualification
  • letter from your current or previous employer(s) explaining the tourism-related work you’ve done for them.
Tips

  1. We’re more likely to grant a visa, if you have a tourism background. Especially if you’re planning a career in tourism that will benefit Japan and and/or New Zealand.

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.

Notes

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How to submit

Payment methods and receiving centre details if applicable.

Notes

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Conditions

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

Entry permission

You must apply for entry permission when you arrive in New Zealand. You can do this by completing an arrival card, which you are given on the way to New Zealand.

Arriving in New Zealand

Notes

  • You can be refused entry permission if:

    • you don’t meet our character requirements
    • your circumstances have changed since you were granted a visa
    • you refuse to let us to take your photo, or provide us with your fingerprints or an iris scan, if we ask you for them.

Travel

After you arrive, you can travel in and out of New Zealand as many times as you like before your visa expires.

Work

You may work only in the specific occupation, for the employer and in the location specified on your visa.

Study

You can study for up to 3 months in any 12-month period.

Visa expiry

You must leave New Zealand before your visa expires.

Notes

  • If you’ve been in New Zealand on a Japanese Interpreters Work visa for 3 years, you can only apply for another Japanese Interpreters Work visa after you’ve been back in Japan for 3 years.