Parent Retirement Resident Visa
Apply for this visa if you want to live in New Zealand permanently and you have an adult child who is a New Zealand citizen or resident. You must meet our income and investment requirements.
-
Length of stay
Live, work and study
indefinitely
-
Cost
From
NZD $12850
-
Processing time
Approval in principle 80% within
24 months
To apply you must:
- have an adult child who is a New Zealand citizen or resident living in New Zealand
- have no dependent children
- have at least NZD $1 million to invest in New Zealand for 4 years, and at least NZD $500,000 for settlement
- have earned or acquired your funds lawfully
- transfer your investment funds to New Zealand
- have an annual income of at least NZD $60,000
- meet the other requirements of this visa.
This visa lets you:
- live, work and study in New Zealand
- include your partner in your application
- travel in and out of New Zealand for the first 2 years of your 4-year investment period
- apply for permanent residence after 4 years of keeping your funds invested in New Zealand.
If we approve your residence application in principle, you will have 12 months to transfer your investment funds to New Zealand.
If you want to come to New Zealand to investigate investment opportunities, you will need to apply for a work visa. If your partner wants to come with you, they will need to apply for their own work or visitor visa.
How long you can stay
A Parent Retirement Resident Visa lets you stay in New Zealand indefinitely.
Who can apply
Check if you are eligible to apply for this visa and what supporting documents and information you need to provide.
Identity
You must provide proof of your identity:
- 2 acceptable photos of your head and shoulders
- your original or a
of your passport or - your original or a certified copy of your
.
If your photo does not meet all of our requirements we will ask you for a new photo. If you are applying for a visa, we will stop processing your application until we receive an acceptable photo. If you are requesting an NZeTA, your request may be delayed or refused. Use the photo examples on this page to check your photo is correct and meets our requirements. Alert Do not use the New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs website or other online tools to check your photo as those tools are for passport photos only. Your photo is more likely to be accepted if you use a professional photographer or business that takes passport photos. Give the photographer our instructions to make sure you get a photo that meets our requirements.
The photo you submit with a paper application must be 35 mm wide and 45 mm high. Further instructions are on the paper application forms. Note You can only apply for an NZeTA online. The photo you submit with an online application must be: Alert We are unlikely to accept your photo if it is not the right size. If you request an NZeTA using the web app, you can either upload an existing photo or take one using your device's camera. If you use the mobile app, you can only take a photo using your device's camera. Your photo must be: If you take a photo with your device, the camera must have a minimum resolution of 540 x 720 pixels. Large photos will be automatically formatted. If there is an issue with your photo you will receive an error message when you submit your visa or NZeTA photo online. To help you, we have provided a list of online errors and how to fix them. Your photo must: It may be easier to remove them.
Visa and NZeTA photos
Your photo must be less than 6 months old and clearly identify you. It must also meet all of our technical requirements.
Meeting our photo requirements
Visa and NZeTA photos are not passport photos
Using a professional photographer
Paper applications for visas
Online applications for visas
Online requests for NZeTAs
Online photo error messages
Taking your visa photo
Be in portrait, not landscape
Be of you, not a photo of a photo or your travel document
Have even lighting with minimal shadowing
Be in colour, showing natural skin tones
Be in focus, not blurry
Not contain red-eye
Be an original photo, not changed by photo-editing software
Not be a selfie
Be taken 1.5 metres from the face
Be taken against a plain, light-coloured — but not white — background with no patterns or objects
Only contain plain clothing patterns
Be of one person
We need to clearly see your face
Face the camera and keep your head straight
Keep your eyes open and mouth closed
Do not smile or frown
Show your face clearly and that long hair is tucked behind your ears
Position yourself in the middle of the photo
Remove sunglasses and hats
If you wear prescription glasses
Make sure your eyes show clearly through the lenses, with no reflected light
If you wear a head covering for religious or medical reasons
Make sure that your face and hairline can be seen in the photo
Note
You can provide either 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.
Citizens of China
You can provide household registration documents if these confirm your relationship to your child.
Applicants from Hong Kong or Macao applying within Hong Kong or Macao
Also provide a copy of your identity card.
Citizens of Indonesia
If you are a citizen of Indonesia, also provide your
Applicants applying from French Polynesia or Wallis and Futuna
If you are not a French national, also provide a copy of your carte d’assuré.
Applicants applying from New Caledonia
Also provide a copy of your livret de famille.
If you are not a French national, also provide a copy of your carte d’assuré.
Health
You must be in good health.
You must have a chest X-ray and a medical examination as proof of your good health.
Note You can check the situations where you need an X-ray or medical examination, and the different types of examinations. Who needs an X-ray or medical examination If you need a medical examination, you normally get a 'general medical examination' unless you need a limited medical examination. A general medical examination is sometimes called a 'full medical examination'. For some visas, you must have a chest X-ray, a medical examination or both before you apply. For an Accredited Employer Work Visa or a Visitor Visa, we will let you know after you submit your application if you need a chest X-ray or medical examination. If you need a chest X-ray or medical examination, you must visit a doctor or radiologist from our list of 'panel physicians' — unless there are no panel physicians in your country. Panel physicians are doctors and radiologists approved to complete chest X-rays and medical examinations for New Zealand visa applications. Check if there is a panel physician in your country. Doctors who can do examinations You must visit a panel physician. You can use any registered doctor. You must visit a panel medical clinic who will refer you to a panel radiology clinic. Note If there are other people on your application, they will each need an appointment. If you are menstruating (having a period), you need to wait until your period finishes before having your medical examination. You cannot have your medical examination during your period because the blood can affect your urine test. For an Accredited Employer Work Visa or Visitor Visa, if we need you to have a chest X-ray or medical examination, we give you an Immigration New Zealand health case reference number (NZHR). Give the NZHR to the clinic when you make your appointment. Finding your eMedical and INZ health case reference numbers You can bring a family member, support person or interpreter to your appointment. Let the clinic know when you make your appointment if you are bringing someone with you. If you are having a physical examination, you can ask the clinic for a chaperone. The clinic must have chaperones available. Have the following ready to bring to your appointment: Identity documents for X-rays and medical examinations Note If you are 17 years or under, you need your parent or legal guardian to come with you. If you are visiting any registered doctor because there are no panel physicians in your country, you need to also bring: Get the medical certificate form you need:
You need to also bring a completed 'Immigration Adviser Details' form to give to the clinic.
At your medical appointment, you must sign a form to allow the doctor to send your medical information to us. If you are 17 or younger, your parent or guardian must sign the form for you. If your doctor is using eMedical, they will give you an eMedical client consent and declaration form to sign. You can read the form before your appointment:
There are 3 parts to the medical examination: The doctor checks your height, weight, mental state, hearing and vision, listens to your heart and lungs, feels your abdomen and checks your reflexes and other parts of your nervous system. A nurse or health care assistant may complete parts of the examination. You will need to: You must pay any costs related to your X-ray and medical examinations. Note Ask the clinic about the costs when you make your appointment. In your visa application, you need to provide evidence of your X-ray or examination results. To show you had an examination you can either: To get a copy of your results you can ask the doctor when you have your examination, or any time afterwards. You can ask for email notifications. If you do, you will receive an email when your physician sends us your results. You cannot reply to this email. If you have any questions about your results, discuss these with your doctor. You can ask the clinic for a copy of your medical examination results. Once we receive your results you can also contact us if you want a copy of them. If you have an immigration adviser, and would like them to be able to see and ask questions about your medical information, you need to:
The panel physicians who use eMedical must agree to protect your personal information to meet New Zealand privacy laws. Your information is sent to us using a secure online channel and is available only to us and the clinic where you were examined. If you have any privacy concerns, you can contact us.
How to get an X-ray or medical examination
If you need a chest X-ray or medical examination for your visa application, you will need to make a doctor's appointment and take any relevant documents with you. You will need to provide evidence of your medical results in your application.
Process overview
Your chest X-ray and medical examination results must be no more than 3 months old when we get your application.
1. Check if you need a chest X-ray or medical examination
2. Make an appointment
If there is a panel physician in your country
If there is no panel physician in your country
If you are in New Zealand and only need a chest X-ray
Bringing someone with you to the appointment
3. Get what you need for your appointment
If you are visiting a doctor that is not a panel physician
If you are using a licensed immigration adviser
4. Go to your appointment
Authority to collect medical information
What happens at the medical examination
Paying for your medical examination
5. Provide evidence of your results in your application
6. How to get your results
If you need a copy of your results
Sharing your medical information with an immigration adviser
Your privacy
Note
If you have submitted a general medical and chest X-ray certificate in the last 36 months, for another visa application, you do not need to resubmit one.
Character
You must be of good character.
If you, or anyone else included in your application, are aged 17 or older you must provide a police certificate from:
- all the countries you are a citizen of, and
- any other country you have stayed in for 12 months or more over the last 10 years, even if it was not all in the same stay.
Depending on the visa you want, and how long you plan to stay in New Zealand, you may need to provide a police certificate as evidence of your good character. Police certificates are documents issued by the police or a government agency. They: If we ask you to provide a police certificate, you must: Providing English translations supporting documents You must provide police certificates if your total time in New Zealand will be 24 months or longer across all visits. This includes any time you have spent in New Zealand in the past on other visas, even if you have been out of the country since then. Provide police certificates from any country you: If you are aged 16 or younger, you do not need to provide police certificates. If you have a criminal record, we may still be able to grant you a visa. You can provide an explanation of your criminal record when you apply, and we will decide if you meet our good character requirements. You must provide police certificates if you are aged 17 or older. Provide police certificates from: Police certificates must show any criminal records you have had at any time in any of these countries — not only in the last 10 years. If you have a criminal record, we may still be able to give you a visa. You can provide an explanation of your criminal record when you apply, and we will decide if you meet our good character requirements. If you apply for a visa as the partner of a New Zealander or a New Zealand visa holder, your partner is known as the 'supporting partner'. Your supporting partner must be able to show us they are of good character. They may need to provide police certificates for proof. If your supporting partner is a New Zealand citizen or has a resident visa, they: If your partner needs to provide police certificates, the police certificates must be from countries where they have spent 12 months or more over the last 10 years, since they turned 17 — even if the 12 months were not all in one stay. Police certificates must show any criminal records they have had at any time in any of these countries — not only in the last 10 years. Note Your partner does not need to provide a New Zealand police certificate, as we will get one directly from the authorities. If your supporting partner has a work or study visa, we may ask your partner to provide police certificates, if you are applying for a temporary visa. Your partner will not meet our character requirements if they have any convictions for
If your supporting partner cannot prove they are of good character, we may give them a
If your partner has any convictions for domestic violence or sexual offences, they cannot support your application. For all types of visa applications, we still may request police certificates from your partner to make sure they meet our character requirements. You may not need to provide police certificates if you have provided them in a previous visa application. Check the character requirements of the visa you are applying for. Some of the authorities that issue police certificates (the police and other government agencies) may require a set of fingerprints when you request a police certificate. If you do need a set of fingerprints to get a police certificate, check in your region for a fingerprinting service. There are many private businesses who offer fingerprinting services. If you cannot find a fingerprinting service in your region, you can contact the New Zealand Police to see if they can help. They only offer this service in some regions and on specific days. Contact them to check availability before going to a police station.
Police certificates
When you apply for a visa, you may need to provide us with a police certificate to show that you are of good character.
About police certificates
Find out how to get a police certificate
If your supporting partner has a temporary visa to work or study
If your partner cannot prove good character
If you have provided police certificates before
Fingerprinting for police certificates
Anyone applying for a New Zealand visa must meet the character requirements. When you apply, you must tell us about any issues or activities, both current and in your past, that could affect our decision, including whether you have been: If there is an issue, we may: You can request a character waiver or special direction when you apply. If your request is approved, we can give you a visa if your application meets all other requirements. Visas are given by special direction only in rare circumstances. You may need to provide us with police certificates to show your good character. Whether you need to give these certificates depends on how long you plan to stay in New Zealand and the visa you are applying for.
Character requirements for New Zealand visas
To be given a New Zealand visa, you must be of good character. If you have a criminal history, have provided false or misleading information, or could be a risk to New Zealand, we can decline your application.
Being of good character
Providing police certificates
Note
Police certificates must be less than 6 months old at the time you apply.
If you provide a police certificate that is not in English, you must provide an
All supporting documents submitted with your resident visa application must be provided in English or include a certified English translation. You must include full English translations of all documents provided in your visitor visa application that are not written in English. Examples of documents that require full translation include: Supporting document translations for visitor visa applications (other than medical and police certificates) do not need to be certified. Who can complete translations for visitor visas You must provide us with certified English translations of all medical and police certificates. This includes police certificates that record no convictions. Note If your other evidence is not in English, you should provide a translated copy, as this will help us to process your application faster. Immigration New Zealand does not translate documents on behalf of visa applicants. You must get your documents translated before you send them to us. Translations for a visitor visa application can be completed by anyone, other than: You must include the following information with your visa application, about the person who translated your documents for you: You can provide certified translations completed by: We do not accept translations completed by: We will accept translations from a licensed immigration adviser (LIA) who is: Each certified translation must: Check your passport to see if it has your name written in English. Ask your translator to use this spelling when they translate your documents. If a translator used a different spelling of your name in your translated documents, then include this spelling of your name in the 'other names' section of the visa application form. We need to know if you have used other names that are in your translated documents. For example, if: In your visa application form, enter all other names that you have used in the section called 'other names'. When you apply for your visa, the supporting documents that you provide us are the: How you provide the documents depends on if you are applying online or on a paper form. If applying online, make sure all scanned copies are clear and readable. We may not need an original document or its certified copy in the following situations: When we process your application, we will contact you if we need you to send us a document.
Providing English translations of supporting documents
Check the requirements of the visa you are applying for. Provide translations of your documents to avoid delays processing your application.
Check the visa application requirements
Residence visa applications
Visitor visa applications
Translations for visitor visas do not need to be certified
All other visa applications
Our requirements for translated documents
Who can complete translations for visitor visas
Who can complete a certified translation
Requirements for certified translations
Using the English spelling of the name in your passport
Include your 'other names' in the application form
Submitting your original foreign language documents
Your child's immigration status
Your child must be a New Zealand citizen or resident.
You must provide an original or
- New Zealand passport, birth certificate or certificate of citizenship, or
- New Zealand Resident Visa, or
- Australian passport.
Note
Your child must be 18 or over for us to consider them an adult.
If your child is a New Zealand resident, their visa must be free from
If your child has section 49 conditions, these will be listed on their visa label.
Your child's place of residence
Your child must live in New Zealand.
You must provide evidence your child lives in New Zealand, which may include:
- letters or bills addressed to them, for example power bills
- employment records
- records of benefit payments from Work and Income
- tax records from Inland Revenue
- mortgage or rental agreements
- documents showing their belongings have been moved to New Zealand
- any other documents that show they live in New Zealand.
Note
Your child must also be a New Zealand citizen or resident.
Dependent children
You must have no dependent children.
We will ask you about your family when you complete your residence application.
There are 2 ways that dependent children can apply for a visa. Note The definition of dependent children depends on age and whether they are applying for a resident visa or a temporary visa. Your child is dependent if they are: If they are 18 or over they must not have children of their own. If they are aged 21 to 24 they must also rely on you or another adult for financial support (depending on which visa they have applied for). Your child is dependent if they: If they are 18 or 19 they must not have children of their own. If your children are 20 or older: If they want to join you in New Zealand they need to apply for their own visa. If your children are aged 20 to 24 they may still be dependent if: Your children must have applied for, or have been included in your application for one of the following residence visas:
Bringing children
How to apply for visas for dependent children.
How your children apply for a visa
Dependent children are not eligible for work visas.
How we define dependent children
Resident visas for dependent children
Temporary visas for dependent children
Primary or secondary student visas and visitor visas
Child of a New Zealander or Worker visitor visas
Eligible residence visas
Note
If you have dependent children, you will not be eligible for this visa.
Your relationship with the sponsoring child
You must be the parent or legal guardian of your child.
You must provide evidence of your relationship with your child, such as original or certified copy of your child's
If you are the legal guardian of a sponsoring child, you must provide:
- evidence the child's parents are deceased, and they died before the child turned 20
- documents, including medical and school records showing you had custody of the child, and the right to control the child's upbringing before they turned 20
If you are the grandparent of a sponsoring child, you must provide:
- evidence the child's parents are deceased, and they died before the child turned 20
- legal documents naming you as the child's guardian
- documents, including medical and school records, showing you had custody of the child, and the right to control the child's upbringing before they turned 20.
Your relationship with your children
You must provide evidence of your relationship to all of your other children.
You must provide evidence that confirms your relationship to all of your other children, including:
- your biological and adopted children, and any other children you were the legal guardian for
- any of your partner's children, who lived with you and your partner as part of your family before they turned 17.
Evidence may include:
-
- adoption papers
- any other documents that confirm your relationship to each other.
Investment funds
You must have NZD $1 million or more to invest in New Zealand for 4 years.
You must nominate the type, location and value of the funds and/or assets you intend to invest. Evidence may include:
- bank statements
- title deeds
- property valuations
- share certificates
- business ownership documents
- asset valuations.
The value you can claim for your nominated funds, depends if they are owned by you, or jointly by you and another person. If you own an investment jointly with:
- your partner, you can claim the full value of the investment, as long as you and your partner are in a recognised partnership
- someone who is not your partner, you can only claim for the part of the investment that you own.
We define partnership as 2 people, who live together in a
You must be able to show us that you and your partner are living together in a
Living together means sharing the same home as your partner. This does not include: Evidence showing you are living together can include: For some partnership applications – such as a Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa – evidence of living together must cover a period of 12 months prior to the application being submitted. Make sure you check the category you are applying under to see if we need this from you. You can provide us with items showing your shared address, dated every few months, to cover the full duration. These items can be addressed to you both jointly — or individually — as long as we can see that you have both been at the same address for the same period of time. Evidence of having a genuine and stable relationship needs to show that: Evidence can include: The way we want to receive this evidence depends on how you are applying. If you apply by paper for a residence visa, we must receive originals or certified copies. You can send electronically issued documents as we regard those as originals. If you apply online, we accept scanned images — so you do not need to send us originals or certified copies. You and your supporting partner must: When you apply for a visa based on your partnership with a New Zealand visa holder or New Zealand citizen, we call that person your supporting partner. Character requirements for New Zealand visas See also the requirements for supporting partners in the 'Eligible NZ supporting partner' and 'Your partner's' sections for these visas: When we assess your visa application, we consider things like: We will also look at your living and financial arrangements, including: If you and your partner have spent time living apart, you should provide information about your separation, including: We will use the information you provide to assess whether you and your partner have genuine and compelling reasons to have stayed apart. Note If you and your partner are coming together through a culturally arranged marriage, the rules are different.
Partnership and how to prove it
If you are applying for a visa based on your partnership, find out how we define partnership and what evidence you can provide to show your relationship is genuine.
How we define partnership
Providing evidence of your partnership
Living together
Having a genuine and stable relationship
How to supply this evidence
Applying by paper
Applying online
Minimum requirements
Supporting partners
How we assess partnership
If you have not always lived together
Note
The funds and/or assets you nominate for your investment cannot be borrowed, or have a loan or bond against them.
The funds you nominate for your investment must be on top of your annual income and your settlement funds.
Source of investment funds
You must have earned or acquired your funds lawfully.
The evidence you provide will depend on how you came by your funds. It may include:
- tax returns or certificates
- pay slips
- business financial statements
- business shareholdings
- dividends
- receipts for property sales
- bank certificates
- share trading profits
- evidence of gifted money
- probate and other evidence of inherited money.
Note
It is OK if your funds were gifted to you, as long as the gift was unconditional and lawful, and was earned or acquired lawfully.
If the funds were earned or acquired in a way that is not lawful in New Zealand, we will not be able to approve your visa application.
Transfer investment funds
You must transfer your investment funds to New Zealand.
You must transfer your investment funds directly from your bank account to New Zealand through the banking system.
If we approve your application in principle, you will have 12 months from that date to transfer and invest your funds.
If we approve your application for an Investor 1 or 2 Resident Visa or a Parent Retirement Resident Visa you have 12 months from that date to transfer and invest your funds in New Zealand. If we approve your application for a Temporary Retirement Visitor Visa you have 3 months from that date to transfer and invest your funds in New Zealand. The funds you transfer must be: If the funds or assets you named in your application are worth more than the minimum you must invest in New Zealand, you do not need to sell all the funds and assets you nominated. You can use funds already invested in New Zealand to support your visa application. You must nominate them when you apply for your visa. You must provide evidence of where the funds came from and how they were transferred and invested in New Zealand. Investment funds must be transferred through the banking system from your bank accounts directly to New Zealand. Your bank account overseas must be in your name only. Transfers must be from your personal bank account. They cannot be from your company’s bank account. You need to provide evidence that you made the transfer. This could include: We can only grant your visa after we receive this evidence. You must send original or certified copies of documents. We do not consider electronic documents to be originals. If you move your funds from 1 type of asset to another or use funds in a business before you transfer them to New Zealand you must: It may take us longer to assess your application if you have moved your funds before you transfer them to New Zealand. If we have approved your application and you sold your nominated investment assets, any sale proceeds must be transferred from your offshore bank account to New Zealand. You cannot receive sale proceeds from the buyer directly to your bank account in New Zealand. Some countries limit the amount of money that can be exchanged and transferred. If your nominated funds are subject to currency restrictions, you need to ensure that any exchange or transfer is consistent with: If you want to transfer investment funds from China, you must use an organisation that is recognised by the Chinese Government as providing Qualified Domestic Institutional Investor (QDII) products. For example these organisations are widely used: There are many other schemes and providers of QDII products. We cannot approve your QDII provider until we have assessed your application. Our approval depends on the transfer and investment documents that you supply. Chinese banks can limit the amount of RMB you can exchange each year. If you need to extend your exchange quota, the Chinese Government currently allow you to use up to 4 linear family members’ quotas — linear family members are your partner, children and the principle applicant’s parents. If your bank allows you to exchange RMB using linear family members’ quotas, you must make sure: You cannot withdraw the funds, deposit them in another person’s account and then have them transferred back. This is because you would not have owned the funds while they were in that person’s account. If you need to transfer your funds via other countries, you must check if you will be affected by currency exchange restrictions. If you are applying for an Investor 1 Resident Visa, you may be able to transfer and invest funds you have borrowed if: You cannot borrow investment funds if you are applying for any other kind of visa, including Investor 2 Resident Visa. If you think it will take longer than 12 months to transfer your funds, you need to apply for an extension. You cannot apply for an extension if you applied under the Parent Retirement Category. You must provide evidence that you have tried to transfer the approved nominated funds to New Zealand. This can include: You can use a foreign exchange company to transfer your funds to New Zealand if the: You must provide evidence of all the steps you took to transfer your funds. We cannot accept your application if we cannot identify your funds’ physical transfer any at point.
Transferring investment funds: Investor 1 and 2 visas, and Parent Retirement Resident Visa
If you are transferring your investment funds directly to New Zealand for the Investor 1 and 2 visas, or Parent Retirement Resident Visa, you must do this in a legal and transparent way.
What you need to do to transfer investment funds
Funds already invested in New Zealand
Investor 1 and 2 resident visas and parent retirement visas
Moving funds before you transfer them to New Zealand
Transferring the sale proceeds
Currency restrictions
Transferring funds from China
Exchanging Chinese RMB for transfer
Transferring funds via other countries
If you borrow funds
Taking more than 12 months to transfer funds
Foreign exchange companies
Note
You can apply for a temporary visa to come to New Zealand and investigate investment opportunities.
We cannot extend the timeframe for transferring and investing your nominated funds.
Citizens of China
If you are a citizen of China, you must make sure your funds meet currency exchange and transfer requirements in place in China.
The following organisations have previously demonstrated they have acceptable QDII products:
- Bank of China
- China Construction Bank
- ICBC
- Guosen Securities Company Ltd.
Settlement funds
You must have at least NZD $500,000.
You must provide evidence you have the funds and/or assets to cover the required settlement funds, which may include:
- bank statements – you must be able to access the funds from New Zealand
- title deeds
- property valuations
- share certificates
- business ownership documents
- asset valuations.
The value you can claim for your settlement funds, depends if they are owned by you, or jointly by you and another person. If you own your settlement funds jointly with:
- your partner, you can claim the full value of the investment, as long as you and your partner are in a recognised partnership
- someone who is not your partner, you can only claim for the part of the investment that you own.
We define partnership as 2 people, who live together in a
You must be able to show us that you and your partner are living together in a
Living together means sharing the same home as your partner. This does not include: Evidence showing you are living together can include: For some partnership applications – such as a Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa – evidence of living together must cover a period of 12 months prior to the application being submitted. Make sure you check the category you are applying under to see if we need this from you. You can provide us with items showing your shared address, dated every few months, to cover the full duration. These items can be addressed to you both jointly — or individually — as long as we can see that you have both been at the same address for the same period of time. Evidence of having a genuine and stable relationship needs to show that: Evidence can include: The way we want to receive this evidence depends on how you are applying. If you apply by paper for a residence visa, we must receive originals or certified copies. You can send electronically issued documents as we regard those as originals. If you apply online, we accept scanned images — so you do not need to send us originals or certified copies. You and your supporting partner must: When you apply for a visa based on your partnership with a New Zealand visa holder or New Zealand citizen, we call that person your supporting partner. Character requirements for New Zealand visas See also the requirements for supporting partners in the 'Eligible NZ supporting partner' and 'Your partner's' sections for these visas: When we assess your visa application, we consider things like: We will also look at your living and financial arrangements, including: If you and your partner have spent time living apart, you should provide information about your separation, including: We will use the information you provide to assess whether you and your partner have genuine and compelling reasons to have stayed apart. Note If you and your partner are coming together through a culturally arranged marriage, the rules are different.
Partnership and how to prove it
If you are applying for a visa based on your partnership, find out how we define partnership and what evidence you can provide to show your relationship is genuine.
How we define partnership
Providing evidence of your partnership
Living together
Having a genuine and stable relationship
How to supply this evidence
Applying by paper
Applying online
Minimum requirements
Supporting partners
How we assess partnership
If you have not always lived together
Note
Your settlement funds must be on top of your annual income and your investment funds.
Annual income
You must have an annual income of NZD $60,000 or more.
You must provide evidence of your income. This may include documents that show you have:
- a pension
- earnings from rental properties
- dividends from share portfolios
- interest from investments
- profits from owning a company
- share market trading profits.
Note
Your income can be earned by you alone, or together with a partner you have included in your application.
Bring partner
Your partner must meet the requirements for this visa.
To bring your partner, you must provide evidence:
- of your relationship with your partner, like a marriage certificate
- that your partner meets the identity, character and health requirements for this visa.
We define partnership as 2 people, who live together in a
You must be able to show us that you and your partner are living together in a
Living together means sharing the same home as your partner. This does not include: Evidence showing you are living together can include: For some partnership applications – such as a Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa – evidence of living together must cover a period of 12 months prior to the application being submitted. Make sure you check the category you are applying under to see if we need this from you. You can provide us with items showing your shared address, dated every few months, to cover the full duration. These items can be addressed to you both jointly — or individually — as long as we can see that you have both been at the same address for the same period of time. Evidence of having a genuine and stable relationship needs to show that: Evidence can include: The way we want to receive this evidence depends on how you are applying. If you apply by paper for a residence visa, we must receive originals or certified copies. You can send electronically issued documents as we regard those as originals. If you apply online, we accept scanned images — so you do not need to send us originals or certified copies. You and your supporting partner must: When you apply for a visa based on your partnership with a New Zealand visa holder or New Zealand citizen, we call that person your supporting partner. Character requirements for New Zealand visas See also the requirements for supporting partners in the 'Eligible NZ supporting partner' and 'Your partner's' sections for these visas: When we assess your visa application, we consider things like: We will also look at your living and financial arrangements, including: If you and your partner have spent time living apart, you should provide information about your separation, including: We will use the information you provide to assess whether you and your partner have genuine and compelling reasons to have stayed apart. Note If you and your partner are coming together through a culturally arranged marriage, the rules are different.
Partnership and how to prove it
If you are applying for a visa based on your partnership, find out how we define partnership and what evidence you can provide to show your relationship is genuine.
How we define partnership
Providing evidence of your partnership
Living together
Having a genuine and stable relationship
How to supply this evidence
Applying by paper
Applying online
Minimum requirements
Supporting partners
How we assess partnership
If you have not always lived together
Acceptable investments
You must invest NZD $1 million in acceptable investments in New Zealand for a minimum of 4 years.
You must provide documents from a trusted professional like a chartered accountant or solicitor that confirm:
- your full name
- the amount invested in NZD
- the date you started your investment
- the investment type
- the names of any organisations you invested in
- the number of shares or bonds you bought in any organisations.
If we approve your application in principle, you have 12 months to transfer your funds to New Zealand and invest in an acceptable investment. Transferring investment funds: Investor 1 and 2, and Parent Retirement Resident Visa Acceptable investments must: Investments must be bonds, equities or property. Bonds can be: Equity can be: Property can be residential property development. We consider a residential property development to be an acceptable investment if: You cannot include any funds used to pay for the costs of any regulatory approvals or consents as part of your acceptable investment. If we decide the funds in your name in your visa application are already in acceptable investments, your investment period begins on the day we write to you to let you know your application has been
If you transfer your funds into an acceptable investment after we approve your application in principle, the investment period begins on the date you have transferred and invested all of the required investment funds. How long you must keep your funds invested in New Zealand depends on the kind of visa you have. Check or change your visa conditions You can move your investment funds from one acceptable investment to another during the investment period. You have 4 weeks to complete these transactions. This means that within 4 weeks of receiving the full sale proceeds, the funds must be fully reinvested into further acceptable investments. The funds cannot be left as cash for more than 4 weeks. To make sure we will accept the new investment, contact us before moving your investment. Email: inz.investors@mbie.govt.nz You must keep a record of the documents if you change your investments. These can include: You must show that the funds are invested or kept in New Zealand for your required investment period.
Acceptable investments for a Parent Retirement Resident Visa
If you are applying for a Parent Retirement Resident Visa, you must invest your money in an acceptable investment.
What makes an investment acceptable
Types of acceptable investments
Residential property development
When your investment period begins
Keeping your funds invested
Changing your acceptable investment during the investment period
Note
If you already have funds invested in an acceptable investment in New Zealand, we can start your investment period from the time we approve your residence application in principle.
Once your funds are invested in New Zealand, it is OK to transfer funds between acceptable investments.
How to pay and submit
We cannot display any process or costs information until you have provided your country details.
Enter your details so we can show information that is relevant to you.
When you arrive
Entry permission
You must apply for permission to enter New Zealand. You do this by completing a New Zealand Traveller Declaration (NZTD) form.
You can start your digital declaration any time, but the earliest you can submit it is 24 hours before starting your travel to New Zealand.
A paper declaration form is available for travellers who cannot complete it online.
New Zealand Traveller Declaration
New Zealand Customs and Biosecurity also check that you meet their entry requirements.
Alert
You can be refused entry permission if you:
- do not meet our character requirements
- have had a change in circumstances since we issued your visa
- refuse to let us take your photo, fingerprints or an iris scan.
When you travel to New Zealand on a temporary visa, your intentions must be genuine. This means that you: We use all the information we have, including the information you give us in your application, to confirm that you have genuine intentions. Alert You must answer truthfully when you complete your visa application or NZTD. If you are travelling on a visitor visa or visiting from a
If you have a visitor visa for a specific reason, you must be coming to New Zealand for that reason. For example, if you have a Medical Treatment Visitor Visa, your reason for visiting must be getting medical treatment. If you are travelling on a student visa, you must have genuine intentions to study in New Zealand. You can only work if the conditions of your student visa allow you to. If you are travelling to New Zealand to work, you must have a visa that will allow you to. Unless your visa allows you to work in any job, you must plan to work in the job, for the employer, and in the location specified in your visa. You may be asked to provide evidence of your genuine intentions: Here are some examples of evidence to show that you have genuine intentions in coming to New Zealand. To show your travel history, you could show a copy of your current and recent passports, including: If you live in a country that is not your country of citizenship, provide a copy of the visa allowing you to live in that country. If you have ever had a visa application declined by any other country, provide: If you plan to visit family or friends in New Zealand, provide their: Evidence of your travel plans while in New Zealand could include copies of: You may also need to show that you have plans to leave New Zealand at the end of your stay. This evidence could include: If you are applying for a student visa, you could provide evidence that you have: If you do not need to pay tuition fees, or if you can pay by instalment — where you make smaller payments over a period of time — you must provide confirmation from your education provider. You can also write a cover letter or statement of purpose explaining why you want to study in New Zealand. This will help us decide if you are a genuine student. If you are using an education agent or licensed immigration adviser, they cannot write the letter for you. Examples of things you could write about in your letter or statement include: If you plan to apply for another visa — for example, a work visa — after you finish your studies, include this in your cover letter or statement of purpose.
To show that you have genuine intentions to work, you will in most cases need to provide: If your visa requires you to have enough money to live on during your stay, you will need to provide evidence. This could include: Depending on your situation, you may need to provide: We consider each application based on the information and evidence we receive. If you do not provide enough evidence, it may take us longer to process your application, or we may decline your application. You must provide genuine evidence. If you or your agent provide evidence that is false or misleading, we may also decline your application. False, misleading or withheld information in visa applications Check the translation requirements for the visa you are applying for. All non-English documents must be translated when you apply for visitor and resident visas. Providing English translations of supporting documents If you are applying online, make sure your evidence is in an acceptable file format. To decide if your intentions are genuine, we look at: We look at evidence you provide with your application to check that it: When we consider information about your personal circumstances, we look at: We also look at information from your previous applications and travel to New Zealand. This can show us if you have: We might not give you a visa or allow you to enter New Zealand if we:
Genuine intentions to visit, study or work in New Zealand
Before you can get a visa or enter New Zealand to visit, work or study, we check that your reasons for coming here are genuine.
What it means to have 'genuine intentions'
Visitor visas
Student visas
Work visas
Evidence to show you have genuine intentions
Evidence of your travel history
If you live in a different country to your citizenship
Declined visa applications
Evidence you are visiting family or friends
Evidence of your travel plans
Evidence of your study plans
Evidence of your work plans
Evidence you have enough money
Evidence of your home country circumstances
evidence of your relationships with close relatives in your home country
Providing good-quality evidence
How we decide if your intentions are genuine
Evidence you provide with your application
Your personal circumstances
Your previous applications
If we decide your intentions are not genuine
If you have been refused entry to New Zealand and you still want to travel to here, contact the Customer Service Centre for advice. You may need to apply for a visa before you travel here again. Together with your airline or other carrier, we can stop you from travelling to New Zealand if you do not meet our entry requirements — for example, if you cannot provide evidence that you can meet the conditions of your visa. When you arrive we check your identity and other information again before we give you
Alert Having a visa does not guarantee that you will be allowed to enter New Zealand. Your airline or other carrier can be fined if they let you board an aircraft or ship after we have let them know that you cannot travel. We can stop you from travelling to New Zealand if: We can stop you travelling to New Zealand or entering the country if you: We can also refuse to let you travel to or enter New Zealand if you cannot show us evidence to support the conditions of your visa. For example, you cannot show us evidence that you: Genuine intentions to visit, study or work in NZ If your circumstances have changed and you can no longer meet the conditions of your visa we can also refuse to let you enter New Zealand. For example, if your work visa is based on a job offer that has since been withdrawn you will not be allowed to travel to New Zealand on that visa. You cannot come to New Zealand if you do not meet our health and character requirements. For example, you can be refused entry if: You could be refused entry to New Zealand if you:
What might stop you from being allowed to enter New Zealand
Together with your airline or other carrier, we can stop you from travelling to New Zealand if you do not meet our entry requirements. For example, if you cannot provide evidence that you can meet the conditions of your visa.
Why we stop you travelling to or entering New Zealand
Your identity and travel documents
Information you provide to us
Meeting the conditions of your visa
Your character and health
Arriving in New Zealand
While you are in New Zealand
These are the conditions that you must meet once you have your visa. Your visa conditions are recorded in your eVisa.
Invest in New Zealand
You must keep at least NZD $1 million invested in an acceptable investment in New Zealand for 4 years.
Note
We ask for evidence you have kept your funds invested at the end of the second and fourth years you are in New Zealand.
You will have 3 months to provide the evidence.
It is OK to transfer funds between acceptable investments.
If you already have funds in an acceptable investment in New Zealand when you apply for residence, we can start your investment period from the time we approve your application in principle.
If we approve your application in principle, you have 12 months to transfer your funds to New Zealand and invest in an acceptable investment. Transferring investment funds: Investor 1 and 2, and Parent Retirement Resident Visa Acceptable investments must: Investments must be bonds, equities or property. Bonds can be: Equity can be: Property can be residential property development. We consider a residential property development to be an acceptable investment if: You cannot include any funds used to pay for the costs of any regulatory approvals or consents as part of your acceptable investment. If we decide the funds in your name in your visa application are already in acceptable investments, your investment period begins on the day we write to you to let you know your application has been
If you transfer your funds into an acceptable investment after we approve your application in principle, the investment period begins on the date you have transferred and invested all of the required investment funds. How long you must keep your funds invested in New Zealand depends on the kind of visa you have. Check or change your visa conditions You can move your investment funds from one acceptable investment to another during the investment period. You have 4 weeks to complete these transactions. This means that within 4 weeks of receiving the full sale proceeds, the funds must be fully reinvested into further acceptable investments. The funds cannot be left as cash for more than 4 weeks. To make sure we will accept the new investment, contact us before moving your investment. Email: inz.investors@mbie.govt.nz You must keep a record of the documents if you change your investments. These can include: You must show that the funds are invested or kept in New Zealand for your required investment period.
Acceptable investments for a Parent Retirement Resident Visa
If you are applying for a Parent Retirement Resident Visa, you must invest your money in an acceptable investment.
What makes an investment acceptable
Types of acceptable investments
Residential property development
When your investment period begins
Keeping your funds invested
Changing your acceptable investment during the investment period
If we decide the funds you name in your visa application are already in acceptable investments, your investment period begins on the day we write to you to let you know your application has been
If you transfer your funds into an acceptable investment after we approve your application in principle, the investment period begins on the date you have transferred and invested all of the required investment funds. Acceptable investments for Investor 1 and 2 Resident visas After the 2-year anniversary of your investment date we check your investments to make sure they are still acceptable. You need to submit proof of your investments at this time, which may include: You have 3 months after the 2-year anniversary to submit the relevant documents to us. We will contact you to remind you to send this information. How long you must keep your funds invested in New Zealand depends on the kind of visa you have. Check or change your visa conditions You can move your investment funds from one acceptable investment to another during the investment period. You have 4 weeks to complete these transactions. This means that within 4 weeks of receiving the full sale proceeds, the funds must be fully reinvested into further acceptable investments. The funds cannot be left as cash for more than 4 weeks. To make sure we will accept the new investment, contact us before moving your investment. Email: inz.investors@mbie.govt.nz You must keep a record of the documents if you change your investments. These can include: You must show that the funds are invested or kept in New Zealand for your required investment period. If your investments decrease in value below our required level of investment, you do not need to invest further to top them up. If you want to sell your investments during the investment period, the principle and any capital gains must be reinvested. You can reinvest part of your acceptable investments into other business ventures or expansions.
Managing your investments: Investor 1 and 2, and Parent Retirement Resident Visa
You need to keep your funds invested in New Zealand for the length of time set out in your visa conditions.
Investor 1 and 2 resident visas and parent retirement visas
When your investment period begins
2-year check on investments
Keeping your funds invested
Changing your acceptable investment during the investment period
Loss in investment value
Reinvesting part of your acceptable investment
Contact details
You must let us know if your address or other contact details change during the 4-year investment period.
Note
We will need to keep in touch with you to check you are meeting the conditions of your visa.
If we are unable to confirm that you are meeting the conditions, you may not be able to stay in New Zealand.
Work
You can work in New Zealand.
Study
You can study in New Zealand.
Travel
You can travel in and out of New Zealand for the first 2 years of your 4-year investment period.
If we confirm that you are meeting all of the conditions that apply to the first 2 years of your investment period, you can apply for a variation of conditions to allow you to travel for the last 2 years.
Note
If you are not meeting the conditions of your visa, you may have to leave New Zealand.
If you have met all the conditions of your visa at the end of the 4-year investment period, you may be granted a permanent resident visa.
A permanent resident visa allows travel in and out New Zealand free from conditions.
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.
Transferring your visa to a new passport
Note
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