Guardian of a Student Visitor Visa

Visa details

If you are a parent or legal guardian of a child who is in New Zealand on a student visa you can apply for this visa to live with and care for your child.

Length of stay
Valid for the same time as

The visa of the student you are accompanying

Age range
Child must be

17 or under

Cost
From
NZD $211
Processing time
90% within
47 days
With this visa you can
  • Visit New Zealand to live with and care for your child.
Things to note
  • We’ll only grant this visa to one parent or legal guardian at any one time, even if you have more than one child studying in New Zealand.
  • If you want to bring your partner or other dependent children with you, they’ll need their own visas.

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

  • 1 acceptable photo if you apply online, or 2 photos if you use a paper application form.
  • your passport or certificate of identity.

Acceptable photos

If you submit a paper application, provide your original passport or a certified copy.  We can usually process your application faster if you provide your original passport.

If you apply online, you must upload a copy of your passport when you apply. We will let you know if you need to send your passport after you've applied.

Sending your passport for online applications

Tips

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

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. Also provide a copy of your Identity card.

  5. Also provide your:

    • Hukou (household registration book)
    • Chinese identity card.

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

Child’s student visa

Your child must have a current student visa

We’ll use our records to confirm your child has a current student visa.

School-aged child

Your child must be either 17 or under or enrolled in school years 1 – 13

We’ll use our records to confirm your child’s details.

Parent or legal guardian

You must be the parent or legal guardian of the child you want to act as guardian for in New Zealand

You must provide evidence that you:

  • are the child’s parent or legal guardian
  • provided care for the child in your home country.

Evidence can include:

  • a birth certificate or adoption papers 
  • court documents
  • other legal documents.
Tips

  1. We’ll only grant this visa to one parent or legal guardian at any one time. This applies even if you have more than one child studying in New Zealand.

    If you want to bring your partner or other dependent children with you, they’ll need their own visas.

Funds

You must have enough money to live on while you’re in New Zealand

You must have at least NZ $1,000 per month, or NZ $400 per month if you’ve already paid for your accommodation.

Evidence can include:

  • proof of accommodation pre-payment, like hotel pre-paid vouchers or receipts
  • bank statements
  • credit card statements
  • bank drafts
  • travellers’ cheques
Tips

  1. If you are pregnant, there are additional requirements.

    Paying for maternity care

Onward travel

Unless your visa label or letter says “Return/onward travel not required”, you must have a travel ticket to a country you can enter.

Evidence can include:

  • proof you have enough money to buy a ticket out of New Zealand, in addition to the funds you have to live on — do not buy your ticket until your visa has been granted or we tell you that your application is approved in principle
  • a 'Sponsorship Form for Temporary Entry' completed by an acceptable sponsor.

If you are sponsored, your sponsor must provide evidence they can look after you in New Zealand. Evidence can include:

  • recent bank statements
  • pay slips
  • employment agreement
  • accommodation ownership or payment of rent.

What sponsors must do – responsibilities and obligations

Sponsorship Form for Temporary Entry (INZ 1025) PDF 414KB

Health care

You must agree to pay your own health care costs

You must declare in your visa application that you’ll pay the costs of any health care or medical assistance you receive in New Zealand.

Tips

  1. We recommend that you have full medical insurance for the length of your visit.

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

We cannot display any process or costs information until you have provided your country details. Enter your country details in the panel above to view information relevant to your situation.

Enter country details

How to submit

Payment methods and receiving centre details if applicable.

Notes

We cannot display any receiving centre or payment method information until you have provided your country details. Enter your country details in the panel above to view information relevant to your situation.

Enter country details

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 do not meet our character requirements
    • your circumstances have changed since you were granted a visa
    • you refuse to let us take your photo or to provide us with your fingerprints or an iris scan, if asked for them
    • you are unable to provide evidence of any onward travel or funds required by the conditions of your visa.

    If you are refused entry to New Zealand

    Before you travel to New Zealand

Living with and caring for your child

You must live with and care for your child in New Zealand on a student visa.

Notes

  • If you withdraw your support or move away from your child, you may have to leave New Zealand.

Travel

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

Notes

  • You must intend to visit your children or grandchildren in New Zealand.

Onward travel

Unless your visa label or letter says “Return/onward travel not required”, you must have a travel ticket to a country you can enter.

Funds or sponsorship

You must have enough money to support yourself while you are in New Zealand.

Notes

  • If your visa label or letter doesn’t say ‘Financial evidence not required’ or ‘The holder of this visa is sponsored’, we may ask for evidence of funds when you arrive in New Zealand.

Work

You cannot work in New Zealand on this visa.

Study

You can’t study in New Zealand.

Notes

  • You may be able to apply for a variation of conditions to allow you to study part-time.

Visa expiry

You must leave New Zealand before your visa expires.

Notes

  • You may be able to apply for another visa to stay longer, but you won’t be eligible for any of the following:

    • an Essential Skills Work Visa
    • a Specific Purpose or Event Work Visa
    • a Student Visa