You must complete a Samoan Quota Scheme Registration form online and include:
- a copy of your birth certificate
- copies of birth certificates for your partner and dependent children.
If you are a Samoan citizen, you can register for this ballot to come to New Zealand. If your registration is drawn from the ballot we may invite you to apply for residence.
Indefinitely
18 – 45
See below
Check if you are eligible to apply for this visa and what supporting documents and information you need to provide.
You must complete a Samoan Quota Scheme Registration form online and include:
We’ll use the birth certificate you send with your ballot registration to confirm your age.
If invited to apply for residence, you must apply within 8 months of being invited to apply.
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 have applied.
Providing your passport for online applications
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.
You don’t need to provide proof of your identity until you’re invited to apply for residence.
If you are 17 or older, you must provide a police certificate from:
Police certificates must be less than 6 months old at the time you apply.
You don’t need to provide any Police Certificates until you’re invited to apply for residence.
You must have a chest x-ray and a medical examination as proof of your good health.
You don’t need to have an x-ray or medical examination until you’re invited to apply for residence.
If you’re invited to apply for residence, you’ll need to provide a valid passport from your country of citizenship.
If you were born in Samoa, you must provide your birth certificate.
If you were born outside of Samoa, you must provide the following documents for your parent:
You don’t need to provide any evidence until you’re invited to apply for residence.
Any documents that prove where you’re living. Examples include:
If invited to apply for residence, we’ll test your English by talking to you about yourself, your family and your background.
You’ll need to be able to read and answer questions in English to pass the test.
If you’re invited to apply for residence, you must provide evidence of a current offer of full-time work that is for 12 months or more.
Evidence must include certified copies of your:
We can’t grant a visa if your employer is included on the list of non-compliant employers maintained by the Labour Inspectorate.
The job offer can be for you or for your partner.
If invited to apply for residence, you must provide evidence:
If you are invited to apply for residence, you need to provide evidence, such as employment agreements, that you and your partner will earn NZD$53,515.28 or more between you each year.
We review minimum incomes each year.
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.
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Enter country detailsThese are the conditions that you must meet once you have your visa.
You must apply for entry permission when you arrive in New Zealand. You can do this by completing a digital New Zealand traveller declaration (NZTD), or an NZTD paper declaration.
New Zealand Customs and Biosecurity also check that you meet their entry requirements.
You can be refused entry permission if:
When we grant your visa, you’ll have 3 months to come to New Zealand.
Your partner and dependent children will have 12 months to come to New Zealand.
If you and your family are unable to come to New Zealand by these times, your visa will expire and you’ll have to apply for a new visa.
Your family must have been included in your resident visa application for them to come to New Zealand.
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.
To transfer your visa, you must:
Application for transfer or confirmation of a visa
Application for Transfer or Confirmation of a Visa (INZ 1023) PDF 375KB
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.
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:
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.