How long it takes to process a visa application
All Immigration New Zealand offices are now closed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Processing of critical or essential visas related to COVID-19 requests for entry to New Zealand are being prioritised based on the direction of the New Zealand Government.
Processing times: COVID-19
If you have a visa that is due to expire, check the information on our COVID-19 hub about how the Epidemic Management Notice may affect your visa. You will also receive information directly by email from Immigration New Zealand.
Epidemic Management Notice
Key information on current border closure and exemptions.
Border closures and exceptions
Check your status online
If you applied online, you can check the status of your application and find out if we need more information from you.
Checking your application status
Average processing times
Find out how many calendar days it has taken us to process applications for our most common visas in the 3 months to 1 March 2020. For applications that take more than 90 days we have rounded that number to the nearest month. For example, if applications take 110 days, we say it takes 4 months.
Visitor visa
| Visa | 50% of applications completed within: | 75% of applications completed within: | 90% of applications completed within: |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visitor (holiday) | 14 days | 28 days | 36 days |
Find recent processing times for other types of visitor visa, for example business and group visitor visas.
Fees, decision times & where to apply
Student visas
| Visa | 50% of applications completed within: | 75% of applications completed within: | 90% of applications completed within: |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fee Paying Student | 15 days | 31 days | 47 days |
| Variation of conditions on a student visa | 11 days | 19 days | 29 days |
Find recent processing times for other student visas.
Fees, decision times & where to apply
You can also find out how long it takes to process visas for international students depending on the type of education provider they study with.
Visa processing times for international students
Work visas
| Visa | 50% of applications completed within: | 75% of applications completed within: | 90% of applications completed within: |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essentials Skills | 18 days | 37 days | 64 days |
| Partner of a New Zealander | 63 days | 5 months | 7 months |
| Partner of student | 46 days | 3 months | 6 months |
| Partner of worker | 24 days | 46 days | 89 days |
| Post-study work visa | 12 days | 19 days | 31 days |
| Variation of conditions on a work visa | 10 days | 18 days | 29 days |
Find recent processing times for other work visas.
Fees, decision times & where to apply
Residence visas
| Visa | 50% of applications completed within: | 75% of applications completed within: | 90% of applications completed within: |
|---|---|---|---|
| Partner of a New Zealander | 8 months | 9 months | 10 months |
| Permanent Resident Visa | 8 days | 12 days | 20 days |
| Skilled Migrant | 7 months | 13 months | 17 months |
| Transfer of visa to new passport | 4 days | 9 days | 15 days |
| Variation of travel conditions on a resident visa | 7 days | 14 days | 26 days |
Find recent processing times for other residence visas.