How long it takes to process a visa application
Immigration New Zealand offices in New Zealand are now open. Offices outside New Zealand (except for the Apia branch) are still 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.
Information for offshore visa applicants
New Zealand’s border is still closed to everyone but New Zealand citizens and residents. There are some exceptions but the criteria for granting an exception are very strict. This is to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and protect the health of people already in New Zealand.
Visa processing for offshore applicants is still on hold. This is because people who are not New Zealand citizens or residents are unlikely to meet the current entry requirements. Immigration New Zealand (INZ) is not able to legally grant a visa to people who are unlikely to meet the entry requirements.
If you have already submitted a visa application, it will stay in our processing queue. We will process it as soon as border restrictions are lifted. INZ will start deciding visa applications once the border restrictions are lifted. Decision timeframes will depend on how many applications are in the queue.
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 December 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.
Due to COVID-19, these processing timeframes only apply to applications submitted in New Zealand that are currently being processed. Applications submitted outside of New Zealand will take longer. Individual processing times may vary.
Visitor visa
| Visa | 50% of applications completed within: | 75% of applications completed within: | 90% of applications completed within: |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visitor (holiday) | 3 months | 5 months | 6 months |
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 | 20 days | 56 days | 72 days |
| Variation of conditions on a student visa | 10 days | 14 days | 25 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 | 24 days | 45 days | 80 days |
| Partner of a New Zealander | 38 days | 90 days | 7 months |
| Partner of student | 44 days | 64 days | 77 days |
| Partner of worker | 43 days | 69 days | 4 months |
| Post-study work visa | 12 days | 26 days | 43 days |
| Variation of conditions on a work visa | 29 days | 46 days | 54 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 | 7 months | 10 months | 13 months |
| Permanent Resident Visa | 14 days | 50 days | 78 days |
| Skilled Migrant | 19 months | 20 months | 22 months |
| Transfer of visa to new passport | 2 days | 5 days | 14 days |
| Variation of travel conditions on a resident visa | 8 days | 20 days | 39 days |
Find recent processing times for other residence visas.