A4.15 Acceptable standard of health (applicants for temporary entry)

1. Applicants for temporary entry to New Zealand must have an acceptable standard of health, unless they have been issued or granted a visitor’s visa for the purpose of obtaining medical treatment (see V3.40) or have been granted a medical waiver (see A4.65).
2. Applicants for temporary entry to New Zealand are considered to have an acceptable standard of health if they are:
   1. unlikely to be a danger to public health; and
   2. unlikely to impose significant costs or demands on New Zealand’s health services during their period of intended stay in New Zealand; and
   3. (if they are under 21 years of age and are applying for a student visa or permit) unlikely to qualify for Ongoing and Reviewable Resourcing Schemes (ORRS) funding during their period of intended stay in New Zealand; and
   4. able to undertake the work or study on the basis of which they are applying for a visa or permit, or which is a requirement for the issue or grant of the visa or permit.

A4.15.1 Assessment of whether an applicant for temporary entry is unlikely to impose significant costs or demands on New Zealand’s health services

Assessment of whether an applicant for temporary entry is likely to impose significant costs or demands on New Zealand’s health services will take into account whether there is a relatively high probability that the applicant will need publicly funded health services during their period of stay in New Zealand including, but not limited to:

• hospitalisation;
• residential care;
• high cost pharmaceuticals;
• high cost disability services.

Note: Residential care is long term care provided in a live-in facility such as an aged-person’s facility or a facility for people with a physical, sensory, intellectual or psychiatric disability.

Note: Applicants who intend to give birth in New Zealand are not considered to have an acceptable standard of health as it is likely they will impose significant costs or demands on New Zealand’s health services.

A4.15.5 Requirement to refer Medical and Chest X-Ray Certificates

1. If a visa or immigration officer is not initially satisfied that an applicant for temporary entry has an acceptable standard of health, they must refer the matter to an Immigration New Zealand medical assessor for assessment (or Ministry of Education where appropriate).
2. Notwithstanding the requirement to refer Medical and Chest X-Ray Certificates, as set out in (a) above, where a person falls within the provisions of A4.65.5, referral to an Immigration New Zealand medical assessor is not required.

Effective 03/10/2008