V3.25 Children entering New Zealand for adoption

1. Children entering New Zealand to be adopted by New Zealand citizens or residence class visa holders under the New Zealand Adoption Act 1955 may be granted a temporary visa authorising an initial stay of a maximum of 12 months.
2. An application for children entering New Zealand for adoption must include:
   1. evidence of the support of the Ministry for Children, Oranga Tamariki; and
   2. the child's birth certificate; and
   3. evidence of the immigration status or New Zealand citizenship of the adoptive parents.
3. Immigration officers may also waive, by special direction, the funds and onward travel and health requirements for the children.
4. Despite the requirement to determine applications for temporary entry in accordance with the instructions in effect at the time the application is made (E7.10(a)(ii)), applications made before these instructions came into effect that had not yet been decided may be granted a visa allowing an initial stay of up to 12 months.

V3.25.1 Further visas for children entering New Zealand for adoption

Further temporary visas may be granted (for a maximum of 12 months per visa) to enable a total stay sufficient to submit a full adoption order if:

1. any interim order issued under the Adoption Act 1955 is still valid, unless the adoption is a Hague Convention adoption through the Adoption (Intercountry) Act 1997; and
2. The Ministry for Children, Oranga Tamariki advises INZ of progress on the adoption.

Effective 18/09/2025