Previous Topic

Next Topic

A4.5 Overview of health instructions

  1. All applicants for visas must have an acceptable standard of health unless:
    1. they are entering New Zealand for specific medical treatment and have been granted a visa for this purpose; or
    2. they are applying for a further residence class visa under RV2 or RV4.
  2. A person has 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 or special education services; and
    3. able to undertake the work or study on the basis of which they are applying for a visa, or which is a requirement for the grant of the visa.
  3. For the purposes of these instructions, 'Health services' includes all health and disability support services funded through Vote Health.
  4. Applicants for residence class visas and applicants for temporary entry class visas are assessed to determine whether they have an acceptable standard of health using separate sets of criteria. Assessment of whether a temporary entry class visa applicant has an acceptable standard of health takes into account their length of intended stay in New Zealand (see A4.10 and A4.15).
  5. Applicants are required to provide evidence of their health status as follows:
    1. applicants for temporary entry class visas intending a stay in New Zealand of more than six months and who have risk factors for tuberculosis must provide a Chest X-ray Certificate (see A4.25.1);
    2. applicants for residence class visas (other than those specified in A4.5(a)), and applicants for temporary entry class visas intending a stay in New Zealand of more than 12 months must provide a Medical Certificate and a Chest X-ray Certificate (unless A4.25(d) applies) (see A4.20 and A4.25);
    3. applicants for a permanent resident visa under the Afghan Emergency Resettlement Category must provide a Chest X-ray Certificate (see RV2.17, S4.35).

      Note: Pregnant women and children under 11 years of age are not required to have an X-ray examination.

  6. An immigration officer may however, request a Chest X-ray Certificate or a Medical Certificate regardless of the period of intended stay in New Zealand, if they consider this is necessary to establish whether the applicant has an acceptable standard of health.
  7. Generally, an applicant's Chest X-ray Certificate or Medical Certificate will be valid for any temporary entry class or residence class visa application they make within 36 months of the certificate(s) having been completed by the radiologist and physician respectively (see A4.25(c) and A4.20(d)).
  8. Some applicants who are assessed as having an unacceptable standard of health may be granted a medical waiver (see A4.60 and A4.65).
  9. If any person included in the application fails to meet the necessary health requirements and does not qualify for a medical waiver, the application may be declined.

Effective 05/10/2021

IN THIS SECTION

A4.1 Objective

A4.10 Acceptable standard of health (applicants for residence)

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

A4.20 Medical and Chest X-ray Certificates: residence class visa applications

A4.25 Medical and Chest X-ray Certificates: temporary entry class visa applications

A4.30 Completion of medical certificates

A4.40 Seeking comment concerning health assessments

A4.45 Second opinion assessments by Immigration New Zealand medical assessors (residence applications)

A4.50 Second opinion assessments by Ministry of Education (residence class visa applications)

A4.55 Deferral of decisions on residence applications pending treatment for medical conditions

A4.60 Medical waivers (applicants for residence class visas)

A4.65 Medical waivers (applicants for temporary entry class visas)

A4.70 Determination of whether a medical waiver should be granted (residence and temporary entry)

A4.74 Health requirements for mandated refugees and Refugee Quota Family Reunification Category applicants

A4.75 Exception to health requirements instructions for people entering New Zealand for medical treatment

PREVIOUS IMMIGRATION INSTRUCTIONS

A4.5 Overview of health instructions (17/11/2014)

A4.5 Overview of health instructions (30/07/2012)

A4.5 Overview of health instructions (29/11/2010)

Top of page | Print this page