R5.66 Travel conditions on resident visas

1. Unless a resident visa is granted at an immigration control area, all resident visas may be granted with travel conditions allowing:
   1. first arrival by a certain date, if the applicant is offshore (unless the resident visa is a second or subsequent resident visa granted under RV4); and
   2. multiple entries current either for a set period from date of the initial grant of entry permission based on the resident visa, or until a certain date.
2. The currency of these travel conditions are determined by the residence category under which the resident visa has been granted, unless (c) below applies.
3. Where the resident visa is granted under the Dependent Child category to a child of the holder of an Active Investor Plus resident visa application, the dependent child’s travel conditions must mirror those held by their supporting parent at the time the dependent child’s resident visa is granted, including:
   1. any multi-entry travel conditions granted to the dependent child must have the same expiry date as those held by the supporting parent, reflecting the remaining currency of the parent’s travel conditions; and
   2. where the supporting parent has:
      • not yet satisfied their first-entry travel condition, the dependent child must be granted the same first-entry requirement; or
      • already satisfied their first entry condition, no first-entry condition will be imposed on the dependent child.

R5.66.1 Travel conditions allowing first entry for applicants overseas when the resident visa is granted

1. If an applicant is offshore at the time their application for a resident visa is granted, the following travel conditions must be granted to allow their first entry to New Zealand as a resident:
   1. first entry within one year after the grant of the visa, unless the resident visa was granted under the Samoan Quota Scheme (see S1.10.55), or the Pacific Access Category (see S1.40.55); or
   2. first entry within three months after the grant of the visa, if the resident visa was granted under the Samoan Quota Scheme (see S1.10.55), or the Pacific Access Category (see S1.10.55).
2. No variation to travel conditions pertaining to first entry may be granted.
3. People with resident visas who fail to travel to New Zealand within the validity of their first travel condition must submit a further application for a residence class visa if they still wish to live in New Zealand.

   Note:
   ~ In the case of applicants who wish to re-apply for a residence class visa under categories which require selection from a ballot (e.g. Samoan Quota, Pacific Access Category) such applicants must re-register for a ballot and submit a new application for a residence class visa if they are successful in such a ballot.
   ~ Applicants who wish to re-apply for a residence class visa under categories which require an invitation to apply (e.g. Skilled Migrant Category) must submit a new Expression of Interest and subsequently be invited to apply for residence.

4. Any new residence class visa application must be lodged in the prescribed manner and will be assessed against residence instructions applying at the time the new application is made.
5. Visas will be granted only if the applicant's travel document is current for the proposed currency of the initial travel conditions.
6. Dependent Child Resident visas may be granted without a first entry date if they are granted that visa on the basis of their relationship to the holder of an Active Investor Plus Resident visa ((BN), see R5.66(c)(ii) above).

R5.66.5 Travel conditions allowing multiple entries from the first day in New Zealand as a resident

1. A resident visa may be granted with travel conditions allowing multiple entries for two years from the applicant’s first day in New Zealand as a resident, unless the visa is granted under:
   1. the Parent Category (F4), in which case a visa may be granted with multiple entry travel conditions for ten years from the applicant’s first day in New Zealand; or
   2. Religious Worker instructions (RW7.20), in which case a visa may be granted with multiple entry travel conditions for five years from the applicant’s first day in New Zealand; or
   3. the Active Investor Plus visa category in which case a visa may be granted with multiple entry travel conditions for:
      • four years from the applicant’s first day in New Zealand if they are approved under the Growth Category; or
      • six years from the applicant’s first day in New Zealand if they are approved under the Balanced Category; or
   4. the Dependent Child Resident visa category where the supporting parent holds an Active Investor Plus resident visa, in which case the dependent child’s multiple entry travel conditions must reflect their supporting parent’s travel conditions at the time the Dependent Child Resident visa is granted (see iii above).
2. A person’s first day in New Zealand as a resident is either:
   1. the day their resident visa is granted in New Zealand; or
   2. the day they are first granted entry permission on the basis of their resident visa, if they were outside of New Zealand when their resident visa was granted.
3. If a resident visa holder fails to travel to New Zealand within the validity of their first entry travel condition, their multiple entry travel conditions never become valid.
4. If the holder of a resident visa wishes to travel to New Zealand outside of the validity of their multiple entry travel conditions and they do not qualify for a permanent resident visa (see RV2), they may apply for a variation of their travel conditions (RV3).

R5.66.10 Former New Zealand citizens deemed to hold a resident visa

See also Immigration Act 2009 s 75

1. Former New Zealand citizens who have renounced their New Zealand citizenship and are deemed to hold a resident visa under section 75 may be granted multiple entry travel conditions for two years from the date they renounced their citizenship.
2. Former New Zealand citizens who have been deprived of their New Zealand citizenship are deemed to hold a resident visa under section 75 may be granted multiple entry travel conditions for the duration they would be eligible for if they applied for a variation of travel conditions (RV3).

Note: Former New Zealand citizens who have renounced their New Zealand citizenship and are deemed to hold a resident visa under section 75 may also apply for and be granted a permanent resident visa (see RV2.15).

Effective 12/08/2026