Genuine intentions to study in New Zealand

If you come to New Zealand on a student visa, you must have genuine intentions to study in New Zealand and comply with your visa conditions. This includes making academic progress and meeting attendance requirements. You can only work if the conditions of your student visa allow you to and you must work in line with those conditions.

We consider the information you provide in your student visa application, along with any other relevant information we have, to decide if you meet this requirement. If we are not satisfied that your intentions are genuine, your application will be declined.

What it means to have 'genuine intentions'

To have genuine intentions means that you:

• plan to study the course in your visa conditions and pay the tuition fees
• will make progress in your studies
• attend the place of study specified on your visa
• will comply with the conditions of your visa, including work conditions if you have them
• will not stay in New Zealand without a valid visa, and
• will leave New Zealand when you finish your studies if you cannot get another visa.

We use all the information we have, including the information you give us in your application, to confirm that you have genuine intentions.

If we decide that you do not have genuine intentions, we may not fully assess all the information in your application, such as financial documents.

For example, this may happen if:

• you submit false, misleading or fraudulent information, or
• the information you provide in your application or during an interview does not satisfy us that your intentions are genuine.

If you are applying for a student visa, you must provide evidence that you have:

• been offered a place in an approved programme of study with a New Zealand education provider, or confirmation of enrolment, and
• paid, or will pay, your tuition fees.

When we assess your application, we will take into account and may ask questions about:

• what your study plans are
• why you have chosen this course or education provider
• what you want to do after you finish studying, for example, applying for a different visa or returning to your home country
• your previous education or training
• your financial evidence and where the money has come from — you must show the money is genuinely available for you to use while you are in New Zealand
• if you are supported by a financial guarantor or sponsor and how you are related (we look at the credibility of the relationship)
• if your course has English language or academic requirements (if it does, you can provide evidence to show that you meet those requirements. Evidence of English language test results helps us assess your genuine intention to study).

If you already have a student visa and you are applying for another visa, we may ask questions about:

• your study plans and why they have changed, if they have changed from your last application
• your attendance
• your progress
• how you are continuing to pay for your studies.

If your attendance or progress has been poor

If your attendance or progress has been poor, you must explain why and provide any supporting evidence that helps us understand your situation.

We will consider your explanation and any evidence you provide. However, we may still decline your visa application if we are not satisfied that you are meeting, or are likely to meet, the conditions of your student visa.

Evidence of your travel history

To show your travel history, you could show a copy of your current and recent passports, including:

• the photo page, and
• all pages with visa records, and entry and exit stamps.

If you live in a different country to your citizenship

If you live in a country that is not your country of citizenship, you must provide a copy of the visa allowing you to live in that country.

Declined visa applications

If you have ever had a visa application declined by any other country, you must provide:

• a copy of the letter from that country's immigration authority declining your application, or
• a letter explaining why your application was not successful, if the original letter is not available.

Evidence of onward travel

You must show that you have plans or the money to leave New Zealand before your visa expires. This evidence can include:

• a ticket for travel out of New Zealand to a country you have the right to enter, or
• documents such as bank statements that show you, or your sponsor, have enough money to buy a ticket.

Evidence of your funding plan

If you plan to study for more than 1 year, it can strengthen your application if you show us a credible plan for how you will pay for your living costs for the following years. For example, by showing us evidence of family income.

You do not need to have the money available for any subsequent years now. However, a plan for how you will fund your subsequent years of study will help us decide if you:

• are a genuine applicant
• are likely to meet the conditions of your visa
• are likely to continue studying the programme you declared you would
• will leave New Zealand before your visa expires, if you cannot get another visa.

Student fund requirements

Evidence of your home country circumstances

Depending on your situation, you may need to provide:

• evidence showing you are a student in your home country — such as a letter or student identity card from your school or education provider
• evidence of your relationships with close relatives in your home country
• evidence of assets you own in your home country — such as your home or a business.

We consider each application based on the information and evidence we receive. If you do not provide enough evidence, it may take us longer to process your application, or we may decline your application.

You must provide genuine evidence. If you or your agent provide evidence that is false or misleading, we will decline your application.

Giving false or misleading information in your application

If you need to provide medical and police certificates, you must provide us with certified English translations. This includes police certificates that record no convictions.

Providing English translations of supporting documents

Make sure your evidence is in an acceptable file format.

File formats for uploading documents and photos

To decide if your intentions are genuine, we look at:

• information and evidence you provide with your visa application
• information you provide in your New Zealand Traveller Declaration when you arrive
• any information we have about your personal circumstances, and
• any information we have about your previous applications or immigration history.

Evidence you provide with your application

We look at the evidence you provide with your application to check that it:

• shows you meet all the criteria for the visa you are applying for, and
• supports your reasons for spending time in New Zealand.

Your personal circumstances

When we consider information about your personal circumstances, we look at:

• the strength of family relationships you may have in your home country or in New Zealand
• any personal, financial, work or other commitments you may have in your home country or New Zealand, and
• any circumstances showing you may not be able to return to your home country (for example, political, social or economic unrest).

Your previous applications

You must tell us if you have been refused or declined a visa from any other country. A decline from another country does not automatically mean that we will decline your application for a New Zealand visa. We look at each application on a case-by-case basis.

We also look at information from your previous applications and travel to New Zealand. This can show us if you have:

• stayed in New Zealand after your visa expired
• breached your visa conditions, or
• a family member who is in New Zealand without a visa.

We will not give you a visa or allow you to enter New Zealand if we:

• do not believe your intentions are genuine, or
• believe you gave false or misleading information or withheld relevant information.

What might stop you from being allowed to enter New Zealand