Visas for family of Ukrainians in New Zealand
The 2022 Special Ukraine Visa closed to new applications on 15 March 2024. If you are in New Zealand on a Special Ukraine Visa, you can apply for a Ukraine Resident Visa — you can apply for a further Special Ukraine Visa if your current visa is going to expire while waiting for our decision on your resident visa application.
If you have a current 2022 Special Ukraine Visa
If we have approved your 2022 Special Ukraine Visa, you and your partner and children will be given a 2-year visa. You will need to travel to New Zealand within 12 months of your visa being given.
When you are in New Zealand on a 2022 Special Ukraine Visa:
- adults can access free English-language courses
- adults will be able to work for any employer
- children aged 18 and younger can study in school as
.
Your sponsor, a supporting family member or someone nominated by the family member to act as a sponsor in New Zealand, will be responsible for your accommodation and living costs while you are in New Zealand.
Free health checks
Once you are in New Zealand, you and everyone included in your application, can get a free initial health check until 31 December 2025.
In this health check you can:
- be supported to enrol with a general practice (if you have not already)
- be assessed for tuberculosis (TB), including being offered testing to exclude TB
- find out what vaccinations you could have and where to get them.
You can ask for a free interpreter if you need one.
Free health checks for 2022 Special Ukraine Visa holders — Te Whatu Ora
Getting a Ukraine Resident Visa
If you arrived in New Zealand with a 2022 Special Ukraine Visa on or before 15 March 2024, you can apply for a Ukraine Resident Visa.
You can include your partner and any dependent children in your application. They do not need to:
- have a 2022 Special Ukraine Visa, or
- be in New Zealand on or before 15 March 2024.
Note
If your current Special Ukraine Visa is going to expire while you are waiting for our decision on your resident visa application, you can apply for a further Special Ukraine Visa to extend your stay in New Zealand.
Getting a Permanent Resident Visa
After you have had a Ukraine Resident Visa for 2 years in a row, you can apply for a Permanent Resident Visa.
With a Permanent Resident Visa, you can travel in and out of New Zealand indefinitely, as long as you keep your visa in a valid passport.
Becoming a permanent resident of New Zealand
Getting citizenship
For most people, after 5 years of living in New Zealand as a resident, you may be able to get New Zealand citizenship. You do not need a Permanent Resident Visa first.
The 2022 Special Ukraine Visa — background information
The 2022 Special Ukraine Visa was a 2-year temporary visa for Ukrainians with family in New Zealand.
To apply, eligible New Zealanders with Ukrainian heritage nominated family through an expression of interest (EOI). Immigration New Zealand (INZ) then invited eligible Ukrainians to apply.
Applications are now closed. EOIs opened on 15 March 2022 and closed on 15 March 2024.
- been a New Zealand citizen or have a current residence class visa
- been
- been born in Ukraine, or have held citizenship or be a permanent resident of Ukraine, or
- a parent or grandparent who was born in Ukraine or had held citizenship or been a permanent resident of Ukraine.
- accommodation
- maintenance costs like food and clothing
- health care.
- parent
- grandparent
- sibling, or
- adult child.
- aunt or uncle
- niece or nephew
- grandchild
- first cousin, or
- step-sibling.
People who could nominate someone must have:
EOIs included an 'acceptable sponsor'. This sponsor could be the same person who nominated their family member, or someone else. It could also be an entity like an organisation.
The sponsor had to meet our criteria to be an acceptable sponsor for a temporary visa.
The sponsor is responsible for the costs of the visa holder during their stay in New Zealand. Things the sponsor must cover include:
An eligible New Zealander with Ukrainian heritage could nominate a family member. This could include their:
They could also nominate adult extended family members if they had lived with the supporting family member's family unit for a substantial period of time. This included their:
Each nominated person could include their partners and dependent children in their visa application.
How to apply for a further Special Ukraine Visa
You can apply for a further Special Ukraine Visa to extend your stay in New Zealand only if you are in New Zealand on a current 2022 Special Ukraine Visa and this is going to expire while waiting for our decision on your resident visa application.
The process to apply for a further Special Ukraine Visa is:
- Your family member who is an eligible New Zealander with Ukrainian heritage nominates you via an expression of interest (EOI). As part of this process, they also nominate a sponsor to take on financial responsibility.
- We invite you to apply. We will send the application form to the nominating New Zealander.
- The nominating New Zealander or you must send in the application before your current visa expires.
- We will assess the application and, if approved, give you a further Special Ukraine Visa.