Video — 2021 Resident Visa Phase 2

Index

00:00 Introduction
00:50 Applying in Phase Two
03:00 Health and Character requirements
04:05 What happen next and application costs
05:21 Your e-Visa

Introduction

Eligible migrants can apply online for phase 2 of the Government’s one-off residence pathway, the 2021 Resident Visa.  

Applications for Phase 2 opened on the first of March 2022. 

You have plenty of time to apply for your 2021 Resident Visa as applications will be accepted until 31 July 2022. 

The Immigration New Zealand website is the best place to go for information on the 2021 Resident Visa.  

This video details who is eligible to apply for Phase 2 of the 2021 Resident Visa, how to apply online, and what information you will need to provide.  

immigration.govt.nz/2021-resident-visa

Applying in Phase Two

To apply in Phase 2, you must have been in New Zealand and held an eligible work visa on the 29th of September 2021. 

You will also need to show that you meet either the SETTLED or SKILLED or SCARCE criteria. 

For each of these criteria, you must have been in New Zealand on 29 September 2021.

Settled Criteria

You can apply under the settled criteria if you have been in New Zealand for at least 821 days in the three years between the 29th of September 2018 and the 29th of September 2021. 

The application form will ask you about the time you have been in New Zealand, but you do not need to provide evidence for this – we will use the information we already have to confirm you are eligible.

Skilled Criteria

If you apply under the skilled criteria, you will need to demonstrate this by providing your employment agreement or a letter from your employer confirming your pay and hours. You will also need to provide a full bank statement, or an Inland Revenue summary of income or payslips. It is important that these documents show that you were paid at least $27 per hour, both on the 29th of September 2021 and on the date you apply.

Scarce Criteria

If you apply under the scarce criteria, you will also need to provide your employment agreement or a letter from your employer confirming your job and hours.  

You will also need to provide evidence of occupational registration in New Zealand if that is required for your job.  

The list of ‘scarce’ occupations is available on our website. 

For both the scarce and skilled criteria, you will not need to provide these documents when you submit your application. Instead, we will request these documents from you when we start processing your application. You can then upload these to your Immigration Online account.  

Health and Character requirements

If you haven’t had a medical certificate in the last 36 months or your health has changed, you will need to provide a medical certificate.  

However, you do not need this to submit your application. You will be asked to provide one later.  

You must also meet the character requirements of the 2021 Resident Visa Category.  

We will conduct New Zealand Police checks for all applicants aged 17 years or older, regardless of how long they have been in New Zealand. We may request an overseas police certificate if we need more information. 

If we need more information from you to help us assess your application, we will ask for it. 

What happens next and application costs

You will be able to apply online at immigration.govt.nz. 

You will need a RealMe account to apply through Immigration Online.  

You will need to pay for your application when you submit it.

The cost of the 2021 Resident Visa application is $2,160 including GST. This includes the application fee of ($1,330) and an $830 immigration levy.

When you have applied for the visa, we will send you an acknowledgement to let you know we have received your application.

Once we begin processing your application, we will send you another email, requesting the documents you need to provide. You can then upload these to your Immigration Online account. It may be several weeks before we ask you to upload your documents.

We will give your application to one of our Immigration Officers to assess, and they will contact you if they need more information. We will start processing applications based on the principal applicants’ current visa expiry date.

This means that if your visa is due to expire earlier, it will be processed earlier.

Remember, you have until 31 July 2022 to submit your application. 

After assessing your application, we will contact you to let you know the decision.  

Your e-Visa

If your application is approved, we will issue you with your eVisa.  

We want to make the process of applying for a 2021 Resident Visa easy and clear.  

The Immigration New Zealand website is your best source for current information about the 2021 Resident Visa, including processing information. 

immigration.govt.nz/2021-resident-visa