Talent (Arts, Culture, Sports) Resident Visa
You can apply for New Zealand residency if you have a Talent (Arts, Culture, Sports) Work Visa and have been actively involved in New Zealand in your field for more than 2 years.
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Length of stay
Live, work and study
indefinitely
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Cost
From
NZD $6490
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Processing time
Data
not available
To apply you must:
- have a Talent (Arts, Culture, Sports) Work Visa and have been actively involved in your declared field of talent for at least 2 years
- still be prominent in your declared field and be able to enhance the quality of New Zealand's accomplishments in that field
- have an acceptable sponsor and support from a New Zealand organisation that is nationally recognised for its excellence in your field
- meet the other requirements of this visa.
This visa lets you:
- live, work and study in New Zealand
- include your partner and dependent children, aged 24 and younger, in your application.
How long you can stay
A Talent (Arts, Culture, Sports) Resident Visa lets you stay in New Zealand indefinitely.
Who can apply
Check if you are eligible to apply for this visa and what supporting documents and information you need to provide.
Identity
As proof of your identity, you must provide:
- 2 acceptable photos if you use a paper application form or 1 photo if you apply online
- an original or certified copy of your passport or
- an original or
of your when you apply for residence.
Applicants from Hong Kong or Macao applying within Hong Kong or Macao
You must also provide a copy of your identity card.
Character
You must be of good character.
If you are aged 17 or older, you must provide a police certificate from:
- your country of citizenship
- any country you have lived in for 12 months or more in the last 10 years.
How to get a police certificate
Note
Police certificates must be less than 6 months old at the time you apply.
If you provide a police certificate that is not in English, you must also provide an
Health
You must be in good health.
You must have a chest X-ray and a medical examination as proof of your good health.
Current work visa
You must hold a Talent (Arts, Culture, Sports) Work Visa and have held that visa for at least 24 months.
We will check our records and your passport for evidence of when you first arrived in New Zealand on your Talent (Arts, Culture and Sports) Work Visa.
Active engagement
You must have been actively engaged in your field of declared talent for the last 24 months.
You will need to provide:
- a Summary of Earnings from
that shows your earnings since you were granted a Talent (Arts, Culture, Sports) Work Visa - evidence that shows you have been actively engaged in your declared field of talent for the last 24 months.
Examples of acceptable evidence include:
- documents that show you have been earning money from activities in your field of talent, for example, GST receipts, bank statements, tax returns
- schedules of performances, exhibitions, activities or events you have taken part in
- letters from individuals or organisations praising the work you have done in your field of talent
- a letter from your supporting organisation detailing your activities over the last 24 months.
Prominence in your field of talent
You must show that you are still prominent in your declared field of talent.
Evidence may include:
- a letter from your supporting organisation confirming your prominence in your field of talent
- letters from individuals or organisations, who have specialist knowledge in your field of talent, confirming your prominence in your field of talent
- press clippings confirming your prominence in your field of talent.
Continued presence in New Zealand
You must show your presence in New Zealand will enhance New Zealand’s achievements and participation in your declared field of talent.
Your sponsor will need to complete a 'Talent (Arts, Culture and Sports) Sponsorship Form', which will ask them to explain how your continued presence in New Zealand will enhance New Zealand’s achievements and participation in your declared field of talent.
You may wish to provide additional evidence to support your application, including:
- letters from New Zealand organisations that agree that your continued presence in New Zealand will enhance New Zealand’s achievements and participation in your field of talent
- letters from people who are experts in your field of talent who agree that your continued presence in New Zealand will enhance New Zealand’s achievements and participation in your field of talent.
Support for residence
You must have the support of a New Zealand organisation of national repute.
You must provide a 'Talent (Arts, Culture and Sports) Sponsorship Form' completed by a
A representative from a New Zealand organisation of national repute must complete Section B of the 'Talent (Arts, Culture and Sports) Sponsorship Form' as evidence they support your continued presence in New Zealand.
Note
It is OK for the organisation supporting you to be different from your sponsor.
Sponsorship for residence
You must have an acceptable sponsor, and provide a 'Talent (Arts, Culture and Sports) Sponsorship For' completed by them.
Your sponsor must guarantee to provide you with accommodation and financial support for the first 2 years of your New Zealand residence, if you need it.
Note
Your sponsor can be an individual, an
No welfare assistance
To apply for residence, you must not have received any welfare benefits or assistance.
If you or anyone included in your residence application, have received any welfare benefits or assistance while on your Talent (Arts, Culture and Sports) Work to Residence Visa, you will not be eligible to apply for residence.
When you apply for residence, we will ask you for your authority to contact Work and Income to check if you have received any welfare benefits or assistance.
Location
To apply for residence, you must be in New Zealand.
We will check our records to confirm your location.
Relationship with family
You can include your partner and dependent children in your application for a resident visa.
Your family must meet the requirements for a resident visa.
You must provide evidence:
- of your relationship with your partner and dependent children
- that your partner and dependent children meet the identity, character, health and English language requirements for this visa
Note
If your partner or dependent children have, or have applied for, a New Zealand temporary entry visa based on their relationship with you, you must include them in your residence application.
English language for family
Your family must be able to speak English.
Your partner and any dependent children aged 16 or over you include in your residence application must meet a minimum standard of English. Evidence can include proof that they:
- have an acceptable English language test result
- have an English-speaking background
- are competent speakers of English for other reasons.
Note
English language test results must be no more than 2 years old.
It is OK if your partner and children aged 16 or older do not speak English, but you will have to pay for English language classes before we can approve your residence application. Then they can learn when they arrive in New Zealand.
If your partner and dependent children 16 or older do not speak English, you can purchase English language lessons for them to meet this requirement. You will have to pay us for English language classes before we can grant you a visa.
How to pay and submit
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While you are in New Zealand
These are the conditions that you must meet once you have your visa. Your visa conditions are recorded in your eVisa.
Work
Once granted a resident visa, you can work for anyone you like, in any occupation you like.
Study
Once granted a resident visa, you can do any study you like.
Travel
You can travel in and out of New Zealand as often as you like until your travel conditions expire — normally 2 years from the date you first arrive in New Zealand as a resident.
Alert
If you are outside New Zealand when your travel conditions expire, your visa will expire as well.
To travel in and out of New Zealand after your travel conditions expire, you need to apply for:
- a variation to your travel conditions, or
- a Permanent Resident Visa.
Extending the travel conditions of a resident visa
Becoming a permanent resident of New Zealand
Note
Your travel conditions will expire 2 years from the date you first arrive in New Zealand as a resident.
If you are outside of New Zealand when your travel conditions expire, your visa will expire as well.
Keep your visa in a valid passport
If you want to travel, your visa must be in a valid passport.
If your passport expires, you must apply to transfer your visa to a new passport before you can travel.
Transferring a visa to a new passport
Note
To transfer your visa, you must:
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- send us your old and new passports
- complete an ‘Application for Transfer or Confirmation of a Visa’
- pay a transfer fee.
Application for transfer or confirmation of a visa