New Zealand Resident Visa

Being a resident in New Zealand gives you many of the rights a country’s citizen also has. This is especially interesting for foreigners who want to settle in New Zealand without changing their passports, which may concern nationals of countries that do not allow dual citizenship. Here we will cover the basics of the resident visa to New Zealand.

Table of contents

• New Zealand resident visa benefits
• New Zealand resident visa types
• New Zealand resident visa requirements
• New Zealand resident visa travel conditions
• New Zealand resident visa application process
• New Zealand resident visa cost
• New Zealand resident visa renewal
• New Zealand visa photo requirements

New Zealand resident visa benefits

New Zealand resident visa holders have the following rights:

• to stay in New Zealand indefinitely;
• to work in New Zealand or the exclusive economic zone of New Zealand;
• to study in New Zealand;
• to receive free or subsidised health care at publicly funded health services;
• to free education at state-run primary and secondary schools, and subsidised fees for domestic students at private schools and tertiary institutions;
• to enrol and vote in elections (after one year of residence);
• to receive a social security benefit;
• to sponsor a partner, parents or dependent children during their visa application.

New Zealand resident visa types

Resident visas can be divided into the following general categories:

• For Essential Skills work visa holders;
• For in-demand professionals and the Talent category;
• For retired parents of New Zealand residents;
• For partners of residents and citizens of New Zealand.

You can assess your chances of obtaining residency on the New Zealand Immigration Service website.

New Zealand resident visa requirements

To apply for a resident visa, here are the requirements:

• Be located in New Zealand during application;
• Hold an eligible visa that gives you the right to stay in New Zealand:
  • Post Study Work Visa
  • Talent (Accredited Employer) Work Visa
  • Essential Skills Work Visa
  • Religious Worker Work Visa
  • Talent (Arts, Culture, Sports) Work Visa
  • Long Term Skill Shortage List Work Visa
  • Silver Fern Practical Experience Work Visa
  • Trafficking Victim Work Visa
  • Migrant Exploitation Protection Work Visa
  • Skilled Migrant Category Job Search Work Visa
  • Victims of Family Violence Work Visa
  • South Island Contribution Work Visa
  • Work Visa granted under Section 61 of the Immigration Act (provided the applicant held any of the visas above within 6 months before being granted a Section 61 visa)
  • Some Critical Purpose Visitor Visas (CPVV)
• Meet the criteria of settled, skilled, or scarce and can prove it.
• Provide a proof of identity, which are:
  • a copy of the relevant pages of your passport or travel document;
  • a photo of you that fulfils requirements;
  • a copy of your birth certificate.
• Provide proof of good character: New Zealand Police checks will be undertaken.

New Zealand resident visa travel conditions

A resident visa allows you to travel to New Zealand multiple times, but only within the validity of the travel conditions of the visa. Travel conditions allow holders of resident visas to travel to and enter New Zealand as a resident. There are two types of travel conditions:

• First entry travel conditions: If you are granted a resident visa outside of New Zealand, your visa will indicate the date you must enter New Zealand. This date cannot be varied or extended.
• Multiple entry travel conditions: Your resident visa will be granted numerous entry travel conditions for a certain amount of time from your first day in New Zealand as a resident.

The end of your multiple entry travel conditions is indicated by the ‘Expiry date travel’ on your resident visa.

New Zealand resident visa application process

Here are the steps of applying for a resident visa:

• Fill out the application form and gather your documents, then submit it to Immigration New Zealand;
• Immigration New Zealand will process your application and decide on it;
• If you are accepted, you will receive an email on how to pay the fee;
• Your status will be confirmed.

New Zealand resident visa cost

The cost of the New Zealand resident visa may change year on year. As a benchmark, the total charge of the Resident Visa is NZ$2,160, including GST. This includes a NZ$1,330 application fee and an NZ$830 immigration levy.

New Zealand resident visa renewal

Your visa will expire if you leave New Zealand without a fitting travel condition. You will need to apply for another visa to enter New Zealand and then apply for a resident permit in New Zealand.

New Zealand visa photo requirements

Your photos must fulfil the following requirements:

• Paper photos must be 35 mm wide and 45 mm high;
• Digital images must be between 500 KB and 3 MB in size;
• Digital visa photo dimensions must be between 900 x 1200 pixels and 2250 x 3000 pixels;
• The format for digital images must be JPG (or JPEG);
• The background must be light and plain, but not white, with no other objects;
• The camera should be about 1.5m away from you and at eye level to make sure that your face and ears are captured completely;
• Your head must be centred in the photo, and part of your shoulders and upper chest must be visible;
• Your face and facial features must be discernible in the picture;
• No distortions and digital enhancements are allowed;
• Keep your facial expression neutral and look straight into the camera;
• Glasses with tinted lenses or thick frames are not allowed;
• No head accessories or gear are permitted except for religious or medical reasons. Your face must be fully visible in the photo;
• Wear only plain clothing patterns.

Here is an example of a New Zealand visa photo:

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Simply take a picture of yourself following the guidelines and upload it to our tool below. No worries about the format, background, sizes, and dimensions: we’ll handle that for you.

Take an image with a smartphone or camera against any background, upload it here, and instantly get a professional photo for your visa, passport, or ID.

First, take a photo of your under daylight like this one:

You will have two types of photos. Digital photography is suitable for electronic applications, while the other is suitable for printing.