New Zealand sits in Australia and New Zealand. Its immigration system runs 185 distinct routes — led by youth mobility, work and family, each set out in official law. All 185 cite an official government source, shown on the route with the date we last read it. Who actually qualifies depends on your full profile.
All 185 routes, grouped by purpose — 185 of 185 cite an official government source directly.
Apply for this visa if you have a job offer from an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) accredited employer. The employer must send you a link to the online application form.
Apply for this visa if you currently have a job or job offer from an accredited employer and have worked in New Zealand for 24 months in a selected care workforce job.
Apply for this visa if you have a job offer for a role on the China skilled job list. You must be a citizen of the People's Republic of China and meet the listed requirements.
Apply for this visa if you have a job offer as a qualified chef, traditional medicine practitioner, Mandarin teacher's aide, Wushu martial arts coach, or Chinese tourism specialist. You must be a citizen of the People's Republic of China.
— No eligibility summary published for this route yet
This visa was for people who had a job offer for a role that could not be filled by New Zealanders. It closed to new applicants on 4 July 2022.
Apply for this visa to work as crew on a fishing vessel in New Zealand waters.
Apply for this visa if you work in a job on the Global Workforce Seasonal Visa job list. You must be asked to apply by an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) accredited employer.
Apply for this visa if you are a citizen of Indonesia and you have a job offer as a trained chef, Halal slaughterer or Bahasa teacher's aide.
Apply for this visa if you have a full-time job offer to work as a qualified interpreter in a tourism-related industry in New Zealand. You must be from Japan.
If you have a Long Term Skill Shortage List Work Visa and have worked in New Zealand for more than 2 years, you may be able to apply for this resident visa.
This visa is now closed. You can only apply for this visa if you have already held a Long Term Skill Shortage List Work Visa and you are waiting for a decision on your resident visa application.
If you are from Fiji, Kiribati, Tonga or Tuvalu you can register for this ballot to come to New Zealand. If we select and accept your registration, we invite you to apply for the Pacific Access Category Resident Visa.
Apply for this visa if you work in a job on the Peak Seasonal Visa job list. Your employer must send you a link to the online application form.
Apply for this visa if you are a registered nurse, farm manager or engineering professional from the Philippines. You must have a job offer, qualifications and experience.
Apply for this visa if you want to work in New Zealand soon after you have completed your studies here. It allows you to stay and work in New Zealand for up to 3 years, depending on what you studied.
People from Chile and South Korea can do vocational study and take up work placements in primary sector industries in New Zealand. To apply, you must be supported or funded by your government and intend to return home after your training to share your new skills.
On the Recognised Seasonal Employer Limited Visa you can come to New Zealand for a short time to work in our horticulture and viticulture industries. You must have a job offer from a Recognised Seasonal Employer before you apply.
You can apply for this visa if you are a citizen of the Republic of Korea and qualified to work in a Republic of Korea Special Work occupation.
If you are a Samoan citizen, you can register for this ballot to come to New Zealand. If we select and accept your registration, we invite you to apply for the Samoan Quota Resident Visa.
You can submit an expression of interest if you have a job or job offer from an accredited employer, and qualify for 6 points for your skills and work in New Zealand.
You can apply for New Zealand residence if you have a South Island Contribution Work Visa, and have been employed in the same industry and region for the last 2 years.
You can apply for this visa if you have an Essential Skills Work Visa and have been employed in the South Island for over 5 years. This visa provides a path to residence if you remain in the same industry and region.
Transitional route for specified AEWV holders who worked in or progressed to one of 30 new NOL occupations between 8 September and 2 November 2025.
NZ–EU FTA route for a European Union contractual services supplier or independent professional.
Intra-company transfer route for a senior manager or specialist personnel moving to the New Zealand part of a multinational company.
Residual specific-purpose route where the applicant has relevant skills or attributes, the work benefits New Zealand or individuals, and there is no adverse impact on New Zealanders.
Route for a nurse from the Philippines completing New Zealand occupational registration.
Closed legacy SPWV stream for seasonal activity.
Short-term secondment route for a senior or specialist business person with a qualifying New Zealand job offer.
Route to install or service specialised machinery or equipment supplied by an overseas company where this is a condition of purchase.
NZ–UK FTA route for a United Kingdom contractual services supplier.
Apply for this visa if you have a job or job offer with an accredited employer, and your job is on Tier 1 of the Green List of in-demand jobs.
Apply for this visa if you are already in New Zealand on a student or visitor visa and you want to do seasonal work in the horticulture or viticulture industry.
You can apply for this resident visa if you have been on a Talent (Accredited Employer) Work Visa and have worked for an accredited employer for more than 2 years.
You can apply for this resident visa if you have been on a Talent (Accredited Employer) Work Visa and have worked for an accredited employer for more than 2 years.
You can apply for this visa if you are a citizen of Thailand, have an offer of full-time work as a Thai chef, and the necessary qualifications and experience to do that work.
Apply for this visa if you currently have a job or job offer with an accredited employer, and have worked in New Zealand for 24 months in an acceptable transport job.
You can apply for this visa if you are a citizen of Vietnam and have been offered work in New Zealand as a chef or engineering professional. You must be qualified to do the job you have been offered.
— No eligibility summary published for this route yet
Apply for this visa if you currently have a job or job offer with an accredited employer, and have worked in New Zealand for 24 months in a Green List Tier 2 in-demand job.
Apply for this visa to live, work and invest in New Zealand. You must have at least NZD $5 million to apply under the Growth category or at least NZD $10 million to apply under the Balanced category.
This visa allowed people with NZD $10 million to invest in New Zealand to apply for residence. It closed to new applicants on 28 July 2022.
This visa allowed business people with at least NZD $3 million in funds or assets to submit an expression of interest and then apply for residence. It closed to new applicants on 28 July 2022.
Route for a qualifying residence principal applicant investigating and making direct investments in New Zealand.
You can apply for this visa if you hold a Business Investor Work Visa and have been actively running a business in New Zealand for at least 12 months or 3 years, depending on how much you have invested.
Apply for this visa if you want to invest in and operate a business in New Zealand. You must invest at least NZD $1 million in an established business.
Apply for this visa if you are a key employee of a business relocating to New Zealand and you are not eligible for any other resident visa.
You can apply for this visa if you have been self-employed in New Zealand at least 6 months, or have operated a self-employed business for 2 years on another visa.
Apply for this visa if you want to work in your own business in New Zealand. You must have NZD $100,000 to invest, a business plan, and be able to claim 120 points on our points scale.
Route for a business person with genuine business reasons to be in New Zealand for more than 3 months in a year.
Bridge route for the principal Business Investor Resident Visa applicant to continue running the business while the residence application is processed.
Bridge route for the principal Entrepreneur Resident Visa applicant to continue business while the residence application is processed.
NZ–UK FTA route for a United Kingdom independent professional.
If you have had a Global Impact Work Visa for 30 months or more, you can apply for this residence visa to live in New Zealand permanently.
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.
You can apply for this visa if you have an exceptional talent in a field of art, sport or culture.
Apply for this visa to study an English language course full-time in New Zealand. You will need to pay the full cost of your courses and enrol with an approved education provider.
If you have been accepted into an approved student exchange scheme and are outside New Zealand, you can apply for this visa to study full-time in New Zealand.
This visa is for students who are paying international tuition fees themselves, or with support from family, a loan, or a partial scholarship. You must have an offer of place from an approved education provider.
If you have a foreign government scholarship, you can apply for this visa to study full-time in New Zealand for more than 3 months.
If you are funded by a New Zealand scholarship administered by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) or Education New Zealand (ENZ), you can apply to study full-time on this visa.
You can study up to 3 courses, 1 after the other, on this visa. You must have a Pathway Student Visa offer of place and the funds to pay for your tuition fees and living costs.
Work-training route for a medical or dental trainee with an acceptable New Zealand training placement.
Work-training route for a student or recent graduate undertaking practical work experience related to study.
Apply for this visa if you are a trainee who has been awarded a New Zealand Short Term Training Scholarship by Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships, or you are a nautical student.
Children adopted from other countries can visit before their New Zealand citizenship is confirmed. You must provide their birth certificate and evidence that an adoptive parent is a New Zealand citizen.
Children can come to New Zealand to be adopted by New Zealand citizens or residents. The adoption must have the support of Oranga Tamariki — Ministry for Children.
This visa allows your dependent children to visit you in New Zealand for up to 9 months. You must be a New Zealand citizen or resident.
Your dependent children can visit you while you study in New Zealand. They can study for up 3 months. Dependent children must be aged 19 or younger.
If you have a work visa, you can apply for this visa so your dependent children can visit you in New Zealand and study for up to 3 months.
Your dependent children can join you while you are in New Zealand for military work. They can study for up to 3 months and travel in New Zealand while you are here.
If you have recently married a New Zealand citizen or resident in a traditional arranged marriage, or want to marry in New Zealand, you can get a 3-month visitor visa to begin living with your partner.
Apply for this visa to bring your dependent children to live with you in New Zealand. You must be a New Zealand citizen or resident.
Apply for this visa to bring your dependent children to study at primary or secondary school in New Zealand. You must have an appropriate work or student visa.
If you are a parent or legal guardian of a child who has a current New Zealand student visa, you can apply for this visa to live with and care for your child.
If you are a New Zealand citizen or resident, you can apply for this visa to bring an adopted child to live with you in New Zealand indefinitely.
You can apply for this visa if you have children or grandchildren who are New Zealand citizens or residents. It allows you to travel in and out of New Zealand to visit your family.
You can apply for this visa if you have children who are New Zealand citizens or residents. It allows you to travel in and out of New Zealand to visit your family.
This visa allows for a parent, grandparent or legal guardian of a New Zealand citizen or resident to live in New Zealand.
Apply for this visa if you want to live in New Zealand permanently and you have an adult child who is a New Zealand citizen or resident. You must meet our income and investment requirements.
You can live in New Zealand on this visa if you have a partner who is a New Zealand citizen or resident.
This visa allows you to visit New Zealand if you have a partner who is a New Zealand citizen or resident.
This visa allows you to work in New Zealand if you have a partner who is a New Zealand citizen or has a resident visa.
This visa allows you to visit New Zealand if you have a partner who is studying here.
Apply for this visa to work in New Zealand if your partner is studying for an eligible level 7 or 8 qualification, or a level 9 or 10 qualification on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF).
This visa allows you to join your partner while they are in New Zealand on a work visa.
This visa allows you to work in New Zealand while your partner is here on a work visa. Your partner must have an eligible work visa to support your application.
This visa allows you to work in New Zealand while your partner is here on an MFAT-funded NZ Scholarship.
This visa allows you to join your partner in New Zealand if they are here on a military visa.
This visa allows you to work in New Zealand while your partner is here on a military visa.
If you are aged 66 or older and have NZD $750,000 to invest in New Zealand, this visa lets you stay in New Zealand for up to 2 years.
This visa was for people who were in New Zealand on 29 September 2021 and met residency or work requirements. It closed to new applicants on 31 July 2022.
You can apply for this visa if you have had a resident visa for more than 2 years. This visa lets you live in New Zealand permanently, and travel in and out of the country.
Apply for this visa if you had a New Zealand resident visa that has expired. Your eligibility will depend on the length of time since your visa expired and your commitment to New Zealand before that.
If you are an Australian citizen or permanent resident you can visit, work and live in New Zealand. You can only apply for this visa when you arrive in New Zealand. If you are an Australian permanent resident, you will need an NZeTA.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 35 and a citizen of the Argentine Republic.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 30 and a citizen of Austria.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 30 and a citizen of Belgium.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 30 and a citizen of the Federative Republic of Brazil.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 35 and a citizen of Canada.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 35 and a citizen of the Republic of Chile.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 30 and a citizen of the People's Republic of China.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 30 and a citizen of the Republic of Croatia.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 35 and a citizen of the Czech Republic.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 30 and a citizen of Denmark.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 30 and a citizen of Estonia.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 35 and a citizen of Finland.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 30 and a citizen of France.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 30 and a citizen of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 30 and a resident of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR).
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 35 and a citizen of Hungary.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 30 and a citizen of Ireland.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 30 and a citizen of the State of Israel.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 30 and a citizen of the Italian Republic.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 30 and a citizen of Japan.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 30 and a citizen of the Republic of Korea.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 30 and a citizen of the Republic of Latvia.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 30 and a citizen of the Republic of Lithuania.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 30 and a citizen of Luxembourg.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 30 and a citizen of Malaysia.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 30 and a citizen of the Republic of Malta.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 30 and a citizen of the United Mexican States.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 30 and a citizen of the Netherlands.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 30 and a citizen of Norway.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 30 and a citizen of the Republic of Peru.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 30 and a citizen of the Philippines.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 30 and a citizen of the Republic of Poland.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 30 and a citizen of Portugal.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 30 and a citizen of Singapore.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 35 and a citizen of the Slovak Republic.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 30 and a citizen of the Republic of Slovenia.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 30 and a citizen of the Kingdom of Spain.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 30 and a citizen of Sweden.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 30, have a Taiwan passport and a Taiwan household registration certificate.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 30 and a citizen of the Kingdom of Thailand.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 30 and a citizen of the Republic of Turkey.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 35 and a citizen of the United Kingdom.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 35 and a citizen of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay.
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 30 and a citizen of the United States of America (USA).
Apply for this visa if you want to holiday, study and work in New Zealand. You must be aged 18 to 30 and a citizen of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
If you are a performer or support crew you can apply to visit New Zealand to take part in an arts or music festival. You must be invited by an approved promoter.
Apply for this visa if you want to work on a film, video or production in New Zealand and you have specific skills that cannot be met by New Zealand's entertainment industry.
You can apply for residence if you have had a Religious Worker Work Visa for 3 years. You must have an offer of ongoing work and sponsorship from your religious organisation.
Apply for this visa if you have an offer of religious work from a religious organisation.
Apply for this visa if you are a performer or support crew member travelling to New Zealand for a live entertainment act. The act must be promoted by an approved promoter.
Route for a dance or music examiner from a recognised international teaching institution.
Work-training route for a religious trainee hosted by a New Zealand religious organisation.
Apply for this visa to work in New Zealand as part of an approved work exchange scheme.
Apply for this visa if you are an academic with research or academic work experience, and visiting New Zealand to take part in teaching, education, professional management or research.
— No eligibility summary published for this route yet
Apply for this visa if you want to visit New Zealand for business reasons. You must have enough money to live on while you are here or have the financial support of your employer.
Apply for this visa if you are a German law student or law graduate and you want to visit New Zealand as an unpaid observer in a New Zealand law firm.
Apply for this visa if you are part of a group travelling to New Zealand for the same purpose and with the same travel arrangements. You must have a group leader in charge of the group visa and travel arrangements.
— No eligibility summary published for this route yet
— No eligibility summary published for this route yet
This visa is for owners and crew of super yachts travelling to New Zealand. It allows you to stay or travel in and out of New Zealand for up to 6 months.
— No eligibility summary published for this route yet
If you are eligible for a New Zealand Travel Authority (NZeTA) you may be able to travel to New Zealand without a visa. If given entry permission, we give you a Visa Waiver Visitor Visa when you arrive.
People travelling on a passport from some countries must apply for a Visitor Visa to visit New Zealand. You can stay for up to either 6 months or 9 months. You cannot work, but you can study for up to 3 months.
This visa is for refugees who have been nominated or matched with an approved community organisation (sponsor) under the Community Organisation Refugee Sponsorship (CORS) Programme.
If you have reported exploitation while on an employer-supported work visa, this visa will allow you to leave your job while the exploitation is being investigated.
If you are in New Zealand and have applied for refugee or protection status, this visa lets you stay here while we process your refugee or protected person claim.
To apply for this visa, you must be sponsored by a family member who came to New Zealand as a refugee or protected person.
A child may be given this visa if they are 17 or younger, in New Zealand, and certified by the New Zealand Police as a suspected victim of people trafficking. This visa allows the child to study as a domestic student at primary or secondary school.
A child may be given this visa if they are 17 or younger, in New Zealand, and certified by the New Zealand Police as a suspected victim of people trafficking.
You can apply for this visa if you are in New Zealand and already have a trafficking victim work, student or visitor visa.
You can apply for this visa if you are in New Zealand and certified by the New Zealand Police as a suspected victim of people trafficking.
You can apply for this visa if you have experienced family violence and have been in a partnership with a New Zealand citizen or resident. It allows you to live and work in New Zealand permanently.
You can apply for this visa if you have experienced family violence and have been in a partnership with a New Zealand citizen or resident, or hold a partnership-based visa with a temporary migrant.
Apply for this visa to escort a patient coming to New Zealand for medical treatment or consultation. You must be needed because of the patient's condition.
Apply for this visa to visit New Zealand for medical treatment or consultation. You must be able to pay for your treatment, unless it is funded under a special arrangement.
Route to referee or judge sports events, shows, displays or exhibitions.
Route for a sports player or professional sports coach taking a paid position in a New Zealand sports club.
This visa lets you visit New Zealand for a sports event or tour if you are a sports person, a support staff member, a match or tournament official, or a media or broadcasting worker.
Work-training route for an apprentice jockey undertaking an approved apprenticeship in New Zealand.
If you are passing through Auckland International Airport you must have a Transit Visa unless you already have a valid visa, are from a visa waiver country or transit visa waiver country, or are travelling to or from Australia.
Apply to transit through New Zealand to work in Antarctica for a Contracting Party as part of a scientific programme or expedition under the Antarctic Treaty.
If you have a current work visa and you were dismissed from your job during a trial period, this visa lets you stay in New Zealand for up to 3 months. You cannot work on this visa.
Apply for this visa if you are a domestic worker for diplomatic, consular or official staff posted in New Zealand. Your employer and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade must support your application.
This visa is normally given automatically to allow you to stay in New Zealand if your visa expires while we are assessing your application for another temporary visa.
Apply for this visa to visit New Zealand temporarily for an express purpose. Once you have achieved your purpose, you must leave New Zealand or apply for another Limited Visa.
Apply for this visa if you want to come to New Zealand to get your New Zealand occupational registration. You can also apply if you are already in New Zealand, have applied for residence, and need more time to obtain your occupational registration.
If you are a Pitcairn Islander who has been offered skilled employment in New Zealand, you can apply for this resident visa.
If you are a Pitcairn Islander, you can visit New Zealand on this visa. You will need enough money to support yourself while you are here and for your return travel.
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