The parent visa category allows New Zealand citizens and residents to sponsor their parents for residence. Grandparents and legal guardians can also be sponsored.
After being suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Parent Residency Visa has reopened with new requirements and sponsorship rules. Read on to learn more about the changes.
What are the requirements?
Parents and grandparents of New Zealand citizens, residents or certain temporary visa holders may sponsor them for a permanent residence visa. There are a number of requirements to meet including health, character and English language.
Visa applicants must have a sponsor (the sponsor must live in New Zealand and meet minimum income requirements). EOIs submitted for this category remain in the ballot for 2 years, so it’s best to submit an EOI closer to the first selection in August 2023.
The NZ government is currently deliberating over the future of this visa. If it is reopened, there are likely to be changes to the criteria – for example, the sponsorship income threshold will be lower and joint sponsorship arrangements will allow sponsors to pool their incomes for greater likelihood of selection.
How do I apply?
NZ parent visa is open to parents of adult children who are citizens or residents. To qualify, they must meet the policy criteria and be sponsored by their children. The process is lengthy and complicated, but we can help.
Newly reopened on 12 October, the New Zealand Parents and Grandparents visa has been significantly revamped with an annual quota of 500 visas, lowered income thresholds for sponsors (now allowing partners to sponsor their children) and extending co sponsorship arrangements to include siblings as well as spouses. EOIs remain in the ballot for 2 years, so it’s best to submit sooner rather than later to maximise your chances of selection.
INZ typically processes Visas for Parents and Grandparents in 4-18 months. However, processing times can vary depending on the category of visa the application is filed under, any Character or Medical issues that may need special handling, complicating factors like previous deportation and the documentation required to establish a relationship with your sponsor.
How much does it cost?
Many NZ residents and citizens have children living abroad who want to join them in New Zealand. There are a few options for this. Most of these require sponsorship from the child or their parents (if you are a grandparent).
One option is a NZ guardian visa. This allows parents and legal guardians to live and work in NZ while their children are studying here on student visas. You can apply for permanent residency after 4 years.
Another option is a NZ parent resident visa. This is a permanent visa that requires you to invest in NZ and meet the minimum income requirements for your sponsor and their partner.
This visa is only available to those sponsored by a NZ citizen or permanent resident child, or their parents. The sponsor must earn at least 1.5 times the NZ median wage, or 2 times if applying as a couple. This income is increased by half the NZ median wage for each additional parent or partner added to the application.
What is the processing time?
The parent visa enables parents of an adult child who is a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident to join them in the country. The parents must meet the relevant policy criteria, including health and character requirements, and be sponsored by their New Zealand citizen or permanent resident child.
The visa is open to both non-contributory and contributory pathways to residence. The non-contributory pathway has a longer processing time but attracts a lower Government application charge, while the contributory route is much quicker but costs more.
The New Zealand government recently announced that the Parent Visa category would reopen, a move which many migrant families have been waiting years for. The reopening will see increased annual quotas for the visa and reduced income requirements for sponsors. New EOIs submitted from 12 October 2022 will be placed in a ballot and remain in the pool until they are invited to make a residence application, with the first selection due to take place in August 2023.