Adoption Pre-citizenship Visitor Visa

At a Glance

Item	Details
Visa	Adoption Pre-citizenship Visitor Visa
Purpose	Visit before citizenship confirmation
Stay	Up to 6 months
Cost	From NZD $341
Processing	80% within 2.5 weeks
Eligibility timing	Citizenship application already submitted
Work rights	No work permitted
Study	Up to 3 months
Health care	Applicant pays health costs
Travel facility	Multiple entry conditions available
Citizenship	Child citizenship application required
Family sponsorship	Acceptable sponsor may support child
Visa record	Conditions recorded in eVisa

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Purpose

This visa allows a child adopted from another country to visit New Zealand while their New Zealand citizenship application is being assessed.

Eligibility

The applicant must:

• Be the child’s adoptive parent and a New Zealand citizen.
• Have an adoption recognised under New Zealand law for immigration purposes.
• Have applied for New Zealand citizenship for the child.
• Provide Department of Internal Affairs confirmation that there are no obstacles to granting citizenship.
• Genuinely intend for the child to meet visa conditions.
• Meet health, funds, onward-travel and other visa requirements, unless waived.

At least one adoptive parent must be a New Zealand citizen.

Stay and Processing

• Maximum stay: up to 6 months.
• Processing: 80% of applications within 2.5 weeks.
• Cost: from NZD $341. Final payment and submission information depends on passport nationality.

Further visas may be granted while the citizenship application is assessed, for up to 12 months at a time.

Rights and Conditions

Study

The child may study for up to 3 months in any 12-month period.

School-aged children may study up to 3 months in a calendar year. If studying for more than 2 weeks, they must attend a school signatory to the Code of Pastoral Care for International Students.

Work

The child cannot work in New Zealand on this visitor visa.

Travel

Multiple-entry travel conditions must be granted if the child needs to leave and return to New Zealand.

To qualify, the child must not have spent more than 9 months in New Zealand during the previous 18 months. If travel conditions expire while the child is outside New Zealand, the visa also expires.

Leaving New Zealand

The child must leave New Zealand before the visa expires, unless granted a further visa.

Funds, Sponsorship and Health Care

You must show that the child has:

• NZD $1,000 per month, or
• NZD $400 per month if accommodation has been prepaid, or
• An acceptable sponsor.

Evidence may include bank statements, credit-card statements, bank drafts, traveller’s cheques, accommodation receipts, or a completed Sponsorship Form for Temporary Entry (INZ 1025).

You must also hold onward travel tickets or enough funds to buy them, unless this requirement is waived.

You must declare that you will pay all health care and medical-assistance costs incurred in New Zealand. Full medical insurance is recommended.

Required Documents

Provide:

• One acceptable photo for online applications, or two for paper applications.
• Child’s passport or certificate of identity.
• Child’s birth certificate.
• Evidence of the adoptive parent’s New Zealand citizenship, such as a passport, birth certificate or citizenship certificate.
• Evidence that the child has applied for New Zealand citizenship.
• Department of Internal Affairs confirmation regarding citizenship obstacles.
• Evidence of funds, sponsorship or prepaid accommodation.
• Onward-travel evidence.
• Certified full English translations for documents not in English.

The child’s passport must remain valid for at least 3 months after their intended departure date.

Health Requirements

The child must be in good health and may need a medical examination or chest X-ray. Children under 11 generally do not need an X-ray unless a special report is required. Health requirements may be waived.

How to Apply

1. Prepare identity, citizenship, adoption, financial and onward-travel evidence.
2. Submit an online application through Immigration New Zealand.
3. Upload the child’s passport when applying online.
4. Provide the passport later if Immigration New Zealand requests it.
5. Pay the applicable fee based on passport nationality.

Arrival in New Zealand

Before travel, the child must obtain entry permission by completing a New Zealand Traveller Declaration. A caregiver may complete it for a child.

The digital declaration may be started at any time and submitted from 24 hours before travel. Paper forms are available where online completion is not possible.

Important Warnings

Entry permission may be refused if the child:

• Does not meet character requirements.
• Has changed circumstances since visa approval.
• Refuses a photo, fingerprints or iris scan.

An adoption must be recognised under New Zealand law for immigration purposes. Some international adoptions may not be recognised for visa applications.