Adoption Visitor Visa

At a Glance

Item	Details
Visa name	Adoption Visitor Visa
Purpose	Child entering for adoption
Stay	Up to 12 months
Cost	From NZD $341
Processing	80% within 2.5 weeks
Eligibility timing	Not stated in the source
Work rights	Cannot work
Study	Up to 3 months yearly
Public healthcare	May be eligible
Travel facility	Multiple entry by application
Citizenship	Further visas during assessment
Family sponsorship	Sponsor may support child
Visa record	eVisa
Applicant	New Zealand citizen or resident
Oranga Tamariki support	Written confirmation required

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Purpose

This visa allows a child to come to New Zealand to be adopted by New Zealand citizens or residents. The adoption must be supported by Oranga Tamariki — Ministry for Children.

Stay

The child may stay for up to 12 months. Further visas may be approved to allow time to submit a full adoption order.

Further visas may also be granted while the Department of Internal Affairs assesses citizenship applications, for up to 12 months at a time.

Important: The page summary states “up to 6 months”, while the detailed stay section states “up to 12 months”.

Eligibility

The adoptive parent applying for the child must:

• Be a New Zealand citizen or resident.
• Provide proof of the child’s identity.
• Provide written Oranga Tamariki support for the adoption.
• Agree to pay the child’s healthcare costs if needed.
• Genuinely intend for the child to meet visa conditions.

The parent may need to show:

• Enough money for the child’s living costs, or an acceptable sponsor.
• The child is in good health.
• The child can leave New Zealand at the end of their stay.

Financial Support and Sponsorship

Financial, health and departure requirements may be waived.

If paying for the child, show at least:

• NZD $1,000 per month, or
• NZD $400 per month if accommodation is prepaid.

Evidence may include bank statements, credit-card statements, prepaid accommodation evidence, bank drafts or traveller’s cheques.

An acceptable individual or organisation sponsor may cover the child’s accommodation and living costs. The sponsor must complete the Sponsorship Form for Temporary Entry (INZ 1025).

The adoptive parent or sponsor must pay for healthcare or medical assistance the child needs. Full medical insurance is recommended.

Health Requirements

The child must generally be in good health. Immigration New Zealand may require a medical examination, chest X-ray, or both.

• For stays under 6 months, a chest X-ray is not normally required.
• For stays under 12 months, a medical certificate is not normally required.
• Children under 11 do not need a chest X-ray unless a special report is required.
• Medical and X-ray results must be less than 3 months old when received.

Departure Requirement

The parent may need to show the child can leave New Zealand, such as:

• A ticket to a country the child may enter.
• Funds to buy an onward ticket.
• Sponsor evidence of funds for onward travel.

Funds for travel must be additional to living-cost funds.

Documents

Provide:

• Child’s passport or certificate of identity.
• One acceptable photo online, or two on paper.
• Evidence the adoptive parent is a New Zealand citizen or resident.
• Written Oranga Tamariki support.
• Health evidence, if requested.
• Financial evidence or sponsorship evidence, if required.
• Completed INZ 1025 sponsorship form, if sponsored.
• Evidence of onward travel, if required.
• Certified English translations and original-document scans for non-English documents.

The child’s passport or identity document must remain valid for at least 3 months after intended departure.

Additional documents:

• China applicants applying from China: child’s Hukou and identity card.
• Hong Kong or Macao applicants applying there: child’s identity card.

Study and Work

The child:

• Cannot work on this visitor visa.
• May attend school for up to 3 months in any calendar year.

For study longer than 2 weeks, the education provider must be a signatory to the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021.

A school-aged or near-school-aged child may instead qualify for a Dependent Child Student Visa to study full time as a domestic student. Include a cover letter explaining that the child is entering New Zealand for adoption.

Travel

The visa conditions are recorded in the child’s eVisa.

To leave and return to New Zealand, the child needs a valid multiple-entry travel condition. You must apply for it.

The child must not have spent more than 9 months in New Zealand in the previous 18 months to qualify.

Warning: If the child leaves New Zealand without a multiple-entry travel condition, their visa expires.

For each arrival, the child must have onward travel evidence or enough funds to buy a ticket, unless the visa says “Return/onward travel not required”.

Applying

Applications may be made online or on paper.

1. Gather identity, adoption-support, financial, health and departure documents.
2. Obtain certified English translations where required.
3. Apply online through Immigration New Zealand or complete Visitor Visa Application (INZ 1017) for paper applications.
4. Upload or attach supporting evidence.
5. Pay the applicable fee.
6. Respond to any request for further information.
7. Check application status online or await the decision email.

If approved, Immigration New Zealand issues an eVisa.

Arrival and Obligations

Before travel, complete a New Zealand Traveller Declaration. A caregiver may complete it for a child. The online declaration may be submitted from 24 hours before travel.

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.

The child must leave New Zealand before the visa expires.