Child of a Worker Visitor Visa

At a Glance

Item	Details
Visa name	Child of a Worker Visitor Visa
Stay	Same duration as parent’s work visa
Cost	From NZD $341
Processing	80% within 10 weeks
Eligibility timing	Apply with parent’s work visa
Work rights	Limited, in specific circumstances
Study	Up to 3 months
Medicare	Not stated in the source
Travel facility	Multiple entry conditions may be requested
Citizenship	Not stated in the source
Family sponsorship	Parent must hold eligible work visa
Visa record	Conditions recorded in eVisa
Application method	Apply online
Dependent child age	Usually 17 or younger

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Purpose

This visa allows dependent children of eligible work visa holders to:

• Join their parent in New Zealand.
• Visit New Zealand for the duration of the parent’s work visa.
• Study for up to 3 months.

Children studying for more than 3 months need a student visa.

Eligibility

The applying parent must:

• Hold an appropriate work visa.
• Be the child’s parent.
• Show the child is single and financially dependent.
• Meet applicable income or sponsorship requirements.
• Provide English translations for non-English documents.

The child must:

• Be in good health.
• Be of good character.
• Genuinely intend to meet visa conditions.

Dependent child definition

A child must be single and financially dependent on the parent, and be:

• Aged 17 or younger; or
• Aged 18 or 19 with no children; or
• Aged 20 to 24 with an eligible residence visa application.

Immigration New Zealand may request financial-dependency evidence for children aged 18 or 19, such as enrolment records, expense receipts, bank records or allowance payments.

Parent work visa requirements

Children cannot be supported under this visa if the parent holds:

• A Working Holiday Visa.
• A Skilled Migrant Category Job Search Work Visa.
• A Recognised Seasonal Employer Limited Visa.
• A Supplementary Seasonal Employment Work Visa.
• A Foreign Crew on Fishing Vessels Work Visa.
• A Domestic Staff of Diplomatic, Consular and Official Staff Work Visa.
• An Essential Skills Work Visa where earnings are below NZD $55,844 yearly.

Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV)

A parent holding an AEWV must:

• Meet the applicable minimum income requirement.
• Provide income evidence, such as payslips, employment agreements or tax records.
• Have remaining time under their maximum continuous AEWV stay.

If both parents hold AEWVs, their incomes may be combined.

Religious Worker Work Visa

The parent must either:

• Earn at least NZD $58,240 yearly before tax, alone or with their partner; or
• Provide a completed Sponsorship Form for Religious Workers (INZ 1190) showing the supporting religious organisation will support the children.

A lower threshold of NZD $43,322.76 may apply where, on or before 9 March 2025, the child had an approved or pending relationship-based visa application and the parent held, or later received, a Religious Worker Work Visa.

Required evidence

Provide:

• Child’s passport or certificate of identity.
• One acceptable online photo, or two paper-application photos.
• Evidence of the parent-child relationship, such as full birth certificates or adoption papers.
• Evidence of financial dependency, if requested.
• Evidence of the parent’s income or sponsorship, where required.
• Full English translations of non-English documents.

If a child travels alone or with one parent, Immigration New Zealand may request custody, guardianship or departure-authority documents.

Additional identity documents

Chinese citizens applying from China must also provide:

• Child’s Hukou.
• Child’s identity card.

Paper applications submitted in China also require INZ 1027.

Applicants in Hong Kong or Macao must provide the child’s identity card. Paper applications also require INZ 1220.

Taiwan compatriot passports are not accepted as proof of citizenship.

Health and character

Children may need a medical examination and/or chest X-ray.

Children under 11 generally do not need a chest X-ray unless a special report is required.

Applicants from China, Hong Kong or Macao may need a chest X-ray completed within the last 3 months if the child:

• Spent 6 continuous months in China since the last X-ray; and
• Is coming to New Zealand for more than 6 months.

Police certificates may be required. Children under 17 do not need to provide police certificates.

Study and work rights

Study

• School-aged children may study up to 3 months in a calendar year.
• Older children may study at tertiary institutions up to 3 months in a 12-month period.
• Study exceeding 3 months requires a student visa.
• For study longer than 2 weeks, the school must be a signatory to the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021.

Work

Children may be able to work part-time if they have applied for, or are included in, an application for an eligible residence visa.

They may also be able to work remotely for an overseas employer or client while in New Zealand.

Travel and visa conditions

Visa conditions are recorded in the child’s eVisa.

Children need valid multiple-entry travel conditions to leave and return to New Zealand. A single-entry visa expires when the child leaves New Zealand.

To receive multiple-entry travel conditions, the child must apply and must not have spent more than 9 months in New Zealand during the previous 18 months.

Ongoing obligations

The parent must continue meeting applicable income requirements while the child is in New Zealand.

For Religious Worker Work Visa holders, the child must remain supported through the required income or religious organisation sponsorship.

If income or sponsorship requirements are no longer met, the parent and child may have to leave New Zealand.

The child must leave New Zealand before the visa expires.

Arrival in New Zealand

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

The digital declaration can be submitted from 24 hours before travel. A paper declaration is available where online completion is not possible.

Entry permission may be refused if the child:

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

Application steps

1. Confirm the parent holds an eligible work visa.
2. Check income or sponsorship requirements.
3. Gather identity, relationship, health, character and dependency evidence.
4. Translate all non-English documents into English.
5. Apply online through Immigration New Zealand.
6. If applying with the parent’s work visa application, wait for the parent’s visa to be approved before the child’s visa can be granted.