Escort of Medical Patients Visitor Visa

At a Glance

Item	Details
Visa name	Escort of Medical Patients Visitor Visa
Purpose	Escort patient for medical treatment
Stay	Up to 6 months
Cost	From NZD $341
Processing	80% within 2.5 weeks
Eligibility timing	Not stated in the source
Work rights	No local work; remote work possible
Study	Not stated in the source
Medicare	Not stated in the source
Health-care costs	Applicant or sponsor pays
Travel facility	Multiple entry only if stated
Family inclusion	Partner and dependent children under 20
Family sponsorship	Financial sponsor permitted
Citizenship	Not stated in the source
Visa record	eVisa
Application methods	Online or paper
Departure requirement	Leave before visa expires

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Purpose

This visa allows a medical professional, family member or friend to escort a patient coming to New Zealand for medical treatment or consultation.

There must be a genuine need for the escort because of the patient’s medical condition.

Eligibility

You must:

• Be a medical professional, family member or friend of the patient, or otherwise required due to their condition.
• Be needed to accompany the patient because of their medical condition.
• Be in good health and of good character.
• Have a genuine reason to visit and intend to leave afterwards.
• Have enough money for living costs, or an acceptable sponsor.
• Be able to pay for any health care or medical assistance.
• Have onward travel arrangements or funds to leave New Zealand.

Financial requirement

If paying for yourself, 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 receipts, bank drafts or traveller’s cheques.

Your onward-ticket funds must be additional to your living funds.

Stay and extension

You may stay for up to 6 months, or for the patient’s authorised medical-treatment stay.

You must leave before the visa expires.

If the patient needs further treatment, you may apply for another visitor visa before expiry. Include updated treatment details.

Work and activities

You cannot work in New Zealand on this visitor visa.

You may be able to volunteer or work remotely for an overseas employer or client.

Health and character

You may be asked to provide a chest X-ray, medical examination, police certificates, or all of these.

• Medical and chest X-ray results must be less than 3 months old.
• Police certificates must be less than 6 months old when submitted.
• Police certificates may be required for applicants aged 17 or older whose total New Zealand stay will be 24 months or longer.
• Certificates may be required from citizenship countries and countries lived in for more than 5 years since age 17.

You or your sponsor must pay health-care costs. Full medical insurance is recommended.

Family provisions

You may include your partner and dependent children aged 19 or younger.

Provide evidence of:

• Your relationship with included family members.
• Their identity and acceptable photographs.
• Their health and character, if required.

Use Additional Dependants for a Visitor Visa (INZ 1205) if required.

Sponsorship

An acceptable individual or organisation may sponsor you.

The sponsor must complete the Sponsorship Form for Temporary Entry (INZ 1025) and may provide bank statements, payslips, employment agreements, or accommodation evidence.

A sponsor may also show they can pay for your departure travel.

Required documents

Provide:

• Passport or certificate of identity.
• One photo online, or two photos on paper.
• Evidence you are needed as the patient’s escort.
• Evidence of your relationship to the patient.
• Financial evidence or sponsorship evidence.
• Evidence of onward travel or funds.
• Health and character evidence, if required.
• English translations and original-document copies where documents are not in English.

Your passport or identity document must remain valid for at least 3 months after your planned departure.

Additional nationality-specific documents

• Chinese citizens applying from China, Hong Kong or Macao must provide INZ 1027.
• Hong Kong or Macao passport or identity-document holders applying in China, Hong Kong or Macao must provide INZ 1220 and identity-card copies.

How to apply

Online

1. Gather required evidence and translations.
2. Create or log in to an Immigration New Zealand account.
3. Complete the application, upload documents and pay fees.
4. Check application status online.
5. Immigration New Zealand emails the decision and eVisa.

Paper application

1. Gather required evidence and translations.
2. Complete Visitor Visa Application (INZ 1017).
3. Attach supporting documents.
4. Submit the application and pay the applicable fee.

Arrival and travel

Complete a New Zealand Traveller Declaration:

• By air: from 24 hours before travel begins.
• By sea: from 24 hours before final overseas-port departure.

At arrival, carry evidence of:

• Onward travel, departure funds, or sponsor support.
• Sufficient funds for living costs.

Your eVisa records your conditions.

To leave and return to New Zealand, your visa must include a valid multiple-entry travel condition. If you leave without one, the visa expires.

Important warnings

• Entry permission may be refused if you are not a genuine visitor, no longer meet requirements, or cannot show onward-travel evidence.
• Incorrect identity details may delay, decline or affect entry permission.
• From 24 September 2026, new applications for most visitor visas must use enhanced Immigration Online.
• If your temporary visa expires while an in-New Zealand application is pending, Immigration New Zealand will normally issue an Interim Visa.