Medical Treatment Visitor Visa

At a Glance

Item	Details
Visa name	Medical Treatment Visitor Visa
Purpose	Medical treatment or consultation
Stay	Up to 6 months
Cost	From NZD $341
Processing	80% within 2.5 weeks
Eligibility timing	Treatment accepted before applying
Work rights	No work permitted
Study	Not stated in the source
Medicare	Not stated in the source
Public health care	Some people may qualify
Travel facility	Multiple entry only if granted
Citizenship	Not stated in the source
Family sponsorship	Partner and dependent children included
Visa record	eVisa issued if approved
Medical costs	Applicant or sponsor pays
Application methods	Online or paper

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Purpose

This visa allows you to visit New Zealand for medical treatment or consultation that has already been accepted by a New Zealand provider.

You must apply for this visa for medical treatment or consultation even if you are from a visa waiver country.

For urgent treatment or an emergency situation, contact Immigration New Zealand; special arrangements may be available.

Stay and extensions

You can stay for up to 6 months.

You will not be asked to leave New Zealand until it is safe for you to travel. If you need more treatment, become ill, or have an accident, you may apply for another Medical Treatment Visitor Visa before your current visa expires.

You must leave New Zealand before your visa expires.

Your visa starts:

• on entry to New Zealand, if approved while you are offshore; or
• on the date granted, if you are already in New Zealand.

Eligibility

You must:

• have written evidence that you have been accepted for treatment or consultation;
• provide expected treatment costs;
• show how all medical costs will be paid, unless covered by a special arrangement;
• be of good character;
• have genuine reasons to visit for medical treatment or consultation;
• have enough money for living costs, or an acceptable sponsor; and
• show plans and financial ability to leave New Zealand.

Only citizens of South Pacific countries may be granted a visa for renal dialysis in New Zealand. They must be sponsored and cannot pay for their own renal dialysis treatment.

Medical treatment and costs

Provide:

• a completed Details of Intended Medical Treatment form (INZ 1009);
• written acceptance for treatment from medical authorities;
• expected treatment costs;
• evidence of how medical costs will be paid; and
• evidence that you need an escort, if required by your condition.

You or your sponsor must agree to pay for health care or medical assistance needed in New Zealand, unless funding is available through:

• your home government; or
• New Zealand’s Official Development Assistance Programme Medical Treatment Scheme.

Full medical insurance is recommended. Additional requirements apply if you are pregnant.

Some people may be eligible for public health care.

Financial and departure requirements

You must have enough money for living costs or an acceptable sponsor.

Evidence of funds may include:

• prepaid accommodation receipts;
• bank or credit-card statements; or
• bank drafts or traveller’s cheques.

A sponsor may be an individual or organisation and is responsible for you while in New Zealand. The sponsor must complete a Sponsorship Form for Temporary Entry.

You must also show that you can leave New Zealand by providing:

• an onward ticket to a country you may enter;
• evidence of enough money to buy an onward ticket; or
• if sponsored, evidence that your sponsor can pay for your departure.

Money for an onward ticket must be additional to your living-cost funds.

Family and escorts

You may include your partner and dependent children aged 19 or younger in your application. They may alternatively apply for their own visas.

For included family members, provide:

• relationship evidence, such as marriage or birth certificates;
• identity evidence and photographs; and
• evidence they meet health and character requirements.

Family members may be asked for a medical examination or chest X-ray. Any examination or X-ray result must be less than 3 months old when received.

If your condition requires an escort, a family member, friend, or doctor may accompany you. They must apply for their own visitor visa.

Character requirements

You must be of good character. A criminal conviction or security risk may result in refusal.

Police certificates are required if:

• you are aged 17 or older; and
• your total time in New Zealand will be 24 months or longer, including previous stays.

Certificates must be less than 6 months old and issued by:

• countries of citizenship; and
• countries where you have spent more than 5 years since turning 17.

You may not need new certificates if you supplied certificates issued within the past 24 months for an earlier visa application.

Documents

Submit:

• passport or certificate of identity;
• one acceptable photo online, or two on paper;
• completed INZ 1009;
• treatment acceptance evidence;
• treatment-cost details and payment evidence;
• escort evidence, if needed;
• living-cost evidence;
• police certificates, if required;
• onward travel evidence;
• family evidence, if including family members;
• Additional Dependants for a Visitor Visa (INZ 1205), if required;
• Sponsorship Form for Temporary Entry, if sponsored; and
• English translations and copies of documents not in English.

Your passport or certificate of identity must be valid for at least 3 months after your planned departure date.

Additional forms apply to certain applicants:

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

How to apply

Apply online

Apply through Immigration Online.

When completing the online form, choose:

1. Visitor as the visa type.
2. Other as the visit purpose.
3. To seek medical treatment or consultation as the reason for travel.

Upload supporting documents and pay the applicable fee. Immigration New Zealand may request further information.

If approved, you will receive an eVisa by email.

Apply on paper

Complete the Visitor Visa Application (INZ 1017).

Select other for the visitor visa type and write medical treatment beside it. Attach supporting documents, submit the application, and pay the applicable fee.

Application system change

From 24 September 2026, new applications for most visitor visas can only be submitted through enhanced Immigration Online.

Rights and conditions

You may receive only the pre-approved, specified treatment at the hospital or institution named on your visa.

You cannot work in New Zealand on this visitor visa. You may be able to volunteer or work remotely for an employer or client based outside New Zealand.

Your visa conditions are recorded in your eVisa.

Travel

You may travel in and out of New Zealand only if your visa has a valid multiple-entry travel condition.

If you leave New Zealand without a multiple-entry travel condition, your visa expires.

Each time you travel to New Zealand, you must have onward travel evidence or enough money to buy a ticket, unless your visa states “Return/onward travel not required”.

Arrival obligations

All travellers must complete a New Zealand Traveller Declaration.

You may be refused entry permission if you:

• are not a genuine visitor;
• no longer meet character requirements;
• have changed circumstances since visa grant;
• refuse a photo, fingerprint, or iris scan; or
• cannot show onward travel or sufficient departure funds.

At arrival, carry evidence of:

• onward travel, departure funds, or sponsor support;
• sufficient living funds; and
• pre-approval of medical treatment.

Important warnings

• Provide complete documents to avoid processing delays.
• Enter identity details exactly as shown in your passport or certificate of identity.
• Incorrect identity details may delay, decline, or prevent entry on your application.
• If applying from New Zealand, maintain a valid visa while awaiting a decision. An Interim Visa will normally be issued if your current temporary visa expires during processing.