Parent Resident Visa

At a Glance

Item	Details
Visa name	Parent Resident Visa
Stay	Indefinitely
Cost	From NZD $5,810
Availability	2,500 visas yearly
Eligibility timing	EOI, then invitation required
Work rights	Any role or employer
Study	Any course, any duration
Medicare	Not stated in the source
Travel facility	Multiple travel for 10 years
Citizenship	May qualify after five years
Permanent residence	Apply after 10 consecutive years
Family sponsorship	Eligible adult child sponsor required
Partner	May be included
Dependent children	Cannot apply if dependent children
Visa record	Conditions recorded in eVisa
Application format	Residence application cannot be online

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Purpose

The Parent Resident Visa allows a parent, grandparent or eligible legal guardian of a New Zealand citizen or resident to live in New Zealand permanently.

It allows you to live, work and study in New Zealand indefinitely.

Eligibility

You must:

• Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) and receive an invitation to apply.
• Have an eligible sponsoring child.
• Be in good health and of good character.
• Speak and understand English, or pay for English-language lessons.
• Not have dependent children.

Grandparents and legal guardians may apply if they meet the requirements.

Sponsoring child

You need at least one eligible child aged 18 or over. They may sponsor you jointly with their partner or an adult sibling.

An eligible sponsoring child may be your:

• Natural or adopted child.
• Partner’s child, if you lived with them for most of their life until age 18.
• Grandchild.
• Child for whom you were the legal guardian, where the parents died and you became the child’s most recent guardian before age 18.

Your sponsoring child must:

• Be a New Zealand citizen or resident.
• Have held citizenship or residence for at least three years before application.
• Live in New Zealand.
• Have spent at least 184 days in New Zealand in each of the three years before application.
• Meet sponsor income requirements.
• Agree to support your living costs for the first 10 years.
• Agree to meet repatriation costs if required.

A New Zealand resident sponsor must not have section 49 conditions on their resident visa.

If the child has New Zealand residence through an Australian passport, Australian Permanent Resident Visa or Resident Return Visa, they must live in New Zealand.

English language

You and any included partner must show English ability through an English-speaking background or an approved English test.

English test results must meet the required score and be less than two years old when you apply.

If you do not meet the English requirement, you may agree to pay for English-language lessons before the visa is granted.

Health and character

You and any included partner must complete a medical examination and chest X-ray after invitation.

Medical and X-ray evidence must be less than three months old when received.

Applicants aged 17 or over must provide police certificates less than six months old when applying. Certificates are required from:

• Countries of citizenship.
• Countries where you spent 12 months or more during the last 10 years.

Police certificates must cover all criminal records, not only those from the last 10 years.

EOI Selection and Application Timing

Submit an EOI before applying for residence. No evidence is required with the EOI, but you must provide details supporting your eligibility.

• An unpaid EOI cannot be considered after seven days.
• EOIs remain in the ballot for two years, then expire.
• Under the current process, selections occur every three months.
• If selected, you have four months from invitation to lodge the residence application.
• If you miss this deadline, you must submit a new EOI.

Selection changes from 5 October 2026

From 5 October 2026, approximately:

• 90% of EOIs will be selected by submission-date order.
• 10% will be selected through a random ballot.

The first selection under this model is scheduled for 10 November 2026. Annual approval numbers and visa criteria will not change.

Documents

EOI stage

No documents are required when submitting an EOI.

Residence application stage

If invited, provide:

• Passport or certificate of identity.
• Two acceptable photos.
• Medical examination and chest X-ray evidence.
• Police certificates.
• Evidence of your relationship to the sponsoring child.
• Proof of the sponsor’s identity, immigration status and New Zealand residence.
• Completed Sponsorship for Residence form.
• Evidence of English ability or payment for lessons.
• English translations of non-English documents.

If including a partner, provide evidence of the genuine relationship, identity documents, photos, health and character evidence where required, and English evidence.

Documents must be originals or certified copies. Original documents may prevent delays.

If your legal name changed, provide official evidence of the change.

Relationship evidence

Evidence may include:

• Full birth certificates.
• Adoption documents.
• Other documents confirming the relationship.

Grandparents or legal guardians may need parents’ death certificates. Legal guardians must also provide custody and caregiving evidence.

How to Apply

1. Submit an EOI and pay the EOI fee through the Parent Resident Visa EOI service.
2. Wait for EOI selection and an invitation to apply.
3. Gather required evidence after invitation.
4. Complete the Parent Category Residence Application (INZ 1206).
5. Have the sponsoring child complete the Sponsorship for Residence (INZ 1024) form.
6. Submit the paper residence application and pay the applicable fee.
7. Wait for Immigration New Zealand’s decision.

The source states that the residence application cannot be submitted online.

If approved, Immigration New Zealand issues an eVisa and emails a copy.

Cost and Processing

The visa costs from NZD $5,810.

Country-specific payment, submission and processing information is not stated in the source because it depends on nationality details.

Rights and Conditions

Living, work and study

You may:

• Live in New Zealand indefinitely.
• Work in any role for any employer.
• Study anywhere in New Zealand for any length of time.

Your visa conditions are recorded in your eVisa.

Travel

You may travel in and out of New Zealand as often as you wish until travel conditions expire.

Travel conditions expire 10 years after:

• Your first arrival in New Zealand as a resident; or
• Visa issue, if you were already in New Zealand.

After expiry, obtain a Permanent Resident Visa or extend travel conditions before returning to New Zealand.

If you are outside New Zealand when travel conditions expire, your resident visa also expires.

Keep the visa in a valid passport. If your passport expires, transfer the visa to a new passport before travelling.

Sponsor Obligations

For 10 years after the resident visa is granted, the sponsor must:

• Provide suitable accommodation if needed.
• Ensure health and welfare needs are met.
• Pay deportation and repatriation costs if required.

Welfare payments may indicate that sponsorship obligations are not being met.

If the sponsor does not meet obligations, you may be considered to have breached visa conditions and may become liable for deportation. The sponsor may have to repay costs incurred by the New Zealand Government or another party.

Arrival and Entry

You and any included partner must travel to New Zealand within 12 months after the visa is granted.

All travellers must complete a New Zealand Traveller Declaration:

• Air travellers: from 24 hours before the journey begins.
• Sea travellers: from 24 hours before the vessel leaves its last overseas port.

Entry permission may be refused if you no longer meet character requirements, circumstances have changed, or you refuse biometric collection.

Staying Longer

After holding the Parent Resident Visa for 10 consecutive years, you may apply for a Permanent Resident Visa.

A Permanent Resident Visa allows indefinite travel in and out of New Zealand while held in a valid passport.

For most people, New Zealand citizenship may be available after five years living in New Zealand as a resident. Any resident-visa conditions must be met or cancelled before applying.