Trafficking Victim Resident Visa

At a Glance

Item	Details
Visa name	Trafficking Victim Resident Visa
Stay	Indefinitely
Cost	NZD $0
Processing	High priority
Eligibility timing	In New Zealand; hold trafficking victim visa
Work rights	Any occupation, any employer
Study	Permitted
Medicare	Not stated in the source
Travel facility	Multiple travel for two years
Citizenship	Not stated in the source
Family sponsorship	Not stated in the source
Visa record	Conditions recorded in eVisa
Location requirement	Must already be in New Zealand
Police certification	Required as trafficking victim

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Purpose

This resident visa is for people in New Zealand who hold a trafficking victim work, student or visitor visa and cannot return home because of trafficking.

Eligibility

You must:

• Hold a trafficking victim work, student or visitor visa.
• Be in New Zealand.
• Be certified by New Zealand Police as a victim of people trafficking.
• Be unable to return home because you would be:
  • endangered;
  • at risk of being re-victimised; or
  • at risk of significant social stigma and financial hardship.
• Be in good health and of good character.
• Be certified by New Zealand Police as not having obstructed the trafficking investigation.

New Zealand Police will check whether you obstructed the investigation. You do not need to provide evidence for this certification.

If you were under 18 when identified as a trafficking victim, you do not need the non-obstruction certification.

Stay and rights

This visa lets you:

• Live in New Zealand indefinitely.
• Work in any occupation for any employer.
• Study in New Zealand.
• Travel in and out of New Zealand as often as you like while travel conditions remain valid.

Travel conditions

Travel conditions expire 2 years after your first arrival in New Zealand as a resident.

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

After travel conditions expire, apply for either:

• a variation of travel conditions; or
• a Permanent Resident Visa.

Your visa must be in a valid passport to travel. If your passport expires, apply to transfer the visa to your new passport before travelling.

Required evidence

Identity

Provide:

• 2 acceptable photos for a paper application, or 1 photo online;
• an original or certified copy of your passport or certificate of identity; and
• an original or certified copy of your full birth certificate.

Immigration New Zealand may request your original passport if you submit a certified copy.

Health

You must be in good health. Immigration New Zealand may ask for a chest X-ray, medical examination, or both.

Normally:

• No chest X-ray is needed for stays under 6 months.
• No medical certificate is needed for stays under 12 months.

Immigration New Zealand will advise if health evidence is required.

Character

You may not be granted a visa if you have criminal convictions or pose a security risk.

Provide police certificates if your total time in New Zealand will be 24 months or longer, including time on previous visas. Provide them whenever Immigration New Zealand requests them.

Police certificates must:

• be less than 6 months old when submitted;
• cover countries where you are a citizen; and
• cover countries where you have spent more than 5 years since age 17.

Applicants aged 16 or younger do not need police certificates.

You do not need to submit police certificates again if previously provided and they are less than 24 months old.

Police certificates not in English must include an English translation, including certificates showing no convictions.

If police certificates are unavailable from your home country, provide statutory declarations in English and your own language, if applicable. They must explain attempts to obtain certificates, state offences for you and accompanying family members, and include supporting character information.

Trafficking and return-home evidence

Provide:

• evidence of New Zealand Police certification as a trafficking victim; and
• evidence that trafficking prevents you returning home.

Immigration New Zealand will check its records to confirm you remain in New Zealand.

Cost and processing

• There is no fee for this visa.
• Applications are treated as high priority.

Application

Process and submission information depends on your nationality on passport. Enter your country details on the Immigration New Zealand application page to see applicable instructions.