Destination Guide
New Zealand, one category at a time.
New Zealand's residence system runs through a small number of distinct pathways with very different requirements. This page organizes them the way people actually think about it — starting with the destination, then the category, then the specific pathway.
Application categories for New Zealand
Each category below links to the full guide for New Zealand. Where New Zealand's own system has named, distinct programs — rather than one general category — we break that out underneath.
Visitor Visa
Full Visitor Visa guide →Visiting New Zealand generally requires a Visitor Visa, though passport holders from visa-waiver countries may instead need only a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) for short stays. New Zealand does not have a separate digital nomad visa, but current visitor-visa conditions permit remote work for an overseas employer or your own overseas clients — never for a New Zealand business — for part of your stay.
Business Visitor
Full Business Visitor guide →Short-term business trips to New Zealand generally use the Business Visitor Visa, though passport holders from visa-waiver countries may only need an NZeTA for short business visits.
Study Visa
Full Study Visa guide →New Zealand's Fee Paying Student Visa allows study at an accredited institution and requires an Offer of Place, proof of sufficient funds, and — for longer courses — evidence of accommodation arrangements.
Work Visa
Full Work Visa guide →New Zealand's main employer-sponsored work visa route is the Accredited Employer Work Visa, which requires the hiring employer to hold accreditation and the role to meet job-check requirements before an application is made.
Working Holiday
Full Working Holiday guide →Immigration New Zealand runs Working Holiday Scheme agreements with a large number of partner countries, most granting around 12 months, with some (including Canada and the UK) granted longer. Age eligibility is generally 18–30, extended to 35 for a handful of partner countries.
Permanent Residence
Full Permanent Residence guide →New Zealand's main points-based route to residence is the Skilled Migrant Category, alongside work-to-residence pathways and family/partner residence categories.
New Zealand's residence pathways fall into a few genuinely distinct tracks — a points-based skilled category, a faster route for roles on the Green List of in-demand occupations, and a separate investor category with its own capital requirements.
Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa
The main points-based residence pathway, assessed through an Expression of Interest against factors like skilled employment, qualifications, and age. Applicants meeting the current points threshold receive an Invitation to Apply.
- Applicants with skilled employment or a skilled job offer in New Zealand and a competitive points profile
Green List pathways
For occupations on New Zealand's Green List of roles in severe, ongoing shortage. Tier 1 roles can lead straight to residence without a prior work-visa stage; Tier 2 roles qualify for residence after a set period of skilled work in that occupation.
- Applicants with a genuine job or job offer in a Green List occupation meeting the listed requirements
Active Investor Plus Visa
A separate investor residence category requiring a substantial minimum investment into acceptable New Zealand investments, held for a set investment period, with its own time-in-New Zealand requirements distinct from the skills-based pathways.
- Applicants able to commit several million New Zealand dollars to acceptable local investments
Family Sponsorship
Full Family Sponsorship guide →New Zealand citizens and residents can sponsor a partner through the Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa, or sponsor parents through the Parent Category — availability and requirements for the Parent Category change from time to time, so current status should always be confirmed.
New Zealand's family-based residence categories are assessed differently depending on the relationship — partnership genuineness, dependent-child eligibility, and the parent category each have their own distinct tests.
Partner Resident Visa
For the partner of a New Zealand citizen or resident, assessed on genuineness and stability of the relationship — generally requiring at least 12 months living together in a genuine partnership.
- Partners who have lived together in a genuine, stable relationship for the required minimum period
Dependent Child Resident Visa
For a dependent child of a New Zealand citizen or resident, assessed on age, dependency, and marital status, with different rules for children aged 21–24.
- Dependent children of a New Zealand-based parent meeting the age and dependency criteria
Parent Resident Visa
For a parent, grandparent, or legal guardian of a New Zealand citizen or resident, subject to a minimum sponsor-income requirement and sponsor residence history — periodically paused or adjusted, so current intake status should be confirmed directly.
- Parents sponsored by a New Zealand-based adult child meeting the current income and residence requirements
Parent & Grandparent Visa
Full Parent & Grandparent Visa guide →New Zealand's Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa allows multiple visits of up to six months at a time over a longer overall visa validity, for parents and grandparents of New Zealand citizens or residents.
Refusals
Full Refusals guide →Immigration New Zealand refusal decisions state the reasons for the decline, though appeal rights are limited and vary by visa category — some decisions can only be addressed through a fresh application rather than a formal appeal.
New Zealand Citizenship (by Grant)
New Zealand citizenship by grant is a separate, later step after holding resident-class status — it requires a substantial minimum physical-presence period and cannot be applied for on a temporary visa of any kind.
- Hold a resident-class visa (Resident Visa or Permanent Resident Visa) at the time of application — a work, student, or other temporary visa does not qualify
- Have held that resident-class visa continuously for at least 5 years before applying
- Have been physically present in New Zealand for at least 1,350 days across those 5 years, with no fewer than 240 days in any single year
- Meet the English-language and good-character requirements
Citizenship eligibility rules and the physical-presence calculation are set by the New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs and can change. Covalyn Migration does not guarantee approval and does not calculate physical presence on your behalf — use the official government tools and guidance directly for your own calculation.
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