New Zealand does not have a green card lottery system like the United States’ diversity visa program. However, New Zealand does offer several visa options that can lead to permanent residency and potentially citizenship. The main pathways are through skilled employment, business investment, or family sponsorship.
New Zealand Visa Options
Here are some of the main visa categories for those looking to immigrate to New Zealand:
Skilled Migrant Category
This is the main pathway for skilled workers looking to live and work permanently in New Zealand. Applicants are scored based on factors like their work experience, qualifications, age, and an offer of skilled employment in New Zealand. There is a point system and selection process similar to other immigration systems like Canada’s express entry.
Investor Visas
For investors, the main options are the Investor 1 and 2 categories. This requires an investment of NZ$1 million or NZ$3 million over a defined period. The requirements include proven business experience and assets. This pathway can lead to permanent residency.
Entrepreneur Visas
For entrepreneurs and business owners, the Entrepreneur Work Visa allows applicants to start a business in New Zealand and apply for permanent residency after running the business for 24 months. Requirements include submitting a viable business plan with NZ$100,000 minimum of investment capital.
Work to Residence Visa
This visa is for skilled workers in areas of absolute skills shortage in New Zealand. Applicants must have an offer of employment in their field and meet work experience, qualification, character, and health requirements. It can provide a pathway to permanent residency.
Family Visas
If applicants have close family members who are New Zealand citizens or residents, they may be eligible for a family visa leading to permanent residency. This includes categories like parent, partner, and dependent child. Specific relationship and sponsorship requirements apply.
Permanent Residency
Many of the visa categories above can lead to applying for permanent residency after living and working in New Zealand for a set period of time. Permanent residents enjoy many of the same rights as citizens except for the ability to vote. After 5 years of permanent residency, applicants can apply for citizenship.
Here are some key details on permanent residency in New Zealand:
- Applicants must have continuously held a resident visa for at least 2 years in New Zealand.
- Time already spent in New Zealand on a work or student visa can count towards the permanent residency requirements.
- Applicants cannot have spent more than 83 days outside of New Zealand in the last 2 years.
- Permanent residents have access to healthcare, education, and assistance benefits.
- Processing time is approximately 12-15 months.
Citizenship
Gaining New Zealand citizenship gives full rights as a citizen including the ability to vote, obtain a New Zealand passport, and serve in public office. The requirements are:
- Holder of a New Zealand permanent resident visa
- Lived in New Zealand for at least 5 years with at least 240 days per 12-month period
- Fluent in English
- Intend to continue living in New Zealand
- Of good character
Time spent in New Zealand on a temporary visa can count towards the 5-year residency requirement for citizenship. There are some exceptions for spouses/partners of New Zealand citizens.
Is there an annual quota or cap?
Unlike the diversity visa program in the US, there are no annual quotas that limit the number of permanent residence visas issued in New Zealand each year. However, the requirements and selection process for skilled migrant visas does help manage overall numbers.
Some key points on New Zealand’s immigration quotas:
- No set quota per year but the government can adjust requirements to meet economic and labor market needs.
- There are visa category caps – for example, the skilled migrant category has a cap of 50,000.
- The parent visa category has an annual quota of 4,000 visas.
- Actual immigration levels average around 55,000 per year for both temporary and permanent visas.
So while New Zealand does not state a rigid annual immigration quota, the government does maintain some flexibility through caps on certain visa groups.
What is the selection process?
New Zealand utilizes a points-based selection system for many visa categories including skilled workers, investors, and entrepreneurs. The government determines how many points are allocated for different criteria. Let’s take a look at how it works:
Skilled Migrant Category
For skilled workers, factors assessed include:
- Age (20-30 points)
- Qualifications (up to 50 points)
- Work experience (up to 60 points)
- Job offer in NZ (up to 60 points)
- Work experience in NZ (up to 15 points)
Additional points are awarded for:
- Partner’s skills and qualifications (up to 20 points)
- Recognized qualifications in an area of absolute skills shortage (20 points)
- Recognized post-graduate qualification in NZ (10 points)
- Work experience in NZ outside Auckland (up to 15 points)
The current pass mark is 160 points. Additional factors like health, character, and English skills are also assessed.
Investor and Entrepreneur Categories
For investors and entrepreneurs, the key criteria are:
- Business experience and background
- Minimum capital investment
- Time committed to living in NZ
- Viable business plan
- Age, health, character, and English language
So while there is no automatic qualification, applicants are selected based on meeting clear benchmark criteria in areas that contribute to New Zealand.
What are the steps to apply?
Below are the main steps for applying for a New Zealand visa:
- Choose a visa category – Determine the best visa for your situation (skilled, work, family).
- Check requirements – Do you meet the criteria for that visa category?
- Submit EOI – For some visa types, submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) in the selection pool.
- Invitation to apply – If selected from the EOI pool, you will receive an ITA letter.
- Gather documents – Obtain all required paperwork including police and medical certificates.
- Complete application – Submit a complete visa application online or by post.
- Await decision – Most visas take 2-6 months for processing.
- Attend interview – Some applicants may be called for an in-person interview.
- Visa decision – If approved, your visa will be issued and you can plan your move to NZ.
It is highly recommended to use an immigration specialist when applying for New Zealand visas. This can help maximize your chances of success.
What documents do you need?
When submitting a visa application, you will need a variety of documents and paperwork. This includes:
- Passport – Certified copies of identification pages
- Birth certificate
- Educational records – Certificates, transcripts, diplomas
- Employment evidence – Reference letters, pay stubs
- Health exams – Medical certificates
- Police certificates – From all countries lived in
- English test results – IELTS or equivalent
- Financial records – Bank statements, investment evidence
- Marriage certificates
- Intended travel – Flights, travel bookings
All documents not in English must be officially translated. Having a complete visa application can help speed up processing times.
What are the fees?
There are application fees associated with applying for New Zealand visas. Some common visa fees include:
| Visa Type | Fee (NZD) |
|---|---|
| Skilled Migrant Visitor Visa | $200-$400 |
| Work Visa | $200-$450 |
| Resident Visa | $2,815 |
| Investor Visa | $3,206-$4,556 |
| Entrepreneur Visa | $2,315-$3,206 |
| Parent Visa | $4,115 |
There may also be other costs like medical exams, police certificates, translations, and consulting fees. Applicants should budget $5,000 to $10,000 NZD for the complete process.
How long is the whole process?
It can take 6-18 months from starting your visa application through to receiving the visa decision. The general timeline includes:
- 1-2 months to prepare your visa application
- 2-6 months for processing the visa application
- 1-3 months to finalize travel plans after approval
So in total you should expect 9-12 months for temporary work visas and 12-18 months for longer-term resident visas.
Some key factors that affect processing times:
- Visa category – Skilled vs family vs investor
- Completeness of your application
- Requests for more information
- Application errors that need correcting
- Current workload and priorities
- Onshore vs offshore applicants
Using an immigration adviser, having a straightforward case, and submitting a complete application can help reduce overall processing times.
Can the application be denied?
Yes, it is possible for New Zealand visa applications to be declined. Some common reasons include:
- Not meeting selection criteria for points and skills
- Errors, inconsistencies, or missing details in the application
- Health or character concerns arise
- Fraudulent documents or claims submitted
- Change in circumstances since applying
- Failure to provide requested additional documents
- Breaking the conditions of a previous visa
Applicants who are declined can choose to appeal the decision, correct any issues with their application, or reapply at a later date. Having an immigration adviser guide you through the process can help maximize approval success.
Can you bring family members?
Yes, some New Zealand visa categories allow applicants to add family members, known as dependents, to their application. This allows families to move and reside together.
Common dependents that can be included in an application are:
- Legal spouse or partner
- Unmarried dependent children under 20
- Dependent parents aged over 65 in some cases
All dependents must meet character, health, and English requirements. Their application will be linked to and processed along with the main applicant. Additional application fees usually apply per dependent.
Some visas also allow applicants to sponsor family members like parents, partners, and children. Specific relationship criteria apply to qualify as a sponsor or dependent.
Can the visa be renewed or extended?
Some New Zealand temporary visas allow renewals and extensions if the applicant continues to meet eligibility criteria. Examples include:
- Work visa – Typically up to 3 years then can apply for renewal
- Working holiday visa – Maximum of 12 or 23 months depending on country
- Student visa – Can be renewed as long as still enrolled in full-time studies
- Silver Fern – Up to 5 years for seasonal worker visa
- Post-study work visa – 1-3 years one time visa after graduating
For permanent residents, there is no limitation on the amount of time one can spend outside New Zealand before their residence status expires. However, if they apply for citizenship, they must have physically lived in NZ for 5 of the past 10 years.
Does New Zealand allow dual citizenship?
Yes, New Zealand does allow dual citizenship in most cases. This means applicants from other countries are not required to renounce their home country citizenship when becoming a New Zealand citizen.
Some key facts about dual citizenship:
- Since 2006, adults who obtain NZ citizenship can keep their original nationality.
- Special exceptions may apply for a small number of countries that do not recognize dual nationality.
- Both citizenships must be obtained legally and legitimately.
- Taxes may need to be filed and laws followed in both countries.
- If living abroad, can still travel to New Zealand freely on a NZ passport.
- Both passports should be kept up to date.
Children born in New Zealand are automatically given NZ citizenship if at least one parent is a citizen or permanent resident. This entitles them to hold dual citizenship.
Conclusion
While New Zealand does not have a green card lottery, they do offer a range of visa options that can lead to permanent residence and potentially citizenship for skilled workers, investors, entrepreneurs, and families. The system uses a merit-based points scale and defined criteria to select immigrants who will positively contribute to New Zealand society. The process typically takes 9-18 months and includes strict requirements for documents, health, character, and language skills. Applicants should use a licensed adviser to ensure they maximize their chance of making New Zealand their permanent home.