Visas

Learn more about the type of visa appropriate for your situation. Our team of experts are here to help.

The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV)

For many migrants, the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) is the primary route to live and work in New Zealand. It often serves as a stepping stone, providing the work experience needed to apply for residence.

The AEWV replaced the old Essential Skills Work Visa and introduced new steps, including employer accreditation and job checks. However, additional requirements, such as verifying work experience, qualifications, and English language proficiency, have made the process more complex for many applicants.

Key features of the AEWV

Experience and Qualifications: Applicants may need to demonstrate their experience and qualifications in up to three separate ways, depending on the role and visa type.
English Proficiency: Evidence of sufficient English language skills may be required.
Visa Duration: Visa terms range from 8 months to 5 years. While subsequent visas are possible for some, they are often granted for shorter periods.

How we can help
We assist with every stage of the AEWV application process, starting with confirming an applicant’s eligibility. We believe in submitting only well-prepared applications to avoid unnecessary rejections. Our process includes:

Identifying potential issues in advance and addressing them proactively.
Ensuring all required documentation meets Immigration New Zealand’s standards.
Advising on how best to present your application

A transparent approach

We recommend complete honesty with Immigration New Zealand, even if it means disclosing issues they may not yet be aware of. Attempting to conceal information can lead to complications, delays, or the perception of dishonesty, which can damage your case.

By addressing concerns openly from the outset, we can work to resolve them efficiently. This approach has earned us a strong working relationship with many Immigration New Zealand staff. Making the process straightforward for them often results in smoother visa approvals for our clients.

Let us guide you through the AEWV process with expertise and integrity, ensuring the best possible outcome for your application.

General Visitor Visa

New Zealand is a destination that attracts visitors from around the world for its natural beauty, vibrant culture, and unique experiences. For those who are not from visa-waiver countries or who are ineligible for a visa waiver, the General Visitor Visa is the most common option.

This visa allows for single or multiple entries, enabling visits of up to six months in any 12-month period. In some cases, applicants can secure visas valid for multiple years, providing flexibility for frequent travel.

A Complex Process for Some Applicants
While the General Visitor Visa is one of the more affordable visa options, it is far from simple—particularly for applicants from non-Western countries. Immigration New Zealand requires applicants to prove they are genuine visitors with plans to stay temporarily and return home afterward.
The process often involves providing strong evidence to support:

Your Purpose for Visiting: Why you are coming to New Zealand.
Your Intention to Leave: Clear reasons and evidence showing your commitment to returning home after your visit.

Dealing with Declines
Many clients come to us after multiple visa application declines. These prior decisions can make reapplying more challenging, depending on the reasons for refusal. We always provide an honest assessment of your chances of success. With proper documentation and preparation, we find that most applicants can secure approval as long as they provide the necessary evidence.

How We Can Help
Whether you are applying for the first time or have faced declines in the past, we can assist with your General Visitor Visa application. Our expertise ensures:

Your application is thoroughly prepared and meets Immigration New Zealand’s standards.
Potential issues are identified and addressed before submission.
Your chances of success are maximized, minimizing the risk of future declines.

If you want to visit New Zealand and avoid the stress of navigating the process alone, let us guide you. With our help, you can approach your application with confidence and focus on planning your visit to this incredible country.

Residence through work

For many migrants, the most common route to a residence visa is through employment. To meet the demand for skilled workers, New Zealand offers residence class visas that allow migrants to remain in the country indefinitely. These visas help fill critical skills gaps while enabling migrants and their families to build a life in New Zealand.

Residence visas not only provide a permanent solution for migrants but also offer significant benefits, such as:

Allowing partners and children to stay in New Zealand, with access to domestic tertiary education fees.
Removing the requirement for migrants to remain tied to a specific role or employer.

Recent Changes to Residence Visa Categories
In recent years, New Zealand has overhauled its residence visa programs, introducing new initiatives to address labour shortages during and after the pandemic. These include:

Work to Residence and Straight to Residence Visas: Initially designed as temporary measures to retain skilled workers during staff shortages, these options remain available but are gradually being phased out.
Skilled Migrant Category (SMC): Introduced in late 2023, the new SMC replaces the old points-based system with a simplified six-point framework. This approach reduces complexity, moves the application process online, and streamlines documentation requirements.
Sector Agreement Residence Visas: Targeted at specific industries such as the care and transport sectors, these visas address shortages in roles that do not meet other residence visa requirements. However, like the transport sector agreement, these are expected to be phased out as shortages diminish.

While these changes aim to simplify the process, challenges remain—particularly around meeting ANZSCO requirements, which continue to be a primary reason for visa declines.

Our Expertise in Residence Applications
We take a thorough and honest approach to residence visa applications, beginning with a detailed assessment of eligibility. If we believe an application may face challenges, we provide clear advice upfront. Our knowledge of immigration decisions, including those from the Immigration and Protection Tribunal, gives us insight into which roles are more likely to succeed.

For all residence applications, we provide comprehensive support, including:

Assessing eligibility and identifying potential issues.
Preparing and submitting applications, including any required Expressions of Interest.
Managing all communication with Immigration New Zealand to ensure the process runs smoothly.

Our clients can trust that their applications are monitored regularly, with updates provided on any changes in status. With our expertise, you can navigate New Zealand’s residence visa process confidently and maximize your chances of success.

Family Visas

Most work and residence visas allow applicants to include their partners and dependent children. While the definitions of "partner" and "dependent child" can vary depending on the visa type, there are some general guidelines:

Partners: Typically defined as someone you have lived with in a genuine and stable relationship. However, the interpretation of "living together" can differ depending on the visa category.
Dependent Children: For temporary visas (such as work visas), children under 21 are eligible. For residence visas, this extends to children under 25.

Although these rules provide a starting point, the requirements can often be more complex.

Applying for Family Visas
For temporary visas, partners and children may need to apply separately, while residence visas generally allow family members to be included in the same application. In some cases, partners and dependent children are legally required to be included in residence applications.

For families looking to reunite, similar rules apply. However, partnership-based visas can be particularly challenging due to:

Strict evidentiary requirements.
Differences in cultural or legal interpretations of relationships.
Misapplication of immigration instructions, leading to declined visas.

We have helped many clients navigate these challenges, securing visas and reuniting families.

Challenges for Dependent Children
Dependent children under 16 can present unique challenges, especially when parents are separated. These cases often require Immigration New Zealand to assess custody arrangements based on the laws of the child’s home country. We have successfully handled such cases for clients from various countries.

For families facing custody issues in New Zealand, we work closely with our family law team to address any legal complexities.

Our Expertise
Whether you are applying to bring your family to New Zealand or seeking to include them in your visa, we provide expert guidance and support. Our team ensures:

Your application meets all requirements and includes the necessary evidence.
Any potential issues are identified and addressed before submission.
You receive clear advice tailored to your unique situation.

Decisions about family visas can have a lasting impact on your loved ones’ lives. By engaging experienced immigration lawyers, you can ensure your application is handled correctly and maximize your chances of success.

Parents and Grandparents

Over the past few years, we’ve built a strong reputation for supporting Elderly Migrants to Join or remain here with their loved ones. Our expertise spans across all stages of the immigration process, and we are proud to have assisted many applicants on their journey to New Zealand.

Visitor Visas for Parents and Grandparents
For many elderly applicants, the first step is securing a Parent or Grandparent Visitor Visa. This visa offers the best opportunity for family members living overseas to visit New Zealand, allowing stays of up to 18 months. To maintain the visa, the applicant must leave and re-enter New Zealand every six months.

For those already in New Zealand, or for those whose family members are not residents or citizens, a General Visitor Visa may be an option. However, this visa typically requires the applicant to fund their stay independently, without sponsorship from family.

Future Developments: Five-Year Parent and Grandparent Visa
We are awaiting the introduction of a new five-year visa to allow parents and grandparents to remain in New Zealand for longer periods. We’ve previously worked with the Minister of Immigration on this initiative, and it is expected to be rolled out in late 2025 or early 2026.

Residence Options for Parents and Grandparents
When it comes to residence, there are two key visa pathways: the Parent Retirement Visa and the Parent Resident Visa.

Parent Retirement Visa: This visa requires the parent or grandparent to meet financial criteria, including assets of at least $1.5 million. While this option is ideal for wealthier applicants, it’s often out of reach for many families.
Parent Resident Visa: This visa is based on the income of the sponsoring family member. Although the requirements are more reasonable, the number of available spots is limited, and a lottery system determines eligibility, which means applicants may have to wait years for a decision.

We’ve successfully assisted clients with both types of applications and continue to explore all possibilities. For younger parents (55 years old or younger), we also look for potential pathways to residence through employment.

Humanitarian Grounds and Appeals
In cases where no other options are available, especially for parents or grandparents already in New Zealand, we often explore appealing to the Immigration and Protection Tribunal on humanitarian grounds. This offers an alternative route when traditional visa pathways are not applicable.

Entrepreneur

For many, the Entrepreneur Work Visa and its Residence Visa counterpart represent the ultimate pathway to residence in New Zealand. This visa is designed for individuals who wish to establish or enhance a business in the country, contributing to New Zealand’s economy by creating jobs, increasing revenue, and demonstrating that their presence benefits the nation.

However, this opportunity comes with high costs and risks. The Entrepreneur Visa application process is one of the most detailed and complex of all visa types, requiring substantial evidence not only at the application stage but also to demonstrate the ongoing success of the business. This makes the process both time-consuming and expensive.

Additionally, the judicial interpretation of certain terms has sometimes worked against applicants, where similar situations may be viewed differently depending on what would be more detrimental to the applicant. Applicants must meet the targets set out in their business plan, although there are options to reset these targets if needed.

While the Entrepreneur Visa pathway is a challenging one, we have successfully assisted several clients in navigating this process. However, we always explore and discuss other potential options with our clients, as this route can often be more difficult and costly compared to other available pathways. That said, if the Entrepreneur Visa is the best or preferred option for our clients, we are here to offer full support through the application and business development stages.

Active Investor

The Active Investor Visa is designed for those who have already achieved financial success and are looking to bring their capital to New Zealand. While it offers the option of simply investing funds, there is an expectation that individuals applying for this visa will do more than just invest money. Successful applicants are encouraged to actively contribute to New Zealand’s economy and society, beyond the financial investment.

For those with significant funds, this can be one of the simplest and fastest pathways to permanent residence for both the applicant and their family (see our page on Partner and Dependent Children for more information on including family members).Investment amounts range from NZD $5 million to $15 million, depending on the nature and risk of the investment. For lower-risk investments, the required investment amount will be higher, while higher-risk investments can involve a smaller amount. There is also an option for some of the investment to be philanthropic.

The Active Investor Visa allows residence within months, granting the right to purchase a home without the need to live in New Zealand to maintain that residence status. This provides the flexibility to manage offshore business operations while maintaining residency in New Zealand. After four years of holding an approved investment, the conditions of the visa can be removed, with the option to apply for citizenship a year later, provided all requirements are met.

For those with the required capital, the Active Investor pathway is often the simplest and most efficient route to permanent residence. It offers the added benefit of providing a stable and secure environment for you and your family, allowing you to create a base in New Zealand without extensive time commitments.

Student Visas

For many, studying in New Zealand remains a viable pathway to residence, despite the government’s shift away from promoting study as the primary route. Student visas are available for all levels of education, and for the children of certain work and student visa holders, a student visa may be granted as a dependent, providing access to fee-free primary or secondary education.

For those pursuing tertiary education, student visas are granted for any NZQA-certified course, with eligibility determined based on the applicant’s background, their course of study, and its alignment with their career progression. Immigration New Zealand (INZ) will assess whether the applicant has the necessary qualifications and experience to undertake the course. Most tertiary student visas also allow for up to 20 hours of work per week during the academic term, with full-time work permitted during summer or study breaks.

Upon successful completion of a bachelor's degree or higher, applicants may apply for a Post-Study Work Visa. This visa enables graduates to work in any role in New Zealand and can last for up to three years, though it is typically granted only once. There are also specific post-study work visas for those with qualifications that are on the Green List or listed in Appendix 13 of the Operational Manual, though these roles can be more limited and harder to secure. The primary goal of the post-study work visa is to allow graduates to apply their qualifications and gain valuable work experience, which can also serve as a stepping stone to residence through work options.

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