Closer Look At New Zealand Visa: Types, Recovery Visa & More

New Zealand is on most travelers’ “must visit” lists as one of the world’s most beautiful countries. Island nation with several sightseeing options is known for its natural beauty. The nation has top-notch educational institutions that offer travel and education. Its robust economy and deep historical linkages make it a terrific place to visit and stay. Many countries have strict visa procedures, yet New Zealand grants visas to eligible applicants.

New Zealand only allows visa-free travel to 60 countries. Guest visa applications must be submitted online and cost $100–125. Visas take 12–30 working days to arrive after application. The visiting visa allows nine-month stays in 18-month periods. The 18-month period begins on your departure from New Zealand and works backward. Your 18-month term will begin on April 1st of the year before if you leave on December 1st.

People who desire to live or visit New Zealand have various options. A New Zealand visa can be obtained based on need. A person must know what kind of visa they need before applying online or at an embassy. To apply online, one must first meet some basic eligibility requirements. After that, people can apply for a visa on the immigration department’s website. Documentation must accompany financial stability and skill evidence.

Types of New Zealand Visas

New Zealand offers a host of visas to individuals and groups alike, with the different options listed below:

• Tourist/Visitor Visa – This permits an individual or a group to visit the country for a specific period of time, with the purpose of the visit being sightseeing, visiting family and friends, or recreation. One can stay up to a maximum of 9 months on this visa, which does not have a provision to work on it.
• Sports/Artist Visa – People who travel to the country for sporting or artistic events are granted this subcategory of tourist visa. They are given the opportunity to work in the nation for a set period of time and are granted the right to compensation during that time.
• Student/Study Visa – People who want to study education in New Zealand should use this. A short-term or long-term course might be chosen. This visa allows them to work in some circumstances and is contingent upon them being accepted into a specific university.
• Work Visa – This visa is provided to individuals who wish to pursue a career in the country. One needs to be skilled and is expected to meet certain criteria to get it. Officials could insist on a job offer before the visa is sanctioned.
• Investor Visa – This visa is designed for individuals who wish to invest in the country. It provides entrepreneurs with an opportunity to set up a business in New Zealand, helping both the individual and country develop together.
• Partner/Child Visa – This is designed for the children and/or partner of a New Zealand citizen. It can be utilised by individuals who need to be in the country to support their partner and varies from a case-to-case basis.

Each category has a number of further subcategories when it comes to Visas, providing comprehensive options to individuals.

New Zealand Visa Fees

The fee for a particular visa depends on the country an individual is from and the purpose of visit.

New Zealand Visa status

Users of the official website of the nation’s immigration department can track the progress of their applications if they have applied for a New Zealand visa. To view the most recent application updates, please click here. They will need to register by providing their contact details, such as their name and email address. The user will be given a login ID after selecting a password and responding to a security question. They can check the status of their application using this ID and the password.

New Zealand Visa Requirements

Some of the key requirements which should be satisfied in order to get a New Zealand Visa include:

• Character – An applicant should not have police cases against him/her and should be of decent character. This is a simple requisite to ensure that there is no threat to anyone in the country.
• Duration – An applicant should be clear about the amount of time he/she wishes to spend in the country. Each visa has a maximum time period associated with it and an individual should ensure that he/she doesn’t overstay.
• Tickets – An applicant should provide proof of his/her return journey. This means that return tickets could be required as proof.
• Funds – Staying in New Zealand is not very expensive, but an applicant should have sufficient money to last the trip. He/she will be required to show proof of funds for the trip. This amount should cover basic requirements.
• Sponsor – In certain cases, an individual might be asked to provide details about the individual sponsoring his/her trip.
• Admission – In case an individual is applying for a student visa, he/she should provide proof of admission into a recognised college/university.
• Business – If an individual is coming to New Zealand to work, he/she might be asked to provide proof of employment. This depends on a case to case basis and might not be asked in all cases.
• Fees – Prior to the application being processed, the applicant must pay the appropriate fee. This implies that funding must be set up at the time of application.
• Documents – Applicants need to have the necessary documents before they can apply for a visa. A valid passport, admission/work letter, tickets, etc. should be ready in order to complete the process.

New Zealand Recovery Visa

New Zealand is providing short-term recovery visas valid for up to six months. The visa’s specific purpose enables interested immigrants to aid in the recovery process. The visa application is processed by Immigration New Zealand in less than seven days.

Occupations eligible for a recovery visa:

Here are a few jobs that successful immigrants can take up:

• Risk or loss assessment
• Immediate cleanup
• Transport drivers
• Offering emergency response
• Manufacturing appropriate resources for road reconstruction
• Stabilisation and/or repair work on buildings, infrastructure, and housing