As of January 29, 2024, the applications for New Zealand’s Permanent Resident Visa (PRV), Second or Subsequent Resident Visa (SSRV) and Variation of Travel Conditions of a resident visa (VOTC) are online.
- Applicants must apply for these visas online and will be able to see the status of their application online.
- Immigration New Zealand (INZ) will only accept paper applications in special circumstances or if an exception applies.
Eligibility
- Applicants must have held their resident visa for at least two years to be eligible for permanent residence.
- If they were outside New Zealand when their resident visa was issued, their first day in New Zealand on their resident visa must have been at least two years ago.
- Applicants can check the Permanent Resident Visa page for the full list of criteria.
Application Processing
- If an application is incomplete or missing supporting documents it may be delayed.
- If the applicant submits an application before they are eligible, it is likely that it will be declined, and they will need to re-apply once they have met all of the eligibility criteria. They will also need to pay another processing fee.
Erickson Insights
Other permanent resident visa types, such as the Global Impact Permanent Resident Visa, and the Afghan Emergency Resettlement Permanent Resident Visa are not being moved online at this time. Eligible applicants for these visas should continue to use the paper form. More information is available here.
Erickson Immigration Group will continue to monitor developments and share updates as more news is available. Please contact your employer or EIG attorney if you have questions about anything we’re reporting above or case-specific questions.