Ways to get a resident visa

There are some resident visas that you can apply for straight away if you have the right skills and meet the requirements.

Some other resident visas have requirements that you can only meet while in New Zealand. This means you’ll need to start with a temporary visa so you can work, study or own a business in New Zealand. The temporary visa you need depends on the requirements of the resident visa.

Go to the Immigration New Zealand website to find the requirements for resident visas and how to apply for them.

Resident visas to live in New Zealand — Immigration New Zealand

Getting New Zealand residence based on your skills — Immigration New Zealand

Resident visa conditions

Resident visas have rules about what you can do, including travelling overseas up to a certain date. You can apply to extend this date or to get permanent residence.

Check or change your resident visa conditions — Immigration New Zealand

Permanent residence

A Permanent Resident Visa is usually the next step after you’re granted a Resident Visa.

With a Permanent Resident Visa, you can travel in and out of NZ as much as you like, as long as you keep your visa in a valid passport.

Go to the Immigration New Zealand website to find out how to become a permanent resident of New Zealand.

Permanent residence — Immigration New Zealand