How to Immigrate to New Zealand

Co-authored by Miatrai Brown, Esq. and Jennifer Mueller, JD

Last Updated: March 6, 2024 References

Leaving one's current country in favor of New Zealand (Aotearoa) is a big decision. As New Zealand offers several options to immigrate there, each with varying difficulty, deciding the appropriate route to pursue will help you immigrate successfully without wasting much time. The following article explains the various methods of how to Immigrate to New Zealand.

Method 1

Method 1 of 8:

Immigrate as a "skilled immigrant".

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Submit an expression of interest to the New Zealand Immigration Service (NZIS).
- The NZIS will then decide whether or not to accept you. If accepted, you will be given either a permanent residence visa or a visa that allows you to live in New Zealand while looking for work.

Method 2

Method 2 of 8:

Obtain a work visa or work permit.

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Obtain a Work to Residence (WTR) visa.^{[1]
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- The three ways to get these are to apply for a WTR1 Talent Visa (accredited employer), WTR2 Talent Visa (arts, culture, sports), and WTR3 Visa (long term skill shortage).
- To obtain a WTR1 or WTR2 Talent Visa, you must be aged 55 or younger, meet health and character requirements, and have found an employer (for WR1) or nationally known organization (for WR2) that wants to make use of your talents.
- To obtain a WR3 Visa, you must be under age 53 when you apply for the visa and under age 56 when you are eligible for residence. Your skill must be on New Zealand's Long Term Skill Shortage List.
2
Obtain a general work visa.
- Do this if the WTR visas do not work for you.
- You must have a job offer in New Zealand to get a general work visa.

Method 3

Method 3 of 8:

Invest in New Zealand

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Invest at least NZ$10,000,000 in the country to obtain residence in New Zealand under the Investor 1 category.^{[2]
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- You must have spent at least 73 days in 2 of the last 3 years in New Zealand before you are granted residence.
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Invest at least NZ$1,500,000 in the country to obtain residence the Investor 2 category.^{[3]
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- Do this if the Investor 1 category is not in your best interest. You must be age 65 or younger, meet minimum English language standards, and have been in New Zealand for at least 146 days in each of the last 3 years.

Method 4

Method 4 of 8:

Obtain a long-term business visa.

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Apply under the Entrepreneur category if you have established a business in New Zealand, have been self-employed for at least 2 years, and can demonstrate that your business has benefited the country.^{[4]
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Apply under the Entrepreneur Plus Category if you have successfully established a business in New Zealand, are self-employed, have invested at least NZ$0.5 million, and have created at least 3 full-time jobs for citizens or residents of New Zealand.^{[5]
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Method 5

Method 5 of 8:

Request residence based on family status.

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Check with the NZIS to see if you qualify if either of the following apply:^{[6]
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- You have any family at all in New Zealand or your partner is a native or permanent resident of New Zealand.
- You have more family in New Zealand than your current country.

Method 6

Method 6 of 8:

Retire in New Zealand.

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Apply for a visitor visa under the Temporary Retirement Category.
- Note that there is a NZ$2,600 fee to do so.
- You must be at least 66 years old.
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Method 7

Method 7 of 8:

Purchase a franchise in your current country.

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Demonstrate to the NZIS that you would be able to operate a franchise successfully in their country.
- This option is only recommended for those who are desperate to immigrate, as it does not guarantee residence in New Zealand.

Method 8

Method 8 of 8:

Plan your move to New Zealand.

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Find a home in New Zealand after you have been accepted.^{[8]
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- Check www.realestate.co.nz for rentals or houses or search on the Internet for other sites.
- Contact anyone you know in New Zealand for recommendations.
2
Find an international mover.
- A simple search on an Internet search engine will help you choose the best international mover.
- Contact anyone you know who has moved internationally for recommendations.
3
Move to New Zealand.
- Make sure you close all bank accounts in your current country and transfer them to accounts in New Zealand as soon as possible.
- Pay off any debts or other liabilities before you leave. Take care of any other problems that you may have difficulty solving when in a different country.
- Board a plane and head to New Zealand.

Expert Q&A

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How do I write a letter to the embassy?

Miatrai Brown, Esq.
Immigration Attorney
Miatrai Brown is an Immigration Lawyer based in Washington D.C. With over 10 years of academic and professional experience, her areas of focus include employment-based nonimmigrant and immigrant visas, investment-based immigration, family-based immigration, risk management assessment, and regulatory compliance. She began her legal career exclusively practicing immigration and nationality law as external immigration counsel to large U.S. corporations and fast-moving start-ups. After six years at top immigration firms, she opened her own practice, Direct U.S. Immigration. This move was motivated by her desire to provide more access to a high level of immigration support to clients worldwide. As a thoughtful and strategic advisor on immigration and related matters, Direct U.S. Immigration earned an impressive honor as Immigration Law Firm of the Year 2023 – Washington DC.

Miatrai Brown, Esq.

Immigration Attorney

Expert Answer

Tailor your approach to the purpose of your communication. Begin by specifying the embassy you're addressing, providing comprehensive contact details, and, if applicable, including relevant case information. State the subject of your letter explicitly and detail any specific requests you may have. This ensures clarity and facilitates efficient communication with the embassy.

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How do I get citizenship for New Zealand?

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To become a citizen of New Zealand, you must live in the country for at least 5 years, be proficient in English, demonstrate good character, and plan to remain living in New Zealand after you're granted citizenship.

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How do I apply for a visa to move my family to New Zealand?

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If you are a citizen or permanent resident, you can complete the family or dependent visa applications as their sponsor. If you are not a citizen or permanent resident, you may be able to sponsor your dependents. However, adult family members would need to independently qualify for a visa based on their country of origin, background, and experience.

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To submit an expression of interest, you must be in good health, have good character, speak English reasonably well, be age 20-55, and score 100 or more points in a system that ranks work experience, age, and other factors. In general, the younger you are (within the 20-55 age range) and more work experience you have, the higher your score will be.

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The health and character requirements of the NZIS apply in all cases.

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There are no age restrictions for general work visas. However, these visas do not lead to residence.

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